Transforming a Global Gateway

Jennifer Aument is the Chief Executive Officer of The New Terminal One  (NTO) at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), the private consortium led by Ferrovial, JLC Infrastructure, Ullico, and Carlyle, developing the world-class international terminal that will anchor the south side of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey’s $19 billion redevelopment of JFK Airport.

The NTO is being built on sites now occupied by Terminal 1, Terminal 2, which recently closed, and the former Terminal 3. Construction will take place in phases. The $9 billion first phase, including the new arrivals and departures halls and the first set of 14 new gates, is expected to open in 2026. It is the largest private investment ever committed to a U.S. airport terminal and the largest public-private partnership in the nation. Upon full completion, anticipated in 2030, the New Terminal One will be 2.4 million square feet, making it the largest terminal at JFK, and will be a 23-gate, state-of-the-art, international-only terminal.

Two months after assuming the role of CEO at New Terminal One, Jennifer Aument spoke to Metropolitan Airport News about her passion for her career in transportation and infrastructure, community, and her vision for the NTO project that she is now leading and its extraordinary progress ‘in-the-making’ since its ground-breaking in September 2022.

Aument grew up in a small town in West Virginia with parents who were public school teachers. Although what she now does for a living is very different from theirs, they had a big influence on her decision to spend her career in transportation. As school teachers, her mother and father taught her the importance of dedication to the community and that has always been paramount to Aument in her 25 years in the transportation industry. 

A common theme throughout Aument’s career in transportation has been advancing major public/private partnerships (P3s) and infrastructure in the highway, rail, airport, and port sectors.

Early in her career, and prior to her present role as the CEO of the NTO, she developed the largest extension of the metro project and system in Washington, D.C., on behalf of Bechtel. This was an early-stage P3 in which the contractor had some equity and risk in the project. 

As President and CEO of Transurban’s North American business for many years, she oversaw major toll road infrastructure development, financing, and operations in the United States and Canada. During that time, Aument also served on the board of the Port of Virginia for a decade and examined different models for how the public and private sectors could work together to deliver, finance, operate, and provide transportation services with the Port of Virginia, as well as some unique partnership models.

Aument later served as Chief Executive of AECOM’s Global Transportation business, where she and her team were at over 120 airports worldwide. This gave her a birds-eye view of some of the largest and most transformational infrastructure projects, including several large-scale P3s in the U.S. and other parts of the world. In looking at the world stage, she observed that the United States tended to overlook P3 models more than other regions, in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, and others. “In talking to government decision-makers over the years about the opportunity that P3s present, what we were always missing in the U.S. was a really solid domestic proof point where you could say, ‘this works in the U.K., Australia, and Spain.’ But the U.S. just really needed to look at the ‘Let’s show you in this country how this tool can really further enhance transportation programs in the United States and on the service side,” said Aument.

While leading many teams over the years, Aument has observed how well P3s can deliver the domestic proof points that help enhance transportation programs and services that strengthen the community, provide conveniences for customers, and help drive the economy. In addition, they meet government policy initiatives and provide a substantial return for investors. “I’ve been pleased to work across a number of projects that have done just that across the rail, highway, and port sectors, and I think that it’s incredibly important to showcase domestically what P3s can do to amplify our transportation programs here in the U.S. That’s exactly the position that my team and I are in at the NTO,” commented Aument, “We really feel the wake of responsibility to deliver, on a very large-scale, P3 partnerships of transformational transportation here, at the greatest city on Earth, that is going to shape our community and provide an unmatched experience for all our customers and airline partners. We are also very fortunate in this project to have a very strong partner in the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.”

Having had what Aument says is a global birds-eye view of large transformational projects throughout the world, she commented, “There’s no market that I’ve seen where you have this bold agenda all at one time that’s going to be so transformative for a region, than what we see happening here with the Port Authority New York & New Jersey. We’re very proud to be a key anchor to JFK Airport’s redevelopment.”

