You will take the AirTrain between terminals and yes you will have go through security again. I hope that you have plenty of time betweeen flights because unless you are manifested all the way through to Paris from the start of your trip (I don't know if Jet Blue is a partner with AA - I think not)you could be out a JFK - CDG ticket(s) your Jet Blue leg is too late to make the connection. You need to check on this.

I assume when you talk about the "shuttle service" you mean the AirTrain that connects all of the terminals. You will have to exit the secure area to board the AirTrain at Terminal 5 and thus you'll have to go through the TSA checkpoint when you get to Terminal 8.

Yes, Terminal 8 has two concourses - B & C that are connected by a corridor - all within the secure area.

Note: Trains run every 7 minutes between the hours of 4AM to 7:30AM and 3PM to 8PM. They run every 10 minutes between 7:30AM and 3PM and every 15 minutes between 8PM and 4AM.

You'll find a map showing the AirTrain routing here: www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk-airport-map.html

JetBlue is a partner with American, so you ought to be able to check in for your full flight if you are traveling on a single ticket. Similarly, you could check your bag all the way through to Paris if you wanted (as long as you are traveling on a single ticket).

If you are traveling on 2 separate tickets, then you will probably have to check in again at Terminal 8. You do have to go through security again regardless, and security at Terminal 8 can be slow at times.

You don't say how long you have to make this transfer, but you will need to allow no less than 90 minutes, though since you are not checking bags that should make the transition smoother.

Now, some tips about timing. Terminal 5 is the furthest terminal in all of JFK from the Airtrain station. Allow no less than 10 to 15 minutes just for the walk to the Airtrain, and that's if you are a fast walker. The hop over to Terminal 8 is fairly short (5 to 10 minutes more). Then it's about a 5-minute walk into Terminal 8. If you need to check in for your flight, that's another 5 to 10 minutes. You'll need to allow 30 minutes for security, but you may not need that much time.

If you have 90 minutes to make the connection, you could be arriving at the gate just as the flight is boarding. If you have more time, you might be able to sit a bit in the lounge.

thank you all for the good details...
we arrive at 1:18 and depart at 5:30, so 4-ish hours between flights. The JetBlue leg was through my booking on AA.com.

We are on AA for both segments on the return trip home (MIA) so know further concerns regarding JetBlue.

I usually don't like longer connections but 'luck' was with me this time, heh?
Thanks again.

Back again - - looking at the JFK Airtrain map - - is it correct that I can take *any* train (red, green or yellow lines) from T5 to T8? (some appear to go in opposite directions in their loops). http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk-airport-map.html

You want to take the train that's going in the correct direction. While it's true you could take "any" train, if it's going in the wrong direction, it can be a very long time before it gets back to where you want to go. The routes that go to the transit connections and parking lots run counter-clockwise.

There's also one route that just goes to all the terminals, and it can be more convenient since it goes clockwise (say if you were going from 1 to 8. There is usually a uniformed agent in the terminals, so you can always ask if you aren't sure.

From terminal 5 to 8, it's more convenient to take any train going to any parking lot or transit connection since it's a shorter trip. But it doesn't matter if you take the Howard Beach or Jamaica route; they both will put you in the same place.

Someone mentioned that you might have to check in w/AA at JFK but I don't see why. You said you are taking only carry-ons so if you print your boarding pass for the AA flight on the day before travel then I see no reason why you need to check in at JFK. When you get to the terminal just go straight through security if you already have your boarding pass.