Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A Debuts Second Sensory Room, Setting New Standard for Supporting Neurodivergent and Special Needs Travelers

Credit: PANYNJ

Inspired by New Jersey’s Coastal Heritage, New Underwater-Themed Sensory Room Features Aqua-Blue Floors, Sea Life Projections Alongside Aircraft Cabin Replica to Help Travelers Prepare for Boarding Experience

New Meditation Room and New Business Center Now Open at Terminal A to Enhance Passenger Comfort

Port Authority Incorporating Sensory Rooms Into Redevelopment Planning Across All Airports; Sensory Room Open at LGA and Coming to JFK

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today announced the opening of a second sensory room at Newark Liberty International Airport’s award-winning Terminal A, completing a nation-leading, seamless travel experience from curb to gate for neurodivergent travelers and travelers on the autism spectrum. The new post-security screening sensory room complements Terminal A’s existing pre-screening sensory room and assisted screening services through the TSA Cares program.

The pair of sensory rooms add to Terminal A’s state-of-the-art passenger amenities such as dozens of national and local dining options, local artwork, a children’s play space, a children’s lending library curated by a local fifth grader, digital technology and other customer-first features that helped earn the terminal its world-class status in 2024 when named as the best new airport terminal in the world by Skytrax, a preeminent global airport evaluation firm. Skytrax also gave the terminal a rare 5-star rating in 2024 following a detailed audit of the terminal’s facilities, operations and customer service in 2023.

Sensory rooms elevate the customer service experience by providing a peaceful refuge from what can often be an overwhelming, overstimulating environment for neurodivergent and special needs passengers. Additionally, a new meditation room and other accessibility features are also now available at Terminal A, reinforcing the Port Authority’s commitment to inclusive and comfortable travel. Across the agency’s unprecedented redevelopments of its major airports, it has prioritized creating a seamless, relaxed and accessible travel experience while accommodating passengers of all needs and abilities.

The new 1,400-square-foot post-screening sensory room immerses travelers in a tranquil underwater-inspired setting, which is a nod to New Jersey’s coastal heritage and vibrant aquatic life. It features a fish tank, interactive bubble tubes and calming sea life projections across aqua-blue floors and walls. The space also provides a relevant learning opportunity for families through an aircraft cabin replica that simulates flight through video, which allows travelers to become familiar with the boarding and in-flight experience. The cabin includes replica seats, seatbelts, overhead bins and windows with digital displays simulating an in-flight view.

This space complements Terminal A’s pre-screening sensory room, which opened in December 2023 and offers a peaceful forested riverbank environment. Both sensory rooms were developed in consultation with the Anderson Center for Autism, which also trained airport staff on best practices for engaging with neurodivergent travelers. Travelers can move from the pre-screening room directly to a dedicated TSA Cares screening lane staffed by specially trained personnel, and then into the post-screening sensory room in just a few steps, providing a seamless, supportive experience within the airport. Travelers can request assistance through TSA Cares by calling 855-787-2227 or submit an online request at least three days ahead of a flight.

Terminal A has also opened a new meditation room adjacent to the post-screening sensory room. Designed for prayer, reflection, or quiet contemplation, the 1,400-square-foot space offers minimalist décor, private areas, and ablution facilities. Additionally, a business center with computers, printers, and other resources is located nearby in the terminal.

The Port Authority has prioritized accessible and inclusive design across its commercial airports and terminals, with the new terminals at JFK Airport to also feature new sensory rooms. At Newark Liberty, Terminal C also offers an interfaith meditation space. Other Port Authority airports also offer meditation space and sensory facilities for neurodivergent travelers, such as a prayer area at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 1 and a sensory pod and interfaith chapel at Terminal 4. At LaGuardia Airport, Terminal B includes a prayer and meditation space with a calming water feature, while Terminal C offers a post-screening sensory room and chapel, along with other accessibility resources across both airports in New York. The agency’s commercial airports also participate in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard program, which offers a sunflower lanyard upon request of a traveler to discreetly notify airport staff of invisible disabilities and the need for additional patience and support. Lanyards are available at terminal welcome centers and information booths. Lanyards are available at terminal welcome centers and information booths.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state agency that builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. For over a century, the agency’s network of major airports; critical bridges, tunnels and bus terminals; a commuter rail line; and the busiest seaport on the East Coast has been among the most vital in the country – transporting hundreds of millions of people and moving essential goods into and out of the region. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center campus, which today welcomes tens of thousands of office workers and millions of annual visitors. The agency’s historic $37 billion 10-year capital plan includes unprecedented transformation of the region’s three major airports – LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and JFK – as well as an array of other new and upgraded assets, including the $2 billion renovation of the 93-year-old George Washington Bridge. The Port Authority’s annual budget of $9.4 billion includes no tax revenue from either the states of New York or New Jersey or from the city of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, visit www.panynj.gov or check out the Now Arriving blog.