What are the BEST and WORST airports?

[mondo joe]

Just in time for a lot of holiday travel, what are the best and worst airports you've been through?

[Broken_Hero]

1. Best Sea-Tac...

worst, SLC Utah's...arrggh...

I was going to say Denver, but its not that bad considering how big the thing is....

[spindrifter]

54. Just curious--why

do you like SeaTac?

[ironflange]

84. You don't have to trip over those damn Xmas trees

[TangoCharlie]

87. Watch yer step ...

... I think the trees are going back up.

[Broken_Hero]

109. Because its

beautiful to me...I like how the concourses are set up, and I thought the use of the subway/trains was pretty easy to understand...plus, sea-tac is always my last stop, before I get home....:D

[Patiod]

115. Sea-Tac also has on-site car rentals!

Most have moved them way off-site, so you have to board a bus. Love the few that you can still walk to car rental (Avis used to be right outside the door in PHX, but no longer)

[Broken_Hero]

140. Yep, and I love the energy of the airport :) nt

[trof]

2. From a (former) pilot's point of view

San Diego is the worst in the U.S. for the approaches.
I always liked JFK. Plenty of runways and approaches.
Plus, since it was my home base for most of my career, I was coming home.
:-)

[SKKY]

13. I've heard a lot of pilots say that...

...is it that parking garage right at the front of the runway?

[SKKY]

15. Heathrow. The worst by a country mile.

Fucking hate it.

The best would have to be, for efficiency and cleanliness, Narita in Tokyo. I just love that airport.

[trof]

20. It's looking up at all the downtown buildings on final.

:scared:

[Gormy Cuss]

21. San Diego's fun for the passengers too.

Nothing like looking out your window and making eye contact with the person working in the office building...

[Zomby Woof]

113. LOL

I always wave - fly the friendly (downtown) skies and all that. :hi:

That parking garage is hairy. When I was a kid, it wasn't there. But I knew we were about to land though, when I saw the El Cortez Hotel (now an apartment complex) - it was reassuring in a way. It meant touchdown in just a minute or so! :D

[DemoTex]

42. This pilot's choices:

Best: DIA (Denver) and DFW (Dallas). Runways, runways, long beautiful runways! Also PIT (Pittsburg) for its world-class de-icing operation (European-style "car-washes" close to the departure ends of the runways).

Worst: SFO (San Francisco) with alarmingly close parallel "visual" approaches to 27L&R and hairy engine-out procedures for west departures, LGA (La Guardia NYC) for its ubiquitous, un-nerving cross-runway operations*, and SAN (San Diego) for that damn parking deck on final approach to 27.

*Once called "SOIR" - Simultaneous Operations from Intersecting Runways

[jmowreader]

130. What do you think of Boston Logan?

I think I'd be a bit worried about an engine-out situation since the runway is on a bridge in the middle of Boston Harbor.

[mainegreen]

75. Pittsburg sucks.

Whats up with that damned train.
God forbid you are going from one terminal to the other.

[MrCoffee]

3. Hartsfield - Atlanta is the worst airport in the US

O'Hare is pretty bad, but Hartsfield sucks so bad that it hurts.

[philosophie_en_rose]

4. Best - PDX & small local airport.

PDX is full of amenities and I like the free WIFI. I like the small local airport, because the customer service is better. Narita in Japan is also neat. Good places to eat.

However, I hate SeaTac. It's distended, bloated, and inconvenient for me. I've seen worse, but I go through SeaTac the most. Plus, I always get searched there and the handlers act like you're a bad person for being chosen for a search.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. I agree with PDX.

I also like the efficiency of LAX's car rental system.

[swag]

9. Conde Naste Traveler readers agree with you.

http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2006/09/18/daily39.html

I like PDX best because when I fly into it I'm coming home.

Hard to name the worst. There are so many bad ones. I really hate SFO.

[LynneSin]

12. Great small airport - Harrisburg International

Plenty of times when I was on business I'd get my flights out of Harrisburg instead of Philly. It was just nice that when you got off the plane you'd have your luggage 15min later and your car was parked like a short trip. Even better was the fact that I'd just call my mother to come get me and I'd be home in bed in 10 minutes since she lives close to that airport

[fudge stripe cookays]

36. I loved PDX when I was there.

First time through this past summer on my way to Spokane from Dallas. Nice amenities, music for travelers, and good coffee!

[philosophie_en_rose]

41. GEG (Spokane) is a neat little airport.

But they seriously need to invest in better food service and shopping.

[fudge stripe cookays]

43. Yuck.

Nothing there.

And speaking as a person with mobility problems, they put the airline I needed to be at at the exact OPPOSITE end of the airport from the rental car depot. And for such a small airport, that was a LONG FUCKING WALK.

I did not enjoy Spokane.

[jmowreader]

132. I like GEG a lot, but I don't think I've ever used any of the airport services

The thing I like about GEG is that my parents or sisters pick me up from there (it's the closest airport to home) so it's all good.

