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I’m super fortunate in my career to get the opportunity to travel. A lot. And while lots of people dread the experience of flying, I actually love every single minute of it. Well, everything except when I’m stuck in the Pre-Check line behind someone like my mother, who is totally clueless and is only there because she’s traveling with me. THIS LINE IS FOR EXPERIENCED TRAVELERS ONLY, OLD WOMAN.
Anyway, given that I fly multiple times a month, I’ve spent a lot of time in this country’s airports – hell, I’ve even slept in a few of them. So when travel expert “The Points Guy” dropped his list of best and worst airports in the U.S., I had some thoughts. But before that I share them, here’s how he arrived at this rankings, according to Forbes:
Using data from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, J.D. Power, Google Maps, iFly.com, and the airports’ official websites to determine the rankings, the website looked at the thirty busiest airports in the US, analyzing them for timeliness which included cancellations, delays and security waiting times; accessibility from the city it services and amenities like restaurants, lounges, WiFi and parking rates. The study only looked at information for domestic flights.
Okay, so here are the best airports, according to those parameters:
5. Honolulu International Airport, Hawaii
The only one on this list I haven’t been to yet. I’m thinking that I should get sent there for the sake of research though, right?
4. Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah
Despite the fact that I’ve actually flown through Salt Lake numerous times, I can’t actually tell you much about the airport. Why, you ask? Because the freaking place is shaped like a giant U and my arriving flight always comes in at the top of one part, with my departing flight leaving from the top of the other. So my SLC experiences have usually been me running full tilt from one end of the airport to the other.
3. San Diego International Airport, California
I love everything about San Diego, including the airport. Terminal 2 is definitely nicer than Terminal 1, but either way, you’re in San Diego, so you can’t be mad about life.
2. Portland International Airport, Oregon
This is probably my favorite airport. It’s clean, there’s a lot of different food options, actual free wifi and trees in the concourses, which is nice since I barely see the outside world when I’m traveling for work. The only bummer is that there’s no Voodoo Doughnuts at the airport.
1. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona
I’m not sure how this one come up ahead of Portland, because every time I’ve flown out of Phoenix, it’s been a shitshow. It seems like it’s where they send all of the TSA people to train, because they legit have no idea what they are doing. Luckily, there’s a pretty nice wine bar after security to ease the pain.
And now for the worst:
5. Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Michigan
Honestly, I’ve been in airports far worse than Detroit. However, I also haven’t been in the entirety of the Detroit airport – I’m an airline snob and I only fly Delta 92 percent of the time, so the only terminal I’ve been in at Detroit is McNamara, which is relatively new and quite lovely. But for all I know, the other terminal (North) could look like… well, Detroit.
4. Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Chicago
If we’re talking Chicago airports, I actually hate Midway way more than I hate O’Hare… which is saying something because I do loath O’Hare. While Chicago is one of my favorite cities, both of the airports are crap. #sorrynotsorry.
3. Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey
I’ve actually only flown out of Newark to fly internationally, and since The Points Guy based his list on domestic flights, I don’t really feel like I can comment. My experiences there have been generally good, but maybe things are different on the international side of things.
2. John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York
If I had to pick between the three NYC airports – an odious task, as it were – I would probably pick JFK as my **shudder** favorite. And that’s only because I’ve only had to fly in there once and have never set foot in the place again.
1. LaGuardia Airport, New York
Ok, me and Mr. Points Guy are in full agreement here. LaGuardia is like a third world country. There’s construction, buses between terminals, “free” wifi that turns off after 30 minutes and I’ve been delayed there enough times to know that there’s no decent food options. And nevermind it takes you nearly half an hour to get into the city.
So, fellow travelers, what are your thoughts? .
[via Forbes]
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Jenna Crowley
Jenna used to be known as 2NOTBrokeGirls, but then one of the girls actually went broke, so she's struck out on her own. Jenna spends her free time saving the world, one sorority girl at a time (usually while wearing yoga pants), questioning why she decided to get a doctorate, documenting her love of all things cheese related, and hosting the new PGP podcast Don't Take It From Us. You can ask her anything you want about football, using your boobs to get what you want, and pizza at @JennaLCrowley on Twitter or via email at JennaLCrowley@gmail.com.
