Jet Blue’s Terminal Gastronomy

One of the most dreaded aspects of flying (aside from Eddie Murphy movies and box-cutters) is having to consume the so-called “food” being served on board. Filling up in the terminal beforehand is a long-practiced strategy for avoiding airplane food, and with new top-of-the-line restaurants opening in Jet Blue’s (which is quickly becoming the H&M of airlines) JFK terminal, this dining option is looking better than ever.

The renovated terminal will include restaurants overseen by essential New York City chefs, including Mark Ladner of Del Posto, Michael Schulson of Izakaya Ten, Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson of Balthazar and Pastis, Alexandra Raij of Tia Pol, and Roberto Santibañez formerly of Rosa Mexicano.

This first-class dining experience is among the latest of the in-airport restaurants that have already taken off. JFK is currently home to Master Chef Todd English’s Bonfire, while “Hell’s Kitchen” villain Gordon Ramsay runs the aptly named restaurant Plane Food in London’s Heathrow airport. Wolfgang Puck is affiliated with a chain of Gourmet Express restaurants located in airports all over the US. Max in Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport has trans-fat-free made-to-order burgers, and the Oneworld lounge in LAX can not only sate a traveler’s hunger with its buffet-style dining, but also includes nine shower suites. Nørrebro Bryghus in Copenhagen Airport is a pre-flight imbibers paradise, serving up handcrafted seasonal beers. Winos can rejoice at the Cibo Bistro and Wine Bar, offering a selection of over thirty wines in airports in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C. While flying is not something most people look forward to, these new options becoming available in airports worldwide are dulling the downsides of air travel.