Okay, my choices:

Domestic:
None of you are ever going to agree with this, but I like O'Hare better than any other airport in the United States. I don't know why, but I just like the place. If I had my own airplane I wouldn't be caught within 300 miles of O'Hare because you can look out the terminal window and see just what kind of a nightmare working out of that place must be.

Worst airport? Norfolk International. Everything about it sucks.

International:
The most entertaining airport I have ever flown into is Cheju International on Cheju Island, Korea. Whoever built the fucking thing built the runway just barely long enough to fly a 727 into under the most optimal conditions...and the reason it's that way is that's all the room they had. If it's bad weather, you don't go to Cheju-do on a scheduled airline.

I LOVE the airport in Bremen, Germany. To me it's really logical and nice. Tegel in Berlin isn't bad either.

Unfortunately, I can't name a "worst airport." All the grade-A shitholes I've seen, like Moscow-Domodedovo, Warsaw, Berlin-Schonefeld and so on were built by the communists...and since we're now out of communists, the airports have been fixed.

Military:
My favorite military airfield is Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. The services you need--hangar space, fueling, ramp space--are really easy and nice to get around.

The worst military airfield I've ever used is Griffiss AFB, New York, which is in Rome. The hangar spaces are the problem: it gets so bad there that they have to park the commanding general's King Air, the Air National Guard's trainer aircraft and so on in hangars...and the residents get so parochial about their little pieces of turf, you can't build airdrop pallets inside. You gotta stand OUTSIDE, in the place that proves hell really can freeze over, and do all this little bitty detail work that requires ultimate finger flexibility in weather that freezes you stiff.

[Patiod]

114. FTL is like that

free wifi, easy in and out. I have to go to Miami for business 3-4 times a year, and I haven't been through MIA in years.

[terrya]

5. Best - Pearson, Toronto. Worst - LaGuardia, New York.

[LynneSin]

11. I didn't like Pearsons at all

But that's because they had to shuttle us out to this remote gate where there was absolutely nothing to do for the 2 hours while I waited for my flight

[terrya]

14. Toronto needs to get a transit line out to Pearson.

There's one bus that goes out there. That's the only problem with it...I've had nothing but good experiences flying in and out of Pearson.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

32. I agree with you about Pearson

I found it to be quite efficient and easy to get around, nicely designed

[sakabatou]

34. Best - Burbank Worst - LaGuardia

[ncrainbowgrrl]

142. Which terminal in LGA are you referring to?

I rather enjoy the USair terminal. Lots of good reading material over on the shuttle side of the terminal.

[mondo joe]

7. I like Sea-Tac and San Francisco. But the worst has to be JFK.

Sea Tac and San Fran are decent places to hang out for a while, if you have to.

JFK is dump - moreover the people who work there are by and large the most unpleasant barely-awake airport employees I've ever seen.

Buffalo used to have an airport that looked like the set of an anti-communism propaganda film. But it's pretty nice these days.

[bullwinkle428]

39. HAHAHAHAHA! I grew up in Buffalo, and couldn't agree more with that

assessment...it was a hellhole! The renovation they went through about 10-12 years ago totally transformed the place, however.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

56. Agree- worst: JFK (funny story--not!)

About 7 years ago while on a puddle jumper on American Airlines from RDU to JFK, the pilots of the19 seater had the cockpit door open, (and the intercom on, unfortunately for them)-- as we came close to touching down, one of the 2 in the cockpit said something along the lines of "Aaw, crap, I hate landing here. It never feels like it's safe. You get on the ground and then have to pray that you get to your gate without getting smacked by someone else." You could have heard a pin drop on the plane. Next thing we heard was "aaaaw, sheeeit." (click) No more intercom.

Sure makes ya feel good about JFK, eh?

[mondo joe]

72. I landed in JFK coming back from Italy and was SO embarrassed to be an American.

The people at the Italian airport were so nice, and typically spoke several languages.

At JFK they were a bunch of loser assholes who couldn't even be bothered to speak. :-(

[AllegroRondo]

8. Worst - Atlanta, Best - Oslo

Atlanta - wall to wall people. 4 separate terminals connected by underground tunnels, and you just KNOW your connection is in another terminal. and for some reason, I always got some religious nut asking for donations.

Oslo - small, friendly, easy to get around, nice food, and they have bike paths that take you directly into the city (if you travel by bike, like I did)

[LynneSin]

10. My thoughts on airport

Worst Parking: Philadelhpia - it seems like you have to drive around forever just to get to long-term parking plus they don't have a 'cell lot' where people can park for free while they wait for incoming flights (or at least give us the first hour free at the hourly lot). Plus it seems to take forever to get a shuttle back to long term parking

Worst Food available: I love flying out of Baltimore simply because the parking is so much easier; however, make sure feed yourself first before getting to the airport. When I went to Tampa, I decided to take the flight out of Baltimore instead of Philly but I was running late and figured I'd find a quick lunch somewhere in the airport. I know Philly has a few decent restaurants where at least I could grab a salad. Well Baltimore had NOTHING except a Roy Rogers and a few small coffee shops. Thankfully I packed a few zone bars in my bag

Worst Overall Airport: Miami - i hated that airport, it was just confusing at it seemed like I had to be shuttled to get around everywhere. And the bathrooms were disgusting.

