NEW YORK CITY, New York: New York state Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted final environmental approval for a new $4.2 billion terminal at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The construction will begin early next year on a 1.2 million-square foot, 10-gate terminal at JFK, she said.

The new Terminal 6 will be built in two phases, with the first new gates opening in 2026.

Financial arrangements for the public-private partnership to build the new terminal has been finalized, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will commit $130 million in capital funding to the infrastructure for the new Terminal 6, Hochul added.

The U.S. is currently conducting a massive overhaul and upgrading of many airport terminals. In 2021, a $1 trillion infrastructure law was signed by President Joe Biden, including $15 billion for airport project grants.

The US is expected to issue a similar environmental approval for Chicago's O'Hare International Airport worth $8.5 billion, to build a new Terminal 2.

In June, New York celebrated the six-year $8 billion reconstruction of the city's long-derided LaGuardia airport with the completion of a new Delta Air Lines terminal.

Since Vice President Biden dubbed LaGuardia airport "some third-world country" in 2014, New York and the airlines spent $8 billion to rebuild it.