
Quoting
Mr. Knowitall
JFK is a very busy airport. Check with the customs office to determine the hours of passport control for the night of your arrival. The easiest option may be to wait out the two hours and fifteen minutes before going to passport control. You can try earlier and see if the entry officer allows you to enter a couple of hours early, which is not outside the realm of possibility. Entry as a tourist followed by adjustment of status or working unlawfully then leaving and re-entering, seems a lot more complicated than spending a couple of hours reading a book before trying to enter the U.S., and there's obvious risk to working unlawfully after entering on a tourist visa.
If you want to know the policies of your airline for boarding the flight, you will need to inquire with your airline.