With a more leisurely start to the day, the weather was still on our side. It was quite warm in the sun and when you could get some shelter from the shade. What better way than going to our third observation deck of the week (somewhere I had been to before), The Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Centre?
With VIP tickets, you get an airport-style lounge, where you can leave your beginnings, have a drink and get away from the hustle and bustle of queuing. By doing this you avoid queuing and can get priority access. It’s something that’s certainly worth doing, as we bypassed a huge ‘mob’ of school children waiting to use the lift, and you save so much time by not having to queue.
The new innovation at The Top of The Rock is ‘The Beam’, recreating the iconic photo of the workers on the steel beam. This was included in our ticket, and they are adding a new revolving observation level later in the year. Before we headed to the lift in the lounge, we saw a video explaining the history of the photograph and its significance for New Yorkers.
Top of The Rock, New York
We then had lunch in the Rockefeller Centre at the very nice Jupiter restaurant within the complex and opposite the ice rink. It had an Italian-themed menu, which was a light fare at lunchtime – the usual pizza, pasta and sandwiches.
Heading back to the airport, we checked in for the flight very early – through the Mint check-in area at JetBlue’s T5. It was no more than a room with a check-in desk and scales in, with a secret door where our luggage was taken through. This was so we could head to the relatively unknown TWA Hotel – the original terminal has been lovingly restored into a hotel and leisure facility. It takes you back in time, with a departure lounge restaurant and bar, a Lockheed Constellation converted into a bar, and of course, the iconic rooftop pool, overlooking the JetBlue terminal. It’s a great option if you get to the airport early, especially in the summer and want something to do before catching your flight, or if you need an overnight stay at the airport in transit.
Anyone who is going to JFK in the summer should really check out the hotel pool, especially if you have a late flight and have to be out of the hotel by lunchtime, and you’re wondering what to do for the rest of the day. There are changing rooms/toilets as well so you can change before getting onboard your flight.
TWA Hotel Pool
Heading back into the terminal, security was a little slow which meant that we immediately boarded the flight. This time I was coming back in Even More Space (think similar to Virgin Economy Delight), which is Premium Economy levels of legroom, but with a standard economy seat. Given the light loading in this class, I had a whole row to myself which meant essentially I could make a lie-flat bed. Still very comfortable for a 7-hour flight, overnight.
JetBlue – Even More Space, Overnight
