THE TWA HOTEL

There are many things to do when traveling to New York City, but I recommend this unique experience on your next trip to the big apple. Exploring the city can be exhausting, so why not take a day to recover at this sprawling 512-room hotel before your flight home? The TWA Hotel at JFK airport is a beautiful reimaging of the 1962 TWA Flight Center. TWA (Trans World Airlines) was a prominent American airline from 1930 until 2021. Formerly owned by Howard Hughes, the airline was once considered one of the “Big Four” domestic airlines in the US, along with United, American, and Eastern.

Upon arrival, you will feel that you’ve stepped into a time capsule from the 1970s with the retro architecture to the Classic Solari split-flap message board and vintage cars parked out front.

The TWA hotel is different from your typical hotel. I liken it to a museum you can stay in overnight. On the second floor of the hotel lobby, you will find an array of TWA uniforms from 1945-2001 donated by former TWA employees and their families.

At the end of the red-carpeted corridor from the hotel to the airport, you’ll find a tribute to Howard Hughes and developer Eero Saarinen with replicas of Hughes’s desk and Saarine’s drafting table.

One of my favorite features is watching airplanes take off and land from the rooftop infinity pool and observation deck overlooking the JFK runway.

And after exploring the hotel and all the mini exhibits, have a meal at one of the two restaurants or a drink inside a 1958 Lockheed Constellation airplane that was converted into a very cool bar.

The TWA Hotel is only a 45-minute train ride from the city, so you could spend half a day there or book a room and stay for the night.