Aument shared that, last Fall, she had an opportunity to teach a course at Cornell University called ‘Delivering the Modern Mega Transportation Project’ with a collection of MBAs, Masters of Engineering, and Public Administration. She decided to use the visuals of a handful of the coolest and most transformational ‘Wow’ projects in the world- like the high-speed rail in California and the United Kingdom and some huge projects in Australia and in cities that are coming up in the desert of Saudi Arabia. But on the first day, the very first slide that she put up was of the NTO at JFK International Airport as the new standard of a transformational project, knowing that the visual would be a potent example for students to illustrate how exciting an infrastructure project of this magnitude can be. “So, who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?” she exclaimed. 

In the weeks following Aument’s appointment as the CEO of the NTO, the project has come to life for her while working with the Port Authority to celebrate $2.3 billion contracts for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs). “To come in early and have such a stellar foundation where the community is woven into the organization and to be able to celebrate with our partners and so many small businesses that have been part of the successes we’ve had to date, it has put us in a wonderful place to be able to be on track to deliver the Terminal.”

Taxiing to Takeoff!

Delivery of the NTO is on schedule as the team works feverishly toward opening its first phase in 2026. The steel and glass have gone up, and the curtain wall continues to rise. And as the first escalator is installed, the key elements of customer experience are beginning to come to life. Partners in AECOM Tishman are piloting some interesting things for off-site commissioners to bring into the building and moving toward operations. 

RFPs are out around electric ground service equipment, snow removal services, and training for guest experience. “It’s a very important time for our team when you look at that operational readiness because we are driven here by wanting to create extraordinary moments for our customers. We call them guests here at our terminal. Customer service standards are very much as crucial as what’s going on now, and we are drawing a really clear line in the sand that says, ‘Whether you’re janitorial services, partners at TSA, or working on ground services, that everyone, all our colleagues involved, are important aspects of this terminal from the first day. There is a shared understanding in commitment and vision for a guest experience.”

As the building comes together, there are presently about 1,000 people working on the terminal, and their number is expected to rise to about 2,600 as work intensifies over the summer and beyond. Heavy civil work is moving forward toward the end of the year, bringing partners who are working on the build-out and bringing customer experience to life. As the build-out moves forward, Aument emphasized, “We need to make sure that every aspect of the project is about keeping all customers coming through JFK terminals and our employees completely safe, so we continue to prioritize safety.”

Team and Talent

“The one thing I want to say about my team is that we are all honored to be leaders on the team here,” said Aument. She explained the three core elements of talent at the NTO. 

Talent has been pulled from the best in the world, from top airports like Dubai, Munich, and Heathrow. As professionals in the industry, they have been well-tested and have deep experience at top airports, whether working on the system side, the customer, or the civil side. 

Colleagues have rich experience and knowledge of the New York market, have learned the lessons of other terminals in the area, and have been long and committed partners of the Port Authority. They know the region and the unique nature of the New York market and what they are trying to deliver to the New York market.“When you’re looking at a project of this size and complexity and with such an aspirational agenda, you do not want to leave great talent on the sidelines. So we are really fortunate to have some extraordinary talent and expertise in cultural richness in the local community that we’ve brought to this project as well. The combination of local talent, New York expertise, and global expertise has given us an incredible foundation of experience from which we are building this new business, which is very exciting!” said Aument.

The Minority Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) program, which includes small minority and women-owned businesses, is on track to surpass the 30% goal and 10% local business enterprise participation. On May 1st, Governor Kathy Hochul and the Port Authority of N.Y. & N.J. announced that a record $2.3 billion in contracts has been awarded to MWBE in the ongoing transformation of JFK International Airport.

“I’m really amazed at the amount of effort that the team puts in place here, of not just being matchmakers, but really helping to connect opportunities with small business to the terminal and the work they do to support these contractors to make them successful in this program. There is a solid commitment to community and MWBEs, and they will continue to play a significant partnership role in everything we do; from the products that we sell, to food concessions, retail, and complex systems, to other procurements,” remarked Aument. 