Best Airport: Denver - We had got to the airport pretty early and had about 3 hours to kill. They had plenty of great shops for browsing & good food selection

[Shakespeare]

27. I've been through Miami's airport once, and it was the filthiest I've ever seen.

I was afraid to use the pay phones. :scared:

[SteppingRazor]

91. What're you trying to say? That Miami's some sort of third-world country?

:evilgrin:

[Patiod]

116. PHL does have a cell lot. It's just inconvenient and unmarked

surprise!

I've quit going through MIA -- FTL is much easier, with free wireless. And just as many flights on USAir to and from PHL.

Agree with you on Denver - we flew there on our Wyoming vacation, and there's plenty of good food and shops. It's also cool that there are ski belts next to the baggage claim belts!

[ncrainbowgrrl]

134. I agree with you re: FTL- Much easier to get in/out with sanity intact.

Getting a rental car and getting OUT of the denver airport was an experience I'd never like to repeat.

[justice1]

16. Best Kona the worst Minneapolis

I find it bizarre that Salt Lake City is the most smoking friendly airport I've traveled through.

[KamaAina]

29. Kona? Our Kona? The one with no jetways?

It does rain over there on occasion, you know. But the rest of the time, the open-air design is pretty cool, considering you're in an airport that handles international flights!

[KitchenWitch]

67. What was wrong with MSP?

Just curious.

[kwassa]

79. Endless walks, felt like I walked into the city.

[Puglover]

111. Uh did you not notice the tram? n/t

[KitchenWitch]

122. MSP has the big people movers now in the main terminal.

[Patiod]

117. RDU is pretty smoking friendly!!!

It will probably be the last to totally outlaw smoking (given that it's in the heart of tobacco country). I don't smoke, but my SO does, and I don't get the point of making it so awful for smokers at airports. You can accommodate that to the tiniest degree without inconveniencing the rest of us.

[Dukkha]

17. I always enjoy Chicago O'Hare

mainly because I love their Super Happy Fun Tunnel


don't really have a worst.

[terrya]

33. Unfortunately, I think you have to fly United.

But the Fun Tunnel is indeed fun to go through.

O'Hare isn't bad.

[spacelady]

52. Super happy fun travel does not include timeliness, fun, travel, etc.......

[Efilroft Sul]

18. Pittsburgh has a great airport.

And, I know this might surprise some, but Newark isn't all that bad. It's easy to get around, and the shops are much improved.

Horrible airports: Detroit, hands down. San Francisco's is poorly marked. Chicago Midway isn't anything to write home about, either.

[INDIA]

62. Pittsburgh is GREAT!

Too bad it is empty...

[Patiod]

118. When I die, hell will look like Detroit's USAir terminal

At one point, there was NO FOOD in that terminal (okay, you could buy potato chips at the one small newstand). Even the hotdog/beer stand had closed.

Also, they turn the lights out at about 7pm -- I have sat at my gate in virtual darkness, waiting for the weather to clear up.

Hell. Sheer f$%king hell.

[jpak]

19. LAX and Dallas

:puke:

[L A Woman]

22. i recently flew into Columbus, Ohio from LAX

and I don't mind LAX, but Columbus is super nice and has free wireless internet throughout the airport. I had a pleasant experience, especially considering it was the Thanksgiving rush.

[sinkingfeeling]

94. Worst - Atlanta, Best - Seattle

[WritingIsMyReligion]

23. I've never had a good transition through Atlanta-Hartsfield.

O'Hare was bad, but that's Chicago, so I can forgive it. :P

I've liked Logan (BOS) a lot, but I've been to so few airports that it's not really comprehensive knowledge I'm going on. :P

[ncrainbowgrrl]

147. I've had some good experiences and some awful ones at ATL.

So, I won't put it on my "NO way" list.

However- Cinci/Northern Kentucky (CVG) before they redid the "C" (I think) terminal was always a missed connection waiting to happen. Especially when you used Priceline.com ( I FREQUENTLY was able to get $60 R/T from RDU to NYC when I was a student and all leaving early meant was missing class...)

[deadmessengers]

24. ATL, FRA, NRT

Best:

Atlanta - it's my home airport, but I still find it extraordinarily well-run, all things considered.

Frankfurt, Germany - the most efficient customs/security checks I've ever experienced

Tokyo Narita - Japanese efficiency at it's best. A pleasure to fly through.


