JFK System Outage Hits Terminal 4 Flights November 23, 2025

Published on Nov 24, 2025, 8:43 am CSTUpdated on Nov 24, 2025, 8:56 am CST

8 min read

Key points

JFK Terminal 4 system outage on November 23, 2025 halted check in and boarding, creating long lines and runway delays during Thanksgiving week
The outage, which began around noon and lasted about ninety minutes, affected all airlines in Terminal 4 and forced staff to switch to manual processing
Local and trade reports say systems were largely restored by Sunday evening, but some delayed flights and missed connections may ripple into Monday for travelers via New York
Passengers with upcoming flights through JFK should leave extra time, monitor airline apps, and be ready to rebook if their connection window is under two hours

Impact

Where Delays Are Most Likely: Residual delays are most likely for flights departing or arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport on routes that use Terminal 4 and rely on tight aircraft turns
Best Times To Fly: Early morning and late evening departures over the next one to two days are likely to see fewer knock on impacts than peak midday waves at JFK and its main partner hubs
Connections And Misconnect Risk: Travelers connecting through JFK or onward hubs after a Terminal 4 arrival should allow at least two to three hours, avoid separate tickets, and be prepared for missed or rolled connections
What Travelers Should Do Now: Check flight status frequently, arrive earlier than usual for Terminal 4 departures, move nonessential trips if you are risk averse, and contact your airline if your itinerary involves a tight same day connection

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A JFK Terminal 4 system outage on November 23, 2025 brought check in and boarding to a crawl at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), snarling pre Thanksgiving travel for thousands of passengers. The disruption hit in the middle of one of the busiest holiday periods of the year, creating long lines, delayed departures, and crowded gate areas across the terminal. Travelers with trips routed through New York now need to factor in possible knock on delays, missed connections, and the chance that Monday operations will still be clearing the backlog.

In practical terms, the JFK Terminal 4 system outage on November 23 reduced the terminal's ability to process passengers at normal speed, which means anyone flying to, from, or through the affected gates may face longer airport times, schedule changes, or the need to rebook onward legs.

How The JFK Terminal 4 Outage Unfolded

According to local coverage, a power related system outage at JFK's Terminal 4 began around noon Eastern Time on Sunday, November 23, and lasted roughly an hour and a half. The disruption triggered long queues in the check in hall and delays on the runway as airlines and air traffic control slowed movements while passenger processing stalled.

Travel trade reporting and on the ground accounts describe travelers arriving late Sunday morning to find that the terminal's check in and baggage systems were not working, leaving lines that barely moved for more than an hour. All airlines operating in Terminal 4 were reported as affected, including long haul international carriers that rely on the facility as their New York gateway.

Etihad Airways, one of the major carriers in the building, used its customer support account on X to confirm that a system outage in Terminal 4 was impacting the entire terminal and to tell passengers that airport teams were working on the issue. Aviation monitoring accounts such as Airlive amplified images and short clips showing packed queues and static check in counters in the main departures hall.

What Passengers Experienced On The Ground

Reports from passengers and travel media point to a familiar pattern for large terminal outages. Check in counters and kiosks were either down or dramatically slowed, so staff switched to manual processes, checking documents by hand, writing bag tags, and issuing paper boarding passes where possible. That kept a trickle of flights moving but at a pace that could not match the usual Thanksgiving weekend volume.

Because John F. Kennedy International Airport is a major international hub, the outage did not just affect local departures. Delays at Terminal 4 can cascade to connecting flights in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, especially when long haul aircraft arrive late at their next station and crews exceed duty limits. For travelers, that translates into later departures, missed onward legs, and in some cases forced overnight stays while airlines rebuild rotations.

Social media clips and local reports showed crowded but orderly terminal spaces, with many passengers stuck in snaking lines or clustered near closed check in islands. Airport staff and airline teams were reported to be present on the floor, directing people, distributing water in some areas, and trying to manage expectations while IT teams worked behind the scenes.

