JFK Air Traffic Control Tower Lights Up in Tribute to 9/11 Heroes

NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2025 - The John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower joined the annual Tribute in Light tonight, illuminating the Manhattan skyline in remembrance of the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

A beacon of remembrance As dusk fell over Lower Manhattan, the landmark tower’s façade was bathed in sky-blue light, aligning with more than 100 city and state landmarks that participated in the Tribute in Light commemoration.

Nut Graf

Marking Patriot Day, the Tribute in Light ceremony honors the nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11, 2001, and pays tribute to first responders and survivors. The inclusion of the JFK Air Traffic Control Tower-a critical symbol of New York’s air travel infrastructure-underscores the unity between memorial observance and the city’s ongoing resilience.

Key Highlights

  • 8:46 a.m. ET moment of silence observed nationwide, echoing the time American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
  • Two 4-million-candela beams of light projected skyward from Lower Manhattan, visible up to 60 miles away.
  • Over 100 buildings and landmarks joined the Tribute in Light , including One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building and the JFK Air Traffic Control Tower.
  • Patriotic ceremonies at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum featured family readings of victims’ names and remarks by public officials.

Tribute in Light Participating Sites

  • One World Trade Center
  • Empire State Building
  • The Oculus
  • JFK Air Traffic Control Tower
  • Grand Central Terminal façade
  • New York City Hall

Community Remembrance and Service

City, state and federal agencies encouraged New Yorkers to honor the day through volunteer service and reflection. Memorial ceremonies at the World Trade Center site, the Pentagon and Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania reinforced the national scope of Patriot Day observance.

The illumination of the John F. Kennedy Air Traffic Control Tower symbolizes New York’s determination to remember, rebuild and move forward in shared solidarity.