Worst:

Newark - Once, I managed to show up at 5:55am for an 8:15 flight, and between check-in and security, STILL missed my plane. This was before 9/11, and I can't imagine that it's gotten any better since.

London Gatwick - What idiot designed this airport? The gates that Delta flies from are the better part of a half hour walk from the main terminal, which is fitting, considering that the airport is about 70 miles from the city.

DFW - confusing, confusing, confusing - probably the worst laid-out airport I've ever flown into.

[Patiod]

119. Newark: No food options prior to 8am

I've seen hour-long lines for the one Starbucks, where the service was New York friendly and Mississippi efficient. Nothing else was open yet, even though the terminal was full. Why open at 8 when there's a terminal full of passengers at 5?

[Reverend_Smitty]

127. I freakin hate Newark!

It's quite convent for me to drive to (as much as driving on the Parkway and Turnpike are convent) but the lines are long, the staff is unhelpful and I've waited a lifetime in delays. Philly however is a close second on crappy airports.

I'm actually flying out of Atlantic City the day after Christmas to see my mom in Myrtle Beach (which has a very nice little airport) but everything I've heard about AC was good, so I'm hoping to have a pleasant travel experience

[ncrainbowgrrl]

135. Correct you are.

Got snowed in there one year- nothing doing re:my flight. THEY CLOSED THE FRIGGIN' FOOD services.

With thousands of stranded people there, they could have been raking in the money hand over fist!

[Shakespeare]

25. Best - DCA (Washington National); Worst - Detroit, Memphis, Atlanta

At least in Detroit they give you the moving carpet thingies....if you're stuck doing a layover in Memphis, you walk and walk and walk and walk and walk....

And DC's National Airport (I refuse to call it by its more recently and obscenely imposed name) is beautiful and incredibly well-designed.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

57. Well designed... unless you want to get from one Large- plane-US air flight to a smaller plane-

then you get to go through security after running down a LONG LONG LONG hall to catch your flight.

[Patiod]

120. It will always be Washington National to me

Damned if I'm calling it Reagan, when it was already named after a perfectly good President. Not much call for me to use it, though -- Union Station is a lot quicker and easier from Philadelphia.

And Houston's will always be Houston

[sarge43]

26. Tampa is fairly user friendly

O'Hare is the freakin' pits.

[GalleryGod]

31. I Really Liked Tampa last Spring !

Used it for our Spring Training vacation.

[LynneSin]

50. Don't go to Tampa's airport at 11am in the morning on a Sunday

You hit all the folks returning from their cruises and the airport was overrun with long lines

[Reverend_Smitty]

129. I used to fly into Tampa all the time

and had an easy and pleasant experience each time I went through. The building itself was always nicely kept as well

[TheCentepedeShoes]

144. Tampa is great

Flew out of there alot when we lived there.
Worst IMHO the new Denver airport.

[begin_within]

28. I thought the one at Kansas City was very well-designed, with a minimum of walking required.

[YankeyMCC]

30. Heathrow sux

I can't think of one for the best really...I almost hate to say it but maybe Logan in Boston. Parking sucks, the overall design is confusing but once you're at your terminal things are pretty straight forward. And it does mean coming home to me.

[blondeatlast]

89. Agreed about Heathrow. Surprising that the European gateway

is so confusing, loud, unfriendly and just downright annoying. I couldn't wait to get out--and this is the NEW terminal. Ick.

[greatauntoftriplets]

35. Not a big airport, but....

I LOVE Grand Rapids. You walk from luggage pickup to the area where the rental cars are parked. So damn easy....

[KeyLimeDem]

37. Miami too hectic, Sea-Tac and Dallas OK.

Something about my home town airport, why so hectic. Everyone stressed out. Enjoyed stopovers in Dallas, Sacremento and Sea-Tac this last year. Paulo.

[bullwinkle428]

38. Orlando is the best...Lambert/St. Louis is the worst, as far as my own

experiences.

[fudge stripe cookays]

40. Let's see...

BEST:
DFW because it's home, and because I know it like the back of my hand at this point. Plenty of amenities and restaurants (especially at our fancy pants new Terminal D)

O'Hare-- Same reason. I've flown in an out of it so many times to visit family that it's easy for me to get around.

PDX-- Good medium size, not too difficult to get around, even for a partially handicapped gal like myself.

Sacramento-- a BREEZE.

WORST:

San Jose SUCKS. My company is based there, and I'll do just about anything to avoid it when I have to go out. SFO, Sacramento and drive....whatever. I fucking HATE San Jose. By the time I get outside to the rent car depot, I'm sweating my ass off, my legs are tingling from the LONG walk (MS), and the last time I was there, they announced our bags on one carousel, the morons threw them on the other one. People finally started noticing after about a half hour. Have I mentioned I hate San Jose?

Midway in Chicago-- After being used to the luxury and efficiency of O'Hare, Midway is a HOLE. And a disorganized one at that. What a nightmare.

