Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is now the first airport in the country to offer travelers both pre- and post-security sensory rooms. EWR’s latest 1,400-square-foot sensory room, which opened in March, is located post-security in Terminal A and is inspired by the New Jersey coastline, with a fish tank, bubble tubes, and sea-life projections alongside an aircraft cabin replica to help passengers acclimate to the boarding and in-flight process. The room is designed to complement EWR’s pre-security sensory room that opened in 2023 and features a forested riverbank environment. Both rooms were designed in collaboration with the Anderson Center for Autism, a New York-based education, training and care-provider for neurodivergent individuals. Travelers passing through Terminal A now have the option to move directly from the pre-security sensory room through a specially-trained TSA Cares screening lane and into the post-security sensory room.
The move is part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s wider initiative to prioritize accessible and inclusive design across its terminals at EWR, LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), including interfaith meditation spaces, interfaith chapels and the installation of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard program to provide travelers with additional support through the airport process.
“We’re proud that Newark Liberty’s Terminal A now sets a new standard for accessibility and comfort in air travel,” said Port Authority chairman Kevin O’Toole. “With sensory rooms on both sides of screening, along with dedicated TSA support and new amenities like a meditation room and business center, we’re reinforcing our commitment to making air travel more welcoming, more comfortable, and more accessible for everyone who passes through our terminals.”
“For families like mine who have experienced firsthand the challenges of traveling with a neurodivergent loved one, this kind of supportive environment opens up new worlds,” said Port Authority vice chairman Jeffrey Lynford. “These sensory rooms, and the care that went into designing them, can make the difference between a stressful journey and an empowering one. They allow families to travel with greater ease, confidence, and joy, creating opportunities for connection and exploration that might have once felt out of reach.”
“This innovative post-screening sensory room, including its aircraft cabin replica, exemplifies our commitment to designing airports that serve the needs of every traveler,” said Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton. “As we redevelop our airports into world-class facilities, accessibility, comfort, and seamless travel are at the heart of every decision we make. These new amenities reflect our mission to deliver dignity, ease, and peace of mind for all passengers.”
“As the terminal operator, we’re always looking for ways to enhance the passenger experience,” said Michael Kunz, CEO of Munich Airport NJ LLC. “From art displays and music to diverse retail options and new amenities, we’re committed to creating a more welcoming journey. With the addition of a sensory room, a business center and a meditation room, Newark Liberty’s Terminal A is now even more inclusive. We are grateful for our visionary partners at the Port Authority for designing and making these amenities available to our passengers.”
“There’s a tremendous number of people – not just those who have autism, but their caregivers, their grandparents, their friends, anybody who might want to travel with them through hubs like Newark Airport everyday – that’s the number of people that when you do something like this, you are changing their lives,” said Eliza Bozenski, chief development officer of the Anderson Center for Autism. “You’re giving them an opportunity to leave their homes, where they often feel very isolated in the safest space they can stay in for a number of reasons.”