The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today announced that its seaport was the nation’s busiest in May 2025, handling nearly 775,000 TEUs. The agency’s commercial airports welcomed 12.1 million passengers in May, including record volume for the month at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The PATH commuter rail system recorded its second-busiest month since the pandemic, reaching 75 percent of pre-pandemic ridership with weekend ridership nearing all-time records, while the agency’s vehicular crossings continued showing strong volume matching 2024 and pre-pandemic 2019.

Port of New York and New Jersey:

The Port of New York and New Jersey was the nation’s busiest cargo gateway in May 2025. The port handled 774,698 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) through the month, showing strong resilience through its diversified supply lines despite tariff-related uncertainties across the supply chain. May 2025’s total was a 20 percent jump from pre-pandemic May 2019. It was a 2 percent decline from May 2024, when the port was absorbing additional cargo volume following the collapse of the Key Bridge and the closure of the Port of Baltimore.

From January through May, the port handled 3,729,611 TEUs. This was an increase of 6.5 percent over the same period of 2024 and was a jump of 22.6 percent over the first five months of 2019.

Airports:

John F. Kennedy International Airport recorded its busiest May of all time by a slim margin, a 0.1 percent increase over the previous record for the month set in May 2024. May 2025 marked LaGuardia Airport’s third-busiest May ever, a 1.1 percent decrease from the record it set in May 2024. Passenger volume at Newark Liberty declined 21 percent compared to May 2024. In May 2025, the Port Authority’s commercial airports welcomed approximately 12.1 million passengers. This was a 7 percent decline from May 2024, the agency’s busiest May on record. Flight cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport due to FAA air traffic control staffing and equipment issues accounted for nearly all of the year-to-year decline.

Over the first five months of the year, the Port Authority’s commercial airports welcomed approximately 55.9 million passengers. This was a 3 percent decline from the same period of 2024.

PATH Commuter Rail:

In May 2025, the PATH commuter rail system reached 75 percent of pre-pandemic May 2019 ridership. The month’s total of 5.4 million passengers marked the railroad’s second-busiest month since the pandemic, behind October 2024 when 5.7 million rode the system. May 2025’s passenger total surpassed May 2024’s total by 7 percent.

Average weekday ridership exceeded 200,000 passengers for a second consecutive month and for the fourth time since the pandemic. The 205,305 average weekday passengers recorded during May 2025 was a 7 percent jump from May 2024.

Weekend ridership neared all-time monthly records for the system. May 2025’s average Saturday ridership of 122,040 was the second-highest ever for the month, behind only May 2012. On Sundays, average ridership of 94,616 was the system’s third-highest for the month, behind May 2012 and May 2015.

Over the first five months of the year, PATH welcomed 24.1 million passengers. This was a 7 percent increase from the same period of 2024. It was 72 percent of 2019’s year-to-date total.

Tunnels, Bridges and Terminals:

The agency’s six vehicular crossings served 10.7 million eastbound vehicles in May 2025. This was 0.4 percent above volumes recorded in May 2024 and an increase of 0.5 percent over pre-pandemic May 2019 volumes.

Over the first five months of the year, 48.5 million eastbound vehicles used the agency’s crossings. The total was 1.4 percent below volume seen over the same period of 2024 and was a 0.4 percent decrease from the same period of 2019.
Source: Port of New York and New Jersey