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Dallas Love Field, with it’s glorious 1-2 punch of a Whataburger and Chick-fil-A, is a glaring omission.
Say what you want about the city of Detroit, but the Detroit airport is nice as hell.
Downtown Detroit is actually getting much better these days. They finally have a Nike store, which my brother-in-law said is important for some reason
Nike store is super important, gotta get them Jordans.
As a frequent visitor of Detroit Metro yes the airport is nice as hell, but the rating was based on a lot of things besides the airport being nice, which doesnt seem fair when its titled best/worst airports. However i do agree with the author of the original list Detroits public transit system is a nightmare, if it wasn’t for that i assume this would be much higher on the list.
Climate is also a big factor against it. One of the metrics was cancelled or delayed flights. No wonder Honolulu and Phoenix made the list how many flights do you think are grounded for ice and snow there compared to Detroit. Detroit had an uphill battle to fight just by being in the northern states.
I suppose if you’ve only been to one airport before, yeah, that’ll happen.
I agree but I couldn’t fully commit without having been to that other terminal.
Haven’t been since about 2004, but it was a hell scape back then. We landed in the new terminal, and 13 year old me was blown away about how nice it was. Our layover was 6 hours though, and our flight was out of the older terminal. All of my excitement disappeared when that golf car dropped us off. Half the stores were closed, and there was only an Auntie Ann’s, a shitty Mexican restaurant, and a Starbucks kiosk.
Actually isn’t a bad airport but that creepy ass Willy wonky tunnel to the delta terminal weirds me out
Laguardia is shit, but I don’t think Newark is that bad.
Newark is actually totally fine. A little congested, but good food, easy to navigate, and easy-ish to get to.
Fuck LGA
accessibility-wise, Newark is hands-down the best NYC airport. 25 minute train ride from Penn and you’re there.
And JFK is a 40 minute train with a transfer at Jamaica, not much of a difference.
I’m flying JFK over any other airport in the area 100/100 times, but that’s just me.
As someone at Newark RN, it sucks. Has there ever been an on time flight associated with this airport
Honestly surprised Atlanta’s airport isn’t on the worst. Getting a connection flight there is a bitch
Bet ATLGuy loves him some Hartsfield.
I’m obviously not ATLGuy but I don’t get on the hate for Hartsfield. I’ve never had a problem there.
Nice try, ATLGuy’s second account
I’ve never not run through the Atlanta airport to catch a flight.
I read that as “I’ve never not run through the Atlanta airport to arrive just in time to find out my flight is delayed 3 hours.”
Any time I have to connect through ATL I intentionally pick a layover now to prevent that. Too crowded to even attempt a quick connecting flight.
Atlanta and DFW are my two least favorite airports to have connections through.
Fuck Atlanta so hard
Grew up in Jersey, definitive NYC area airport ranking: Newark, JFK, approximately 150 miles of steaming horse shit, then LaGuardia
I’ve flown into nicer airports in Egypt and Eastern Europe that were nicer than LaGuardia.
Orlando should be on the worst list just for all of the screaming kids.
Absolutely terrible airport. The lines are unbearable, not to mention having to deal with all sorts of foreigners and their kids in mouse ears and Harry Potter cloaks who have no idea what the hell is going on through security check points.
Thank God for TSA Pre-Check.
Orlando is terrible because, like Las Vegas, you can’t be sure by the way they act that most of the people in line have ever been on a plane before.
Agreed Orlando is awful, will never ever get a connecting flight in Orlando. Id rather take a greyhound bus then deal with kids fresh off their Disney vacation.
LAX is the absolute worst.
I feel like you have to throw Denver up there. solid TSA and food options
Agreed! If you can look past Blucifer and the creepy murals, it’s a really nice airport.
Uh, I would put Blucifer in the “pro” column for Denver. Shit’s crazy, but in the best way.
I would add Miami to the worst list. I have never gotten through security without feeling like a criminal.
Miami feels a lot like the United States sometimes. The airport is not one of them.