Three separate terminals — A, B and C — sit in a line along the airport access road, and none of them are connected to each other inside security. The AirTrain monorail links all three, the parking areas and the NJ Transit rail station. Newark is one of three major New York area airports, and the only one with a direct rail connection into Manhattan.

Each terminal works as its own small airport: separate check-in, separate security, separate arrivals. If you are connecting between terminals, you exit, ride the AirTrain and clear security again — with one exception: Star Alliance passengers can use a courtesy airside shuttle between the terminals.

What changed in 2026

Two things matter this year. First, the Port Authority has started a $3.5 billion replacement of the AirTrain itself, with the new system expected around 2030 — and during construction, the segment between the rail station and the terminals runs as a shuttle bus on weekday daytimes (details below). Second, Terminal A, which opened in 2023 as a $2.7 billion replacement for the old 1970s building, is now fully settled in as the airport’s domestic showcase, with a new Amex Centurion Lounge expected during 2026. A full rebuild of Terminal B is planned under the Port Authority’s 2026–2035 capital programme, but no construction start date has been announced — we will update this page when one is.

The terminals, one by one

Terminal A — the new domestic terminal

Opened in January 2023, Terminal A is the newest building at Newark and handles domestic flights, with American Airlines among its anchor carriers. Wide concourses, modern security flow and a growing lounge line-up — American’s Admirals Club is here, and an Amex Centurion Lounge is expected to open during 2026. Star Alliance passengers connecting to Terminals B or C can take the courtesy shuttle from near gate A28 without re-clearing security.

Terminal B — the international terminal

Terminal B dates from 1973 and handles most of Newark’s long-haul international flights — carriers here include British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Air India, Cathay Pacific and Aer Lingus, plus Spirit and Delta’s international services. It is split into three concourses: B1 (gates B40–B49), B2 (B51–B57) and B3 (B60–B68). The critical thing to know: each concourse has its own security checkpoint, and you cannot move between concourses airside. Check which gate range your flight uses before joining a queue, because the wrong checkpoint means exiting and re-clearing. B2 has few shops and restaurants, so eat before security if you are departing from there.

Terminal C — United’s hub

Terminal C is used exclusively by United Airlines and is one of the busiest single-carrier terminals in the world — it handled 32.9 million passengers in 2024, roughly two thirds of all Newark traffic. Gates run from C70 to C139 across three concourses, and unlike Terminal B, the three checkpoints feed a shared airside area, so you can walk freely between all C gates. The United Polaris Lounge here is one of the best-regarded business class lounges in the United States, with United Clubs near gates C74 and C123. During ongoing renovation work some United flights operate from Terminal B, so always confirm the terminal on your boarding pass.

Getting to and from the airport

Newark is the only New York area airport with a direct rail link to Manhattan. NJ Transit trains run from Newark Liberty Airport station to Penn Station in Midtown in roughly 25 minutes; the AirTrain connects the rail station to the terminals. Amtrak also stops at the airport station.

AirTrain construction — plan for this. While the replacement AirTrain is built, the segment between the rail station and the terminals is replaced by free shuttle buses on weekdays from roughly 5am to 3pm, running every few minutes — add about 15 minutes to your journey. The AirTrain still runs normally between the terminals and parking on weekdays, and the whole system runs normally on weekday evenings and at weekends. Construction pauses during peak travel periods (roughly Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the winter holidays). If you arrive by train on a weekday morning or midday, expect the shuttle.

By road, Newark sits about 16 miles from Midtown Manhattan; taxis and rideshares pick up outside each terminal’s arrivals level. Traffic through the Lincoln and Holland tunnels decides the journey time far more than the distance does.

Which New York airport should you use?

Newark wins if you value the rail link to Midtown or you are flying United, whose network here is enormous. JFK carries the widest spread of international carriers, and LaGuardia is the closest to Manhattan for domestic trips. The full comparison — including the smaller alternatives — is on our New York airports page, and the JFK terminal map and LGA terminal map cover the other two in the same detail as this page.