JFK Security Checkpoints: PreCheck, CLEAR and T4 Reserve

Your best source is free and official: the security wait times section of the Departures Guide on jfkairport.com. It lists each terminal with a general wait and, where a PreCheck line is reported, a TSA PreCheck wait, updated in real time. Real-time updates are also on the airport's interactive map.

Read the number with one caveat. The Port Authority measures from the checkpoint queue entry. When the line overflows beyond that area, you wait longer than displayed.

We don't print wait times on this page on purpose. They move all day, and a number copied this morning is wrong by lunch.

The MyTSA app is useful for planning ahead, but it shows how busy the airport usually is at a given day and time, based on past data. It is not a live measurement.

The airport's live feed lists one main checkpoint per terminal: T1, T4, T5, T7 and T8. Delta also runs private Delta One security in Terminal 4, for Delta One customers only, which leads straight to the Delta One Lounge.

Once you're through, the walk to your gate is short. Port Authority estimates:

• Terminal 1: 1 to 5 minutes
• Terminal 4: 3 to 14 minutes
• Terminal 5: 3 to 10 minutes
• Terminal 7: 1 to 5 minutes
• Terminal 8: 2 to 14 minutes

Opening hours for the general lanes are not published for most terminals. The exception is Terminal 5, where JetBlue lists its TSA checkpoint as open from 3:00am to midnight. For any other terminal, if you have a very early or very late flight, ask your airline.

Traveling with kids? Terminal 7 advertises priority TSA access for families.

Flying JetBlue Mint or Mosaic out of T5? JetBlue has temporarily moved that check-in area to the right of TSA PreCheck, through Door 8, because of longer than expected TSA waits.

TSA PreCheck is available at JFK, but lanes and hours vary by terminal. TSA publishes the PreCheck lane hours for each JFK checkpoint on its PreCheck schedule page and updates them every Monday, so look there for the week you fly.

Lane closed when you arrive? Show your PreCheck boarding pass in the standard lane and you still get expedited screening. Keep in mind that TSA never guarantees expedited screening on a given trip.

What PreCheck saves you: belts and light jackets stay on, and electronics and 3-1-1 liquids stay in your bag.

Family rules:

• Kids 12 and under can use the PreCheck lane with a parent or guardian who has PreCheck on their boarding pass.
• Teens 13 to 17 need the PreCheck indicator on their own boarding pass, on the same reservation.

Your airline has to take part in the program. Delta, American, JetBlue and British Airways are on TSA's list. Delta also offers TSA PreCheck Touchless ID at JFK, a face-only ID lane for SkyMiles members with PreCheck and a valid passport.

Membership costs $85 or less for five years, according to TSA. Fees can change, so confirm on tsa.gov before you apply.

According to the Port Authority, CLEAR is available at JFK in Terminal 4. The CLEAR+ lane is on the departures level, to the right of the security checkpoint, near Row 1 by Delta Priority check-in. CLEAR lists its lane hours on its own JFK page.

Terminal 4 also has T4 Reserve, a free way to book a security time slot. Slots open 7 days before your flight, and what you can book depends on your airline and destination. On the day, follow the RESERVE signs and show your QR code.

The catch is important: if you use T4 Reserve, you get standard screening, even if you're a TSA PreCheck or CLEAR member. If you have PreCheck or CLEAR, the reserved slot can cost you more time than it saves.

The Port Authority doesn't set one rule, and TSA tells you to check with your airline. Here is what the airlines we checked say:

• JetBlue: 3 hours before domestic flights, 4 hours before international.
• Delta: at least 2 hours before domestic flights, 90 to 120 minutes before international. At JFK, Delta's cutoff for checking bags on domestic flights is 60 minutes.

According to the Port Authority, most airlines open check-in 3 to 4 hours before departure and close it 45 to 60 minutes before takeoff.

Right now, add a buffer. The Port Authority warns of construction-related roadway congestion and possible AirTrain station closures, and asks travelers to allow extra time to reach the airport.

Have your boarding pass and a valid photo ID in hand. Adults 18 and older must show ID.

REAL ID is in force: since May 7, 2025, state licenses and IDs that are not REAL ID compliant are refused at airport checkpoints. An Enhanced Driver's License works for domestic flights. Other accepted IDs include a U.S. passport or passport card, a Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card, a foreign passport and a permanent resident card. A temporary driver's license does not count.

Forgot your ID? Since February 1, 2026, you can pay a $45 fee to verify your identity through TSA ConfirmID. Check tsa.gov for the current fee.

Liquids follow the 3-1-1 rule: containers of 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less, in one quart-size bag. Two useful exceptions:

• Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby food can go above 3.4 ounces and don't need to fit in the bag. Tell the officer at the start of screening.
• Duty-free liquids bought abroad can continue with you on a U.S. connection if they stay in the sealed tamper-evident bag, with the receipt, bought within the last 48 hours.

Switching terminals means a new TSA screening once you reach your departure terminal. Budget for a full line, plus the AirTrain ride.

Arriving on an international flight and connecting to a domestic one? The order is immigration and customs, then collect your bags, recheck them just outside customs, change terminals if needed, and clear TSA again. If you flew in from a preclearance airport, you're treated like a domestic arrival.

One exception: inside Terminal 4, Delta runs a free shuttle bus between concourses that keeps you airside, with no second security check.

Live passport control wait times are published only for Terminal 4, on the Arrivals Guide of jfkairport.com. No live figure exists for the other terminals.

Mobile Passport Control is available at JFK. The free CBP app lets eligible travelers send passport and customs information from their phone. It covers U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, Canadian B1/B2 visitors and returning Visa Waiver travelers with an approved ESTA. U.S. and Canadian citizens need no pre-approval.

Global Entry costs $120 for five years and includes TSA PreCheck. Members use the Global Entry kiosks at customs, though you may still queue briefly at busy times. If you're conditionally approved, you can do your interview through Enrollment on Arrival at JFK instead of booking an appointment. CBP lists the terminals and hours on its Enrollment on Arrival page.

The enrollment office for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck and CLEAR is in Terminal 4. Pre-enroll online before you go.

Need help getting through screening? Call TSA Cares at (855) 787-2227 at least 72 hours before your flight. You can ask for a Passenger Support Specialist to meet you at the checkpoint.

JFK hands out Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyards for travelers with conditions such as autism, PTSD, hearing loss or chronic illness.

Wheelchair or mobility help is arranged through your airline, before your flight.

Children who appear to be 12 or younger get modified screening procedures.