Madison, Wisconsin-- Small, but I think there is one tiny place where you can get a brat. The bartender (at the wheeled cart of a bar) didn't even have any Bailey's. I had to show her how to make a Colorado Bulldog, and she had to borrow cream from the coffee bar next door. The only bar behind security had beer. That was it. I was getting on a doctor killer in 50 mph winds, and by GOD I was going to load up on booze beforehand. I did not want to have to go back and forth through security four times to help me relax! Add to that the nightmare of an overloaded plane, and an on-the-plane, off-the-plane, off again situation (which I did finally get a free voucher for), I will never fly into that place again. I'll go into O'Hare and drive!

[Tyo]

44. Kai Tak

Hong Kong. Wouldn't have wanted to have been a pilot, but as a passenger the descent into Kai Tak was an amazing experience. The New Hong Kong International is pretty mundane by comparison.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

45. I like MSP; it's got a lot of services and good shopping.

MDW scares me.

[Patiod]

121. I was at O'Hare when that plane slid off the runway at MDW

and crushed people on the street

:scary:

[EstimatedProphet]

46. Worst - Newark

Yuck

[bertha katzenengel]

47. Best: Santa Ana (John Wayne). Worst: Dulles.

Long Beach is pretty good, but baggage claim is a pain in the ass.

Those are my own best and worst. I haven't travelled much.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

97. The first time you take off from John Wayne (SNA), someone should inform you about the Acceleration~

I'm glad my seatmate turned to me and told me- also that angle of ascent is scary w/o prior knowledge.

There is relatively little to do in the terminal though. It's a really nicely kept airport, but if your plane is delayed, hope you had some good books... nothing much to wander to go see

[bertha katzenengel]

108. Luckily I was forewarned about the takeoff.

And I always travel with books. To paraphrase a favorite movie line, "I'm terrified I'm going to wake up in a motel room and have nothing to read."

I hope you weren't stuck there without books.

Oh, yeah, another favorite movie line: "Of course I don't have my books. I'm -- I'm gonna be bookless...." :7

[ncrainbowgrrl]

141. I was stuck there with either a) work, or b) nothing else to do.

I chose option b, and counted the number of people walking back and forth bored out of their skulls!

[Nickster]

48. I'm surprised no one mentioned Midway Airport in Chicago. I LOATHE IT! n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

49. I just did. MDW is scary; the runways are too short.

The terminal isn't that great either.

[Nickster]

53. That's not even mentioning the hellish drive just to get to the damn place! n/t

[fudge stripe cookays]

81. Ahem...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=5936827&mesg_id=5938155

[Flaxbee]

51. Boise's airport is pretty efficient and easy, as is Sacramento's

I've also never had trouble with John Wayne (Orange County, CA).

Internationally, Helsinki's got a GREAT airport.

I don't particularly enjoy Atlanta b/c of the size of the airport, but all things considered, it really runs pretty well. I also never ever had trouble at LAX, though I know many people hate it. San Diego is scary to fly into, but it was home for a long time so I got used to it. Got arrested there, fingerprinted, and still managed to make my flight. ;-)

[dysfunctional press]

55. O'hare.

for both.

[QMPMom]

58. Worst: Memphis, Tennessee. Hate it with a passion.

Best: Minneapolis/St. Paul is pretty good and I don't mind O'Hare.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

Best: RDU, CLT, ISP. Worst: JFK, EWR, O'Hare.

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jean Louise Finch]

60. Best: Singapore; Worst: Charles de Gaulle, though...

the new Bangok airport SUCKS. I'm headed back to the States in a few weeks and the ONLY thing I am dreading is having to go through Suvarnabhumi. Nightmare.

The Singapore airport is the airport all other airports should aspire too: lots of open space, green space everywhere, comfy chairs to lie down in, absolutely delicious food, a swimming pool, free movies, and so forth and so on. It's just relaxing and really amazing.

Charles de Gaulle is physically beautiful but I have not once made a connection through there, even with several hours to spare.

Jean Louise

[kwassa]

80. my wife had a very bad time in Charles de Gaulle

she said the French were lost and couldn't understand the signs. Not good. My wife couldn't change money, also missed her connection, too.

[wickerwoman]

110. Charles de Gaulle was my first thought too.

It's completely disorienting and the traffic getting there is a nightmare. We were stuck in a 3 hour traffic jam and almost missed our flight.

The runner up would be Tokyo- Narita. They make you go through security again, even when you're changing planes and only have a 2 hour layover so you spend forty minutes in the security line hoping like hell you don't miss your connection. It makes no sense whatsoever.

[Ava]

61. atlanta is a really good airport

especially considering it's so busy!

[INDIA]

63. You're entitled to your opinion....

no matter how insane it may be!

[Ava]

64. gee, what a nice way of putting it

[av8rdave]

86. It handles a lot of traffic, but I still don't like it...

probably because I'm there sooooo much (back there tomorrow afternoon, in fact)

[Missy Vixen]

65. DH is the traveler of the family

but I've been to enough to make my own statement.

