America's worst airports

Travel + Leisure ^ | April 17, 2012 | Everett Potter

[C19fan]

Outdated infrastructure, overcrowding, chronic delays, and demoralized staff: That’s what you’ll find in some of America’s worst airports, according to readers of Travel + Leisure. In our first-ever airport survey, we asked readers to rate America’s 22 major airports in seven categories: flight delays; design; amenities; food and drink; check-in and security; service; and transportation and location. The best-scoring airports have tackled these issues head-on, refurbishing terminals and adding amenities that make the worst airports look evermore outdated by comparison.

[taterjay]

At least MCI (Kansas City) has private security. I read they are only 1 of 5 in the country.

[Vinnie]

Pittsburgh’s city council, Airport authority or whoever is in charge wanted to raise US Airways’ rent waaay up.
The airline tried to negotiate the rent down, threatened to move.
The Authority wouldn’t budge. So US Airways moved to Philly.
A shame to leave that nice airport but Pittsburgh has no one to blame but themselves.

[PhiloBedo]

TEB, EWK, PHL

[Disambiguator]

I don’t fly any more, but I used to live in the Albuquerque area, and the ABQ airport is a very nice one, IMHO.

[Yardstick]

Call me crazy but I find dystopias interesting. I’d like to check out that rickety escalator in a tube. Was it built in the 1960s? If so, bonus points. Retro-futuristic decay is cool.

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

Agree totally. I’ll say this again...I’ve in airports from Bankok to Beirut and Newark, New Jersey sucked the most.

[Timber Rattler]

I’ve flown through Kansas City three times over the past year, and yeah, it uses private security. But the guards grab your crotch and get into your waistband even more thoroughly than TSA.

[Made In The USA]

Been there - it’s definitely not an airport you could get lost in.

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Oh contrair Vigilanteman, Chicago O’Hara most definitely deserves its bad rap.

Back in the day (before 9/11) when I was flying round trip across country on a average of 5 to 6 times a year, I always ended up getting booked through O’Hara. And every time (regardless of the weather) my flight would end up getting delayed on average of 6 to 8 hours (if not outright cancelled). In addition, I have never had a connection through O’Hara airport without at least one piece of my luggage getting delayed or lost.

So, yes indeed. O’Hara deserves it bad rap. In fact, I would go as far as putting this sorry excuse for an airport at number 1 on this list.

[Vigilanteman]

Your point is well taken, but your focus is entirely on getting in and out of the airport. ORD looks a lot better when you focus on the experience while you are there.

MSP, for instance, would have some of the same type of weather related delays. But nobody notices for two reasons:

1. MSP has a lot of slack flight capacity to reduce these delays.
   
2. It is one of the best airports in the country to be stuck in should your flight be delayed.

[SeaHawkFan]

Food options at MSP are wonderful and they do not rip you off.

[Vigilanteman]

MSP definitely deserves its #1 ranking, a real mean feat considering its lousy weather over which the airport has no control. However, I do think Pittsburgh deserved to be ranked in the top 10.

It could be sampling bias since this is a Travel and Leisure magazine poll and PIT isn't a popular travel destination.

FWIW, I'd also rank Salt Lake City pretty high-- great wireless connections and even the TSA agents aren't as surly as what you get in other airports. Food is a little pricey, though, but not the abject rip-off you get in a lot of airports.

[cidrasm]

Ah, MCI (KC Int’l Airport)! It is shaped like a series of circles. When I went through there many, many years ago, it was the most horrible place I'd ever been. Some wing nut had combined the security area and the waiting/boarding lounges together.

One has to remember this airport was designed and built prior to the airport security crackdown that occurred after the spate of airline hijackings in the 70s. At that time, there wasn't a separation between the gate area and the rest of the terminal. At the time, it was a truly wonderful design, with baggage carousels no further than 2 or 3 gates from where you came off the plane. Arrivals and Departures occur on the same level.

Unfortunately, the design didn't lend well to large aircraft like the Boeing 747 and after the security changes in the '70s it became a PITA due to the fact that all of the restrooms, eateries and sundries were outside of the secure area.

[KC Burke]

MCI is truly difficult for those changing carriers there. It is cramped for flight changes as well. If you originate or arrive there it is a breeze. I’ve flown in and out of there hundreds of times and it is a breeze.

If you have a quick out and back it is faster than almost any other. I have been through about thirty airports that are more hassle. It needs replacement terminals but I will miss the simplicity.

[SamAdams76]

Las Vegas is my favorite airport. I guess it's the fact that as soon as you get off the plane, you run into banks of slot machines! I never play them on arriving however as the strip is only a few minutes away and the slots are much looser there.

However, I did win a $600 jackpot once while waiting for my flight to go back to Boston. I was half-tempted to cancel my flight and head back to the strip!

Any airport in Hawaii impresses the hell out of me. Where else can you get a sunburn waiting for your luggage at the baggage claim!

The Phoenix airport is good for exercise. I always have to walk a couple miles to get to my connecting flight. Also, great Mexican food and margaritas at Phoenix airport.

East of the Mississippi, all the airports suck - especially in the drab, dreary Northeast where everybody is rude all the time.