The TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport is a living museum of mid-century aviation, transforming Eero Saarinen’s 1962 TWA Flight Center into a 512-room hotel that opened in May 2019 (Wikipedia). This review covers the property’s history, ownership, film connections, dining venues, and practical booking details for travellers weighing a stay in the only hotel physically inside JFK Airport.
Last checked: 2026-07-17
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Location: John F. Kennedy International Airport, Queens, New York · Rooms: 512 · Rating: Best Airport Hotel in North America (Skytrax) · Ownership: MCR Hotels
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-07-17.
Sources reviewed: official property website, Wikipedia, Business Insider, Global Traveler, TripAdvisor reviews, Jean-Georges restaurant website, travel blogs (How Many Miles, Ware On The Globe, Airline Reporter), and Instagram.
We did not conduct an on-site visit, staff interview, or independent price verification. Room rates and dining prices cited reflect publicly reported figures from 2022–2025.
Snapshot: TWA Hotel at a glance
- Best Airport Hotel in North America, awarded by Skytrax (Wikipedia)
- Only on-airport hotel at JFK, within the airport’s physical boundaries (Wikipedia)
- Original terminal opened 1962; hotel opened May 15, 2019 (Global Traveler)
- Mid-century modern interiors by Eero Saarinen, preserved with rotary phones, period uniforms, and retro music (Business Insider)
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | John F. Kennedy International Airport, Queens, New York |
| Rooms | 512 |
| Rating | Best Airport Hotel in North America (Skytrax) |
| Ownership | MCR Hotels |
| Original architect | Eero Saarinen |
| Original opening (as terminal) | 1962 |
| Terminal closure | 2001 |
| Hotel opening date | May 15, 2019 |
| Groundbreaking for hotel | December 15, 2016 |
| Flag carrier | MCR Hotels (owner) |
Key insights: Ranked best in North America by Skytrax — the only on-airport hotel at JFK — the TWA Hotel repurposed a landmark terminal that sat empty for 18 years after its 2001 closure.
What movie was filmed at the TWA Hotel?
The most widely cited film connection is Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can (2002), which used the TWA Flight Center as a stand-in for a 1960s airport terminal. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, the film’s production team shot scenes in the head house and departure areas before the building was renovated into a hotel (Jenny Lynn Anderson). The mid-century architecture—curved white concrete, red carpeting, and the iconic departures board—made the location a natural fit for period accuracy.
Other productions have also used the site. The terminal’s distinctive silhouette appears in episodes of Mad Men and the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street, though specific scene details for later productions are less publicly documented. Notably, the TWA Hotel itself, not just the original terminal, has been used as a filming backdrop for commercials and editorial shoots since opening.
“If you like experiences that combine history, hospitality, upscale dining, and aviation, the TWA Hotel is an absolute must.”
— Jenny Lynn Anderson, travel blogger
The bottom line: Catch Me If You Can is the definitive movie connection, but the location’s photogenic mid-century design has made it a recurring backdrop for period productions and advertising.
Who is TWA Hotel owned by?
The TWA Hotel is owned and operated by MCR Hotels, a New York–based hospitality company that specializes in adaptive reuse of historic buildings. MCR acquired the TWA Flight Center from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and led the redevelopment project, breaking ground on December 15, 2016 (Wikipedia). The hotel opened on May 15, 2019 after a reported construction cost of $265 million.
MCR Hotels is one of the largest hotel owners in the United States, managing a portfolio that includes the High Line Hotel in Manhattan and multiple properties under Marriott and Hilton flags. The company secured a $290 million refin