I hate Burbank's airport. Landing there is one of the scarier experiences ever, since they slam on the brakes the moment the plane touches the runway. I also did not care for Copenhagen's airport. It's always fun to get off a plane and be confronted with security guards carrying sub-machine guns. I loathe LAX with the heat of a thousand suns.

Sea-Tac is home for us, so I like it. I like O'Hare, even though there should be a law that one can't connect through Chicago at anytime between October and March of each year. I'm surprised to read the loathing of Heathrow; it was fine for us.

DH travels almost every week, and he has spent a lot of time in the following: Logan, DIA, O'Hare, JFK and San Jose, which we both dislike. I know he is increasingly annoyed with the varying TSA rule changes -- what can be carried on, what cannot, what they're taking apart to check, whatever. He called a few hours ago to tell me that he was being hassled in the security line today over his CPAP machine, which he has reams of paperwork on from both our doctor and the DOT.

Julie

[KitchenWitch]

66. Of the limited airports I have been

Best - SNA
Worst - tie between O'Hare and LAX

[rexcat]

104. As someone who has flown over 2.7 million miles...

over the past 18 years, they all suck!

[Withywindle]

68. As a Chicago traveler, I gotta give props to O'Hare

It could be SO much worse than it is.

And you wanna see how much worse it could be? Just look at Midway.

Best? Hm. Honestly, any place with a smoking space and an Internet cafe. I'm easy to please, that's all I ask for. So I'll say Kuala Lumpur, it has both.

[fizzgig]

69. atlanta was the worst

that might have been that i had about 30 minutes to get across the airport to catch my connection (and catch a quick smoke) but there was just something off there...washington national had really surly customs people

i've seen jfk mentioned as the worst but i've never had a problem there (other than no smoking area in the jet blue terminal), nor at la guardia

dia is home base for me, so i know it inside and out but it has a shitty duty-free shop

as far as the best? frankfurt was good (nice little sex shop there), i had fun at gatwick, moline international (bwahahaha) is a breeze but the best so far was pdx, staff was dead helpful when i needed it

[lies and propaganda]

70. Denver International Airport is definitely the scariest,

Nazi murals and Masonic shit everywhere and I have seen it with my eyes, so I know its true.

Hell, i was too freaked out to take pictures..

[Initech]

96. Not to mention the runways are shaped like a swastika

[lies and propaganda]

106. very true... When i first flew there, i became obsessed with how weird that airport was

I have a mapmaker friend who got me pages of digital aerial shots, its most certainly a swastika.

Hiding in Plain Sight.

[rockymountaindem]

101. Those are not Nazi murals

They're whacked-out, but they were painted, IIRC, by a Native American artist. I've read those conspiracy websites too, but they're just plain baloney.

Except for the part about the giant prison camp for 10 million people built by the NWO and the aliens buried underneath :sarcasm:

[lies and propaganda]

105. I call Bullshit.

The Kommander may not have had a Nazi swastika on his uniform, but i hardly think it could be any clearer.

If youve read about taht artist, you should have seen the numerous accounts where he says he had not one artisitic thing to do with it. He painted excatly what told to paint. And tease the tinfoilers for being too open minded to accept something you cant.
I just hope we'll never have to meet in their underground nwo prison.

[rockymountaindem]

107. They painted over that guy

And what's more, he was supposed to represent evil, not good. I'll hand it to you that it was creepy though, and I'm glad he's gone.

However, I guess I'm not "open minded" enough to believe that there's some underground prison at DIA that dwarfs Auchwitz. Believing anything like that is lunacy.

[benEzra]

71. Best - Atlanta Hartsfield; worst - Boston Logan. (n/t)

[av8rdave]

73. As far as for having to fly in and out of them...

Worst: DCA (Washington DC) and SNA (Santa Ana - Orange County) ATL (Atlanta)

Best: the ones with the least traffic!

[peekaloo]

74. Worst is the airport sometimes known as Intercontinental in Houston.

renamed for some traitor who's still cleaning up after his fucked up son. Pain in the ass to navigate. I prefer Hobby.

Best is a toss up based on the flight experience that day. :-)

[ncrainbowgrrl]

99. Oooh, I forgot about that one- Ugggh.

Landed there at about 3 am, STARVING, coming back from Hawaii, and waiting for a layover about 4.5 hours later. There was no food open at that time. The vending machine in the part of the terminal that we were in didn't work. My friend needed something to eat to take her pills...Eventually, we found an extremely nice airport worker. He had a granola bar on him. We tried to buy it off him- he wouldn't let us pay. Nice guy, poorly designed airport.

