Catch Me If You Can: Visiting the TWA Flight Center at New York JFK

For frequent travellers, many airports end up looking and feeling the same. But there’s one airport terminal that’s simply irreplaceable. In fact, it’s nothing short of iconic. That’s the TWA Flight Center at New York’s JFK Airport. (Yes, that’s Center with an ‘er’ – this is the United States, after all!)

The building served Trans World Airlines (TWA) passengers for many years. In fact, it also housed American Airlines from October to December 2001: right as aviation was changing forever. As of 2019, the building has been reimagined as the TWA Hotel, catching the attention of travellers from around the world.

Heralding back to the golden era of aviation, the building sports spacious and interesting venues that are open to the public. While you need to be a hotel guest to visit some parts of the complex, anybody can wander into the main spaces and bask in the glorious 60s theme. You’re free to visit The Sunken Lounge, as well as Connie: an old TWA aircraft. The building itself is also glorious to admire from the outside.

Add to that, passenger ‘tubes’ from TWA Flight Center connect out to the modern-day JFK Terminal 5, home of JetBlue. It certainly is a fun way to begin any journey.

You might recognise this spot as one of the filming locations used for the famed Leonardo DiCaprio movie, Catch Me If You Can. Right here, in this ‘tube’, Frank Abagnale Jr (played by DiCaprio) jets off on his next adventure – despite being in the custody of FBI agent Carl Hanratty (played by Tom Hanks). Here’s a refresher.

Ready to explore the TWA Flight Center? Here’s a look at what you can do and see, without having to book in as a hotel guest.

Finding the 1962 TWA Flight Center

There are a few ways you can reach the TWA Flight Center, home to the TWA Hotel. If you’re getting dropped off by car, there’s an easy roadway entrance. But let’s say you’re in transit, or you’ve just arrived into New York and are keen to check things out while you’re already practically here.

One option is to take the free inter-terminal Airtrain to Terminal 5. There’s a bit of walk through the multi-level car park, but it means experiencing the grand entrance and being able to spot the building from outside. If you’re not pushed for time – and it’s not raining – this is what I’d recommend. The walk takes less than 10 minutes.

Alternatively, you can also alight at the Terminal 5 Airtrain stop and follow the signs into Terminal 5 itself. From there, you’ll find signage pointing towards a lift that can connect you with the TWA Hotel internally. For me, I entered from the outside and exited via this path towards the Airtrain, which means walking through those iconic passenger tubes.

Looking back at the TWA Flight Center from JFK Terminal 5.

I’ve done the walk through the car park to get to the grand entrance.

I love this little airline office that’s set up along the walkway.

This lift can take you back in time.

That connection between TWA Hotel and Terminal 5 also provides some great views of TWA Flight Center and the retro TWA Constellation aircraft parked outside. As a fun fact, the original design for the TWA building took a leaf from the Sydney Opera House. Eero Saarinen, who designed the TWA Flight Center, had served as a judge for the earlier competition to pick the Opera House’s design.

TWA Hotel’s design was also centred around four shells – to be so symmetrical that designers only drew half the plans for the building.

Connie Cocktail Lounge at TWA Hotel

As interesting as the building is, it’s easy to be drawn straight through it and out onto what was previously the tarmac. Here, you’ll find a 1958 Lockheed Constellation parked outside – formerly of the TWA fleet. Nicknamed Connie, ‘passengers’ today can stroll straight out and hop on board.

You don’t need a reservation, in any sense. I literally waltz on out, climb the stairs and claim a seat. It’s a great spot for photos, including in the flight deck. But once you’ve gathered enough snaps for your socials, you might like to explore the bar down the back. It’s akin to walking back to the galley to fetch a refreshment on a long flight!

It’s a novel idea, but the venue has previously been named as one of the world’s best hotel bars. It almost has something of an unfair advantage… how many other hotels have an iconic passenger plane as their venue, which doesn’t form part of the journey itself? This is certainly one place where you don’t mind spending time ‘on board’ rather than in the city, because this plane is its own destination.

All these years later, passengers are still enjoying drinks on board. They’re just served on the ground instead…

You can walk straight out onto what was the tarmac, no booking or reservation required.

Perhaps this is a little more spacious than usual aircraft cabin back in the day.

Even so, I take a seat and settle in.

Parts of the cabin walls are exposed to show what passengers don’t usually see beneath.

There’s plenty of legroom aboard TWA.

This certainly looks different to many modern day flight decks.

You can walk around and explore the plane from the outside, too.

As for this visit, I take the chance to indulge. I go for the ‘Paper Plane’ cocktail. It’s a zesty mix of bourbon, Aperol and Amaro Montenegro with a lemon twist. For old times’ sake, it’s hard to pass up a simple serving of ‘TWA nuts’. They don’t come with the flair of yesteryear – they’re not warmed, and they’re delivered in a mere plastic dish – but you’re here for the atmosphere, not the crockery.

The Sunken Lounge

TWA Flight Center has a lot to admire, with high ceilings and elevated passageways. All of these practically serve to draw you towards The Sunken Lounge. Draped in bold red carpet, it’s a striking reflection of the TWA brand of old. Interestingly though, for a place that was an airport, baggage isn’t allowed onto the carpet. Even cabin bags need to be left aside. But smaller laptop-type bags are okay.

Naturally, there’s a bar nearby for refreshments and food. I’m pacing myself as I have hours to spend in the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse before a flight to London tonight. So I hold off on the cocktails and go for a bite to eat.

Relax, your flight isn’t even boarding yet…

The venue is styled with ’60s flair.

I see the insides of plenty of planes, so this is my favourite venue.

For me, this has more of a vibe than the aircraft bar, but both are still worthy of a visit.

I’m just casually taking photos when somebody takes over the information screen and pops the question, ha!

If this were a modern airport, there’d be a duty-free store crammed in at every turn. Instead, the open space here is fantastic.

Now this is a ‘hotel lobby’!

The sliders are yum, but they’d look nicer on a plate rather than a cardboard tray.

Don’t use this information panel to monitor your actual flight from JFK! It’s for show.

This trip to the United States has me in three cities without really being able to leave the airport in any of them. I fly via Honolulu to experience Hawaiian Airlines’ new Boeing 787, which takes me to Phoenix. After a midnight arrival and an 8 am flight, I’m back on board to JFK by mid-afternoon ahead of my midnight flight to London. This is all just to say, with so little time in the US this time around, my order choice goes straight to an American favourite.

It’s hard to beat a simple but perfect burger. But I spot a slider trio on the menu that’s perfectly bite sized. Adorned with cheese, sauce – and yes, a pickle – I’m all set.

As it happens, in the short time I’m here, I even witness a marriage proposal! Now, this building might just be a hotel for some. But for others, TWA Flight Center clearly has lots of memories attached. Not just for those who’ve seen the infamous movie, and wish they could travel in the flight desk like Abagnale.

Also read: British Airways Boeing 777 First review (London Heathrow – New York JFK)

Photography by Chris Chamberlin, who visited at Point Hacks’ expense. Catch Me If You Can footage of DreamWorks SKG/Rotten Tomatoes.