When Systems Came Back And How Long Impacts May Last

By Sunday evening, aviation trade outlets citing Port Authority officials said that core systems in Terminal 4 had been brought back online and that operations were shifting from manual back toward normal electronic processes. That recovery avoided a full day shutdown and allowed most delayed flights to depart by late evening, although some passengers still faced missed connections or heavily delayed itineraries.

Even after a system outage is technically resolved, delays can linger for twelve to twenty four hours while aircraft and crews return to their planned positions. For JFK, that means some Monday, November 24, departures and arrivals, especially those involving overnight long haul legs, may still be operating off schedule. Travelers who flew through John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday and misconnected may still be waiting for seats on later flights, which can tighten inventory for new bookings and same day rebooking requests.

Because the outage struck during the Thanksgiving travel rush, when schedules and aircraft loads are already tight, there is less slack in the system to absorb long delays. Airlines may be less able to offer same day alternatives, particularly on transatlantic routes and premium departure times, so some travelers will find themselves rerouted through different hubs or shifted to less convenient times.

How This Fits Into Wider U.S. Holiday Travel Risk

This incident lands on top of a U.S. holiday pattern that already features weather and congestion risk at major hubs. Travelers tracking national conditions can use Adept Traveler's daily Flight Delays And Airport Impacts reports, including the November 23, 2025 edition that outlines broader bottlenecks across the country, to put the JFK outage in context and to see where delays are most likely to accumulate.

For structural guidance, Adept Traveler's evergreen advice on handling U.S. airport delays and cancellations explains why system outages, crew scheduling rules, and air traffic control procedures often combine to make same day recovery difficult once major disruptions begin. That background can help travelers understand why a ninety minute outage at a single terminal can still generate missed connections hours later, especially when every seat is in demand.

Background: Why Terminal IT Outages Are So Disruptive

Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport is a multi airline facility that relies on shared computer platforms for check in, baggage handling, and boarding. When a power or software issue takes those systems offline, every airline that depends on the shared tools can be affected at once, even if their own internal systems are healthy. In effect, a single point of failure in common infrastructure becomes a choke point for the entire building.

In modern hub operations, aircraft turn times and gate schedules are planned tightly to maximize utilization. A slow down at check in forces later boarding, which can push back departure times and lead to crews reaching duty hour limits sooner. Once a few flights fall significantly behind schedule, subsequent rotations are at risk, and airlines must start canceling or consolidating services to reset the operation.

For travelers, that dynamic means that even those who were not in Terminal 4 during the outage may see indirect effects, for example when an inbound aircraft is delayed by several hours and arrives too late to operate their onward flight. This is particularly true for long haul services where spare aircraft and crews are scarce during peak periods.

What Travelers With JFK Trips Should Do Next

Travelers flying from or through Terminal 4 in the next few days should plan for continued friction, even though the immediate outage has been resolved. Anyone departing from JFK should consider arriving earlier than usual, especially for morning and midday flights, in case check in or security lines remain longer than normal while staff work through residual crowds.

Passengers holding same day connections that rely on a Terminal 4 arrival, particularly if their connection time is under two hours, should review their options now. In many cases, moving to a later onward flight, accepting a longer layover, or rerouting through a different hub can reduce the risk of misconnecting if another operational hiccup occurs. Those on separate tickets are especially exposed and should leave extra buffer or consolidate itineraries where possible.

It is also worth reviewing airline communication channels before heading to the airport. Carrier apps, text alerts, and email notifications may provide earlier warning of rolling delays or gate changes than airport displays, which can lag during busy periods. Keeping boarding passes and frequent flyer numbers handy will make it easier for agents to assist with rebooking if needed.

Finally, travelers who experienced long delays or missed connections because of the outage should review their airline's conditions of carriage and any relevant consumer protections. In the United States, compensation rules for IT outages are weaker than for weather in some respects, but carriers may still offer meal vouchers, hotel support, or bonus miles in significant disruption events, particularly for elite customers or those traveling in premium cabins.