Elements of Design, Elements of Operation

Driven and energized by the opportunity to deliver something brand new to the industry, set a new standard for the U.S. market, and be among the best airports in the world is rooted in how the team at the NTO can create something exceptional for guests to the terminal. That means bringing some of the best shopping in the world, bringing that culture and New York energy into the terminal, and creating a wonderful, pleasant experience for tired, weary travelers who come into customs. ‘’As someone who has done many, many 15-hour flights in my career,” said Aument, “I know what it feels like to land in an airport on your last step of the journey. Sometimes that’s the hardest part. So we want our guests to be greeted by a flow of bright, natural light, and we want to welcome them in their own language and use technology and biometrics to make it easy for them to find their exact Uber or Lyft. We want them to get their rush of New York energy immediately as they come in and give them that sense of place in the terminal.” 

Among the many beautiful things provided in the NTO, the interior will be flooded with light, and the essence of New York will be in every aspect of the terminal. Other natural elements include big trees that will add a dash of Central Park to the NTO. There will also be world-class art celebrating New York. “To the Port Authority’s credit, this is something they really value, and they challenge their partners to really continue to pursue and use world-class art to reinforce that New York is the place, the greatest city…that guests feel that they have arrived in New York the moment they step into the terminal,” said Aument. “All of that will add up to a luxurious, extraordinary customer experience. 

Sustainably designed and future-focused, the NTO will feature expansive public spaces, cutting-edge technology, and an array of amenities, all designed to enhance customer experience and compete with some of the highest-rated airport terminals in the world. 

Providing Extra Support

Something that the NTO team is very passionate about in terms of operational strategy are design elements that are focused on providing extra support to guests who have constraints, whether for mental or physical limitations. Said Aument, “All of us have people in our lives who have stepped away from travel and adventure because of the challenges of navigating long, large airport terminals when they need special assistance…whether that means providing quiet rooms, or piloting to respectfully help people with mobility challenges to get through the terminal with ease. It’s much bigger than, ‘how do we provide extra support?’ You’re welcoming people back to the travel experience who perhaps have stepped away from it.”

In light of that, Aument shared a personal account of her own past experience with air travel as a young, healthy person with a job that required her to travel all over the world when she was surprised with a diagnosis of breast cancer, “For the first time in my life, I was in an airport in Europe, and I was struggling to physically make my way to the airport during a period of time when I was recovering from my treatment… and it really hit me personally, for the first time, the challenges of lifting a bag and the long walk to the gate. I thought about what happens when someone changes the gate to the other side of the airport when you have these constraints? So, for the first time, as a transportation professional working in all different airports throughout the world, I felt it personally, and I saw how humiliating it is, particularly when traveling as part of your job. This really inspired me to do what I can do in the industry to bring people back and to provide extra support to people who may need it.”

Staff Support & Amenities

One of the many elements of the project that is receiving particular attention is the work amenities for the employee base when the New Terminal One opens. There is a focus on creating spaces for staff to have a meal, take a break, or share and collaborate with each other and have a positive work experience. Mindful that there is a lot of competition for talent, Aument said, “We want to be the employer of choice in creating a wonderful place for our employees to work. We don’t want to leave good talent on the sidelines, so we  are looking at highly focused workforce programs in partnership with the Port Authority, where we are bringing skills and expertise to some of the talent in the local JFK region so they can be a part of our team in 2026.”

A Dedicated International Terminal

Airline partners have expressed that a dedicated international terminal be designed for international customers since they spend more time in terminals, have much longer journeys, and have higher expectations. They are not dealing with the mix and challenges associated with international trips and domestic trips in the same terminal. “There have been a lot of conversations with airlines seeing the building go up; it’s the best billboard you can have. It underscores that this is a dedicated international terminal, and there are so many advantages to that. We’re hearing great feedback from our shared airline customers as we build this customer experience,” remarked Aument.

As the Port Authority of NY & NJ boldly moves this project forward, all at one time, Aument commented that it is important that customers traveling into JFK and the terminal today ensure that they are careful and that they provide extra time, as there may be delays as traffic comes into the airport. “We thank them for their patience as we construct their future JFK. I promise it will be worth it,” said Aument, continuing with, “While it may seem far away, at more than two years before the first flight, standards are in place now, and we are well positioned to deliver on that promise with something extraordinary. We believe it will be unlike anything we’ve seen in the U.S. market. And it should be. It’s New York, the gateway to the U.S.A.”