To make it worse- when I finally got on the plane, someone's overhead luggage fell and smashed me in the head-- while they were trying to put it in the overhead bin. No apology, of course. :eyes:

[TheCentepedeShoes]

159. Flew into HGHWBIA

is that it now, Houston George H W Bush Incontinent Airport? Pilot was anouncing approach and gave a couple of "snarf, snarf's" in the middle of his speech.

[jpgray]

76. I'm not a big fan of CO's giant circus tent

[ncrainbowgrrl]

100. Good choice- that place is a wee bit...OTT, shall we say? (n/t)

[clyrc]

77. I hate Gatwick and don't like JFK

I like the Amsterdam Airport, and Orlando isn't too bad.

[billyskank]

78. YVR is pretty good

Best airport I've seen.

Chania airport in Crete is the worst I've seen, but that was a long time ago. It may have changed.

[WeRQ4U]

82. I hate Denver.....

But only because I ALWAYS get delayed or cancelled there. I'm not sure if it has to do with the weather or what, but it never fails.

My favorites are MSP (makes me feel "home") and PDX...small, easy and good eats/drinks.

[WeRQ4U]

83. Question for pilots...

Any of you flown into/out of Aspen's airport? I flew into/out of there while visiting a couple buddies that were working there over the winter. That airport seemed really hairy with all the mountains all over the place. I know it freaked ME out.

[blondeatlast]

85. Best-Phoenix (Terminal 4 only). Worst-tie: Oakland and Heathrow.

Edit: Berlin's is pretty bad as well, IMHO.

[ceile]

88. Best-Austin Worst-Dallas

Austin-Bergstrom Int. is small so it's very easy to get around in. San Anotnio's isn't bad either.
Dallas is a big giant clusterfuck-can't stand that place and EVERY flight I take goes through there. I'd rather go through Atlanta or Houston Hobby if that tells ya anything.

[SteppingRazor]

90. For holiday travel, there is no "best" ... but the worst, by far, is...

Chicago's O'Hare and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson.


Avoid these airports like the Ebola Virus!

[ncrainbowgrrl]

146. Yeah... but you get your exercise running to catch your flight.

And by the time you get to the gate looking like a limp dishrag, you see that sign on the display. "Delayed."

I TORE through O'Hare- my flight was late getting in from SNA... Running, running, running...Falling... limping, limping limping, Luggage ripping. I did make the plane though. I slept all the way back to RDU.

[Initech]

92. Best - DTW (Northwest terminal only) Worst - LAX

[ncrainbowgrrl]

137. Haven't been there in years- but when they were redoing the NWA terminal

it looked like it was going to be a pretty well done place to relax, eat and shop.

[martymar64]

145. NWA Airline?

You mean this one?


Straight up, m@#$%f$%ker!!!

[Initech]

148. The NWA terminal is very nice. Very efficient.

I've been there maybe 5 times in the last year and never had to wait more than ten minutes in the security line and there's plenty of check-in lines. I also like the train that moves back and forth and there's lots of good places to eat and drink.

The old terminal sucks.

[Spider Jerusalem]

93. The worst? Memphis, Tennessee.

The best I've been to is probably Amsterdam Schiphol.

[1gobluedem]

95. O'Hare is the worst

Unquestionably. Never once has a flight I've taken to, from, or connected with been on time. The concourses are miles apart and the cart drivers are seemingly blind to me with a cane, struggling to get from one concourse to the other; they zoom past me regularly. Every O'Hare worker I've ever come in contact with is either indifferent or downright rude.

After it took me 12 hours to get from Denver to Detroit via an O'Hare connection I vowed to never set foot in there again. And, for the past six years, I haven't.

[NewWaveChick1981]

98. Washington Dulles commuter lounge for USAirways...

:yoiks: Skankiest, worst commuter lounge anywhere.

Best airport ever: Gatwick Airport in London. Very clean, pleasant staff, and my pat-down search was done with a smile (by a female employee, that is). :P

[rockymountaindem]

102. Denver is the best in my opinion

It has a linear design, an easy progression from the ticket counter to security to your gate, and is very easy to navigate. Usually you don't have to change terminals for connecting flights, either.

Unlike that crazy-ass giant U they have going on in Minneapolis where it took me forever to change gates. I have an idea? Why don't we build the parking garage in the middle of the terminal? Yeah, that's the ticket...

[Ariana Celeste]

149. Denver is my favorite

Although I've only been there on stops between IND and SEA. Oh and it was my stop between SEA and Dallas. It is so easy to move around, I didn't feel lost at all. Whereas I got a bit panicky in Chicago and Sea Tac can be frustrating.

[Phillycat]

103. Gatwick was a freaking nightmare.

We literally ran full-tilt and had to take a train to catch our connecting to Dublin. That airport is enormous and has NO SIGNS.

[Zomby Woof]

112. WORST: Houston's Bush airport

You're greeted by a bronze statue of Poppy at the gate - he's all decked out in his WW2 gear. :puke:

It's also a filthy, dirty place, worse than any third world pit. Worse than Detroit, and that is saying something.

