Authorities at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport briefly evacuated one of its airport terminals after a bomb scare on one of the busiest US holiday travel days.

"Only Terminal 1 was evacuated from 6:00 pm till 8:30 pm (2200 to 0030 GMT) due to a bomb threat," said a one-sentence statement by an unnamed airport employee posted on the airport's official website.

No other details were given. The airport was now operating normally, officials said.

Earlier, television networks aired footage showing passengers milling about on the airport tarmac after airport officials received a bomb threat from an "anonymous woman."

A short time later, officials found an unattended piece of baggage at the airport, which sparked the alert and led to the evacuation.

The bomb scare took place on Independence Day, which marks the founding of the United States, and is a US national holiday.

The scare also came as airports across the United States ramped up security during the busy holiday weekend.

- AFP