JFK Landing Fees: Rates, Surcharges, and How to Pay

Landing fees at JFK are $8.47 per 1,000 pounds of maximum gross takeoff weight as of January 1, 2026, with a $25 minimum per operation.¹ A 400,000-pound widebody generates about $3,388; a 20,000-pound business jet owes about $169; a light piston pays the $25 floor. That base rate is set by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and it’s only part of what you’ll pay once AirTrain fees, peak-hour surcharges, parking, and any general aviation handling costs are added.

How the Fee Is Calculated

Despite the common name, the charge is technically assessed on each takeoff, not each landing. The Port Authority’s Schedule of Charges applies the fee “for each aircraft takeoff” based on maximum gross weight.¹ The label makes no practical difference to the bill.

The weight used is the aircraft’s maximum certified takeoff weight, taken from its type certificate or flight manual. Actual weight on the day doesn’t matter. A Boeing 777-300ER pays on roughly 775,000 pounds whether it departs full or half-empty.

One rate applies to everyone. The Port Authority does not publish separate tiers for scheduled airlines, cargo, or general aviation. A once-a-year charter and a daily scheduled flight pay the same per-thousand-pound rate.

What Common Aircraft Pay

Under the January 2026 rate, before any surcharges:

Light single-engine aircraft around 3,000 pounds: the $25 minimum applies.¹
Midsize business jet at 20,000 pounds: about $169.
Boeing 737-800 at 174,000 pounds: about $1,474.
Boeing 777-300ER at 775,000 pounds: about $6,564.

The base fee has moved up steadily. It was $6.76 per 1,000 pounds in January 2024, $7.43 in January 2025, $8.16 in September 2025, and $8.47 effective January 1, 2026.²

The AirTrain Fee Stacks on Top

The Port Authority collects a separate weight-based AirTrain fee to fund the rail link between the terminals, the subway, and the LIRR. As of September 2025, that charge is $1.77 per 1,000 pounds of maximum gross takeoff weight.³ For a Boeing 737-800, that’s roughly another $308 per operation. Combined with the base flight fee, weight-based charges alone exceed $10 per 1,000 pounds.

Peak-Hour Surcharge

Any aircraft landing, taking off, or doing both between 3:00 PM and 10:00 PM pays a flat $100 surcharge on top of the weight-based fee, regardless of aircraft size.¹

Scheduled airlines, scheduled commuter carriers, and helicopters are exempt.⁴ The penalty is aimed at general aviation and charter operations arriving in the busy afternoon and evening window. For a light piston aircraft whose base fee is only $25, the $100 surcharge quintuples the cost of an operation. Timing an arrival before 3:00 PM or after 10:00 PM is the simplest way to avoid it.

Parking, Overstay, and Deicing

If airport management directs an aircraft to move and the operator doesn’t comply in time, overstay penalties are $50 for the first 15 minutes and $100 for each additional 15 minutes.⁴

Aircraft in public storage areas are billed in 8-hour blocks by weight:

Up to 100,000 pounds: $45 per 8 hours.
100,001 to 200,000 pounds: $70 per 8 hours.
Over 200,000 pounds: $70 plus $25 for each additional 25,000 pounds.

Aircraft actively deicing on public parking facilities are charged $50 per 30 minutes instead.⁴

Noise Departure Penalty

JFK has enforced a noise departure limit since 1959. Any aircraft exceeding 112 Perceived Noise Decibels on departure faces a $250 penalty per operation.⁵ Modern commercial jets rarely trigger it. Older or noisier types can.

General Aviation: Expect FBO Charges on Top

General aviation traffic pays the same Port Authority fees as the airlines, and then pays the Fixed Base Operator on the field for handling, parking, and fuel. Modern Aviation, which acquired Sheltair’s FBO assets at JFK, handles fueling, ground services, and parking for non-airline flights. Those charges are separate from the Port Authority’s published schedule. Handling fees, overnight parking premiums, and fuel markups at New York-area prices can add up quickly, and pilots consistently report totals higher than they expected. Get a written quote from the FBO before you arrive.

How and When You Pay

All charges under the Port Authority’s schedule are due in cash at the time they are incurred unless the operator has arranged credit with the Port Authority’s Treasurer in advance.⁴ There is no default billing cycle. Airlines with standing lease agreements typically hold credit accounts; a charter operator or private pilot arriving without one should expect to settle on the spot.

An operator that falls behind on Port Authority accounts can be denied access to all Port Authority facilities, not only JFK.⁴ Unpaid balances at Kennedy can block you from Newark Liberty and LaGuardia as well. For anyone flying in more than occasionally, setting up direct billing is worth the paperwork.

1
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. John F. Kennedy International Airport – Schedule of Charges Effective January 2026
2
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Revision to Schedule of Charges for Air Terminals Effective January 1, 2026
3
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Revision to Schedule of Charges for Air Terminals Effective September 2025
4
The Port Authority of NY and NJ. John F. Kennedy International Airport – Schedule of Charges Effective January 2024
5
Federal Aviation Administration. JFK Final Record of Approval – 14 CFR Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program