I have no favorite. I have good and bad experiences at most large and small airports. I hate flying as it is.

[lebkuchen]

124. As bad as landing in Charlotte, NC and running into

Billy Graham Parkway. Jesus.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

139. CLT's USAirways terminal is really nice though.

I love the rocking chairs on the concourses. Relaxing and thoughtfully placed.

The moving walkways are placed well- not too long, not too short.

[lebkuchen]

151. I liked that, too.

Baggage claim was disorganized, though. People were in there yelling at the claims people, and the police were called.

[lebkuchen]

123. Dulles is worst -- ill-equiped for customer assistance

Runs poorly from the moment you enter the door.

I was on an international flight, about to miss it. I was in a slow line for electronic tickets, which I'd never heard of. Noboby w/United Airlines was in the area to assist or ID passengers with flights about to leave. I finally get to the front desk, the ticket agent says I will miss my flight, won't help me w/the e-ticketing, tells me to wait, and then proceeds to help somebody in another line. After several minutes I approach her and ask if I should go get a cup of coffee while she sorts through other more important business.

Words said, long story short, I make my flight.

[lebkuchen]

125. Flying into Christchurch, New Zealand is fantastic

Very manageable. Loved the place and the country.

[Maddy McCall]

126. I love New Orleans Louis Armstrong International. Has an Acme Oyster House in it!

And it's easy to get around in it.

No worst...even Atlanta doesn't bother me.

I wonder how Houston is? Anyone ever fly through Houston?

[crispini]

128. Yeah, I did NOT enjoy my connectin through IAH.

BUT, I don't think that was so much due to the airport as it was due to my stupid travel agent giving me a far too tight connection and me having to do the sprint to the inter-terminal train.

My least fave is Logan, mostly due to the fact that even though the construction is long gone, it's still confusing as heck to navigate around in the.

With all the ragging on this thread about flying into JFK, and how dangerous it is to fly into LGA, I may have to stick to Newark!

[yy4me]

131. Worst: Logan. Can't find your way around, can't get there from

south of Boston now because of the Big Dig mess. Bad parking, rude police, no loading and unloading areas. I've been to quite a few airports and none compares with Logan (and I'm from MA). Bottom of the pile.

[longship]

133. Ontario-CA (ONT), Chicago-Midway are good.

One of my favorite between flight stops is Cincinnati/No KY. Great airport with lots of services. It's also a Delta hub.

[Dorian Gray]

136. Hmmm...

BEST: Hong Kong



Worst: La Guardia in NYC

[Taverner]

138. Best, Austin

Any airport where you can park your rental, walk across the bridge and board your flight...AND find a live band playing by the gates...

[Drum]

143. Schiphol, Amsterdam.

I just came through there today.

In all ways, wonderful: sensible layout, plenty of really good and diverse shopping, cafes and bars where smoking is permitted, rational (and friendly!) security, etc etc. There are even a couple of small casinos...I poppped in for five minutes between flights, and won 50 Euros in a slot machine!

What's not to like?? :D

[JCMach1]

153. Tops my best list as well

Excellent airport

[graywarrior]

150. Sarasota FL is small and easy to get to.

[idlisambar]

152. Best: Singapore

Comfortable, lots of greenery, great food, and lots of entertainment options. Very fond memories of that airport. A great place to have an 6 hour layover.

[JCMach1]

154. Dubai and Schipol are the best; JFK, Heathrow, and Gatwick top my BAD list

Worst:

JFK- (terminal 3 is the worst slum airport terminal in the world bar none).
Heathrow- Crowded, out-of-date...
Gatwick- Not as bad as Heathrow, but why exactly did I end up in this Dive?
Charles de Gaulle- Makes the list because of the FUBAR construction.


Other Good Airports:

Orlando; Jacksonville; St. Louis; and surprisingly Beirut International...

[AllegroRondo]

158. Have you been to St Louis lately? take it off the good list

ever since TWA was bought out, that place has gone downhill badly. No decent places to eat, no services to speak of, dont even TRY to find parking within walking distance.

[Burma Jones]

155. Best - Long Beach Airport........Worst - LaGuardia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach_Municipal_Airport

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaGuardia_Airport

[Anarcho-Socialist]

156. I don't like London Gatwick

I'm somewhat of germphobe and airports aren't the cleanest places, but Gatwick is especially filthy. Such an unclean place.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

157. Loved PDX when I lived there; hate LAX and ORD

What I hate about ORD is that I've been stuck there three times in the past year, and besides, once you get out of the international terminal after flying in from overseas, you have to go through security AGAIN to get into the domestic terminals. There should be a way to funnel arriving international passengers so that they don't have to spend over an hour standing in lines immediately after getting off a 6-12 hour flight.

What I hate about LAX is its pod structure. Each pod has about one store and one food outlet, so if you're stuck between flights, there's nothing to do or even eat, if the food outlet is one you don't like.