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Your Best and Worst Airports (Domestic + International)

Posted on 12/17/23 at 8:36 am
Posted by CuseTiger
On the road
Member since Jul 2013
8255 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 8:36 am
With all the travel coming up I figure we can have a fun thread discussing your favorite and least favorite airports. Let's have both domestic and international since we have a lot of people doing both on here.

Domestic Best-
Buffalo. I was going through my head of the large airports, connecting airports, rental car experiences, time from parking to get through security, and settled on Buffalo. The airport flies direct to most places in the US, the short and long term parking lots are within walking distance of the terminal, check-in is a breeze, security never takes longer than 10 minutes even at the busy hour of 5am. The food options are decent with a tim hortons and an anchor bar, the runways are right next to the terminal so no obnoxiously long taxi times like at DFW, ORD, JFK, etc. Plenty of space in the terminal to spread out and find a quiet gate area. The rental cars are at the terminal as well which saves having to take a bus ride elsewhere.

The other option for me in a close second was Cincinnati CVG, very easy to get around, spread out, and flights to a lot of the country.

Domestic Worst-
Orlando. I haven't flow out of here in years and had the pleasant opportunity to last week. Drop off for passengers is congested, check in/baggage drop off can have very long lines with people checking strollers, security for regular, TSA Precheck, and Clear was a mess, and the gate area for Delta and Southwest is extremely cramped/congested. It took over an hour from stepping in the terminal to check-in to getting through security then taking the tram to the gates. Throw in a ton of screaming kids either coming or going to disney world and you've got a terrible setup. I have not been in the jetblue terminal C yet so no clue how that is.

International Best-
It's been a while for me, but I'll nominate Seoul Incheon South Korea. They had very cheap tours if you were connecting through there ($5 or $10) and took me to the city for 3-4 hours. The security was easy, same with immigration, also seemed like a decent amount of food options.

International Worst-
London. From the buses at one terminal to another terminal to reclearing security and removing all liquids, the experience was less than pleasant. Another thing to be aware of is they don't post the gates like the US does hours before, it's when you're in the terminal waiting for the plane. So you're stuck standing around watching a board monitor like it's NY Penn station for a track number.
Posted by usc6158
Member since Feb 2008
35444 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 8:56 am to
Domestic:
Best: Detroit
Worst: Miami

International:
Best: Copenhagen
Worst: Charles de Gaulle

Haven't been to Asia or the Middle East so would assume Dubai, Doha, Singapore etc take a cake.
Posted by SportsGuyNOLA
New Orleans, LA
Member since May 2014
17250 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 9:42 am to
Worst-

Denver and Detroit

Avoid these 2 as much as possible
Posted by kciDAtaE
Member since Apr 2017
15985 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 9:46 am to
I was very impressed with Tokyo NRT. Super efficient. Was through all checkpoints in less than 30 minutes with the fast pass app. And luggage was waiting for me at baggage claim. Color coded lines for train transfers and people employed there with the sole purpose of assisting with tickets and other questions.
Posted by jfw3535
South of Bunkie
Member since Mar 2008
4701 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 10:56 am to
Don't remember whether it was Oakland or San Francisco I flew out of one time and I remember that airport being a total shite show.

Don't really have a vote for best and don't travel internationally enough to have an opinion.
Posted by H2O Tiger
Delta Sky Club
Member since May 2021
6644 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 11:09 am to
Double post
This post was edited on 12/17/23 at 11:12 am
Posted by H2O Tiger
Delta Sky Club
Member since May 2021
6644 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 11:11 am to
Domestic
Best: Atlanta - It's big, but nothing is more efficient than getting through that place. Plus it has some decent restaurants and plenty of Sky Clubs
Worst:LAX - Maybe it'll get better once the construction is finished but I go out of my way to avoid that place.

International
Best: Doha - The bus gates are a PITA but the premium passenger experience is unmatched in everything I've experienced.
Worst: Male - Hopefully the new terminal fixes some of these issues but the ground experience is horrible. No AC at customs (people passing out around us), security lines a mile long, and nothing noteworthy once airside.
Posted by AbitaFan08
Boston, MA
Member since Apr 2008
26761 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 12:24 pm to
Worst: Kansas City
Best: the new LGA

Worst: Taipei
Best: I suppose Heathrow?
Posted by ob1pimpbobi
College Station
Member since Jul 2022
2637 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 1:58 pm to
LAX is hands down the worst. Denver just announced some huge deal where they are going to double the size. 4 more concourses. That place is already nuts.
Posted by Bama Bird
Member since Dec 2011
Member since Mar 2013
19169 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 2:11 pm to
US Best: Detroit
US Worst: Orlando/Charlotte

Intl Best: CDG, I guess. I've only flown into a handful and none of them stand out as fantastic
Intl Worst: Frankfurt
Posted by Tshiz
Idaho
Member since Jul 2013
7642 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 3:44 pm to
Best: ATL, Newark
Worst: Boston, phili, jfk, lax

Best: Copenhagen
Worst: London or CDG
Posted by WhiteMandingo
Member since Jan 2016
5672 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 5:10 pm to
Best domestic is Denver
Worst domestic is LAX

Best International Holland
Worst international is Athens Greece
Posted by mdw1969
SEC Country
Member since Jan 2013
799 posts
Posted on 12/17/23 at 5:38 pm to
Domestic:
Love: Atl
Hate: SLC and DFW

International:
Love: Florence
Hate: Frankfurt
Posted by SpartyGator
Detroit Lions fan
Member since Oct 2011
75675 posts
Posted on 12/18/23 at 6:06 am to
Best Domestic: SEA, DTW, BNA.

Worst Domestic: DEN (security lines are always a disaster there). ORD, not terminal 5.


Best international: HND, NRT,

Worst: CDG
Posted by tadman
Member since Jun 2020
3886 posts
Posted on 12/18/23 at 9:30 am to
Dislike MSP and detest EWR. Also Sky Harbor PHX blows.

Like ATL and DTW, also ORD ain't bad considering how many flights go through. New MSY isn't bad if they would smooth a few things out.
Posted by metallica81788
NO
Member since Sep 2008
8633 posts
Posted on 12/18/23 at 10:06 am to
Domestic Best: ATL (I also like Love but wish the rental cars didn't require a shuttle)
Domestic Worst: LAX - frick that place

International best: Singapore Changi
International worst: CDG
Posted by deltafarmer
Member since Dec 2019
526 posts
Posted on 12/18/23 at 11:08 am to
Domestic:

Best-New Orleans
Worst-Santa Fe

International:

Best-Tokyo NRT. Dubai
Worst-Munich, Istanbul, Turks & Caicos
Posted by SuperDomed
Member since May 2010
965 posts
Posted on 12/18/23 at 11:40 am to
The problem I have with Detroit is the rental car situation. You have to get on a bus to get to the lot and it feels like it takes a while. Other than that, it’s a great airport.
Posted by MikeyFL
Las Vegas, NV
Member since Sep 2010
9621 posts
Posted on 12/18/23 at 12:05 pm to
Just about every American airport feels a shithole once you've travelled internationally. The few exceptions, in my opinion, are Tampa, Indianapolis, and Orange County/Irvine. Long Beach and Burbank also have a cool retro feel for those who want to avoid LAX at all costs.

As for international travel, Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei, Istanbul, and the two Tokyo airports are highlights. I haven't had the opportunity to fly to Doha or Dubai, but I've heard good things.

Singapore, in particular, is just magnificent.



Posted by Matt225
St. George
Member since Dec 2019
864 posts
Posted on 12/18/23 at 6:47 pm to
Domestic:
Best: New Orleans new is good except parking cost.
Worst: Miami
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