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Just curious what you folks favorite airports are.  For both flying to/from and for extended layovers?   I'll be doing a bit more traveling in the near future and have some autonomy to plan my flights, as long as the are generally cost-appropriate.   Any suggestions will be helpful. Here's my short list:  

 

Providence, RI.  My usual home airport.  Same distance from my house as Boston but it's smaller, cleaner and much more efficient   Even during rush hour, I can typically make it from car, through check in and TSA within 15 minutes.  Love the place!     Also, unlike BOS, road traffic is minimal.    Little Rock, AR and Greenville-Spartanburg, SC are in the same category.

 

Atlanta. Mostly crowded and run down but if you have an extended layover, take the "plane train" to the international terminal (F).   Much better ambiance, cleaner, some upscale shopping / eating options and most of the time it's half empty so you can always find a spot to relax and plane watch or get some work done.  Also get to see some interesting international  widebody jets, instead of the endless flow of Delta narrow bodies.   

 

Charlotte. Nice airport.  Clean and never seems overly crowded. Same as ATL, if I have a long layover, I'll head to the international section, which is usually quiet and semi-deserted, grab a rocking chair and enjoy a great view of hundreds of AA A320's and CR7/9's taking off from a nearby runway.  Only downside to CLT is terminal E, the American Eagle terminal.   It's always mobbed and is a dump.   

 

Detroit - I expected something on the dumpy side but was pleasantly surprised.  Clean and very efficient.   Nice selection of dining options and some nice plane watching options.  

 

On my avoid at at all costs lists:  Philly, DFW, Washington Dulles, Midway, Phoenix and LGA.  Washington National is nice, if you can ignore the swarms of self-important pols and lobbyist that overwhelm the place at rush hour. 

 

Thats it for my list. Any suggestions or tips are appreciated.   

 

Edited by 11bee
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Portland,  PDX, is a very nice airport.

 

Long Beach was easy to get in and out of (20m from touch down to in my house),  but it was never well connected,  and seems less so now...

 

Avoid LAX at ALL POSSIBLE COSTS! Sadly,  I need to use this airport for most flights.

 

 

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2 hours ago, 11bee said:

Just curious what you folks favorite airports are.  For both flying to/from and for extended layovers?   I'll be doing a bit more traveling in the near future and have some autonomy to plan my flights, as long as the are generally cost-appropriate.   Any suggestions will be helpful. Here's my short list:  

 

Providence, RI.  My usual home airport.  Same distance from my house as Boston but it's smaller, cleaner and much more efficient   Even during rush hour, I can typically make it from car, through check in and TSA within 15 minutes.  Love the place!     Also, unlike BOS, road traffic is minimal.    Little Rock, AR and Greenville-Spartanburg, SC are in the same category.

 

Atlanta. Mostly crowded and run down but if you have an extended layover, take the "plane train" to the international terminal (F).   Much better ambiance, cleaner, some upscale shopping / eating options and most of the time it's half empty so you can always find a spot to relax and plane watch or get some work done.  Also get to see some interesting international  widebody jets, instead of the endless flow of Delta narrow bodies.   

 

Charlotte. Nice airport.  Clean and never seems overly crowded. Same as ATL, if I have a long layover, I'll head to the international section, which is usually quiet and semi-deserted, grab a rocking chair and enjoy a great view of hundreds of AA A320's and CR7/9's taking off from a nearby runway.  Only downside to CLT is terminal E, the American Eagle terminal.   It's always mobbed and is a dump.   

 

Detroit - I expected something on the dumpy side but was pleasantly surprised.  Clean and very efficient.   Nice selection of dining options and done nice plane watching options.  

 

On my avoid at at all costs lists:  Philly, DFW, Washington Dulles, Midway, Phoenix and LGA.  Washington National is nice, if you can ignore the swarms of self-important pols and lobbyist that overwhelm the place at rush hour. 

 

Thats it for my list. Any suggestions or tips are appreciated.   

 

none!!!!!

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1 hour ago, Janissary said:

+1 for PDX.

 

I also like Orlando Intl,  Chicago O'Hare, and PIT Intl. 

ORD has the best plane watching options of any US airport I've been through.  Lots of international wide bodies to be seen.   Just a bit too crowded for my tastes.  

 

Agree with Orlando, forgot to add BWI as another favorite.  

Edited by 11bee
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San Francisco for me. Nothing beats flying home, that and it also has a Centurion lounge. I may not be rich, but I sure don't feel like a peasant enjoying that place. Denver also has a fantastic USO. Local woodcarvers made my boys some wooden cars they took home and you don't have to worry about Joe so much as the adacg is in the Springs. 

Edited by fulcrum1
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Toronto Pearson airport is a beautiful, clean and well maintained airport. Great spacious lounges. 

 

I dont like Heathorw airport. Its dark and dingy. But their new Terminal 5, the British Airways hub, does not look the part of the old Heathrow. Its all glass structure and very spacious.

 

I have also been to Amman, Jordan and the airport there is quite nice.  

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3 hours ago, 11bee said:

ORD has the best plane watching options of any US airport I've been through.  Lots of international wide bodies to be seen.   Just a bit too crowded for my tastes.

Also, it's the airport "Most Likely to be Backed Up" if there's a hiccup anywhere in the country...

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No holds barred this is the nicest airport I have ever been to.  All open air and amazing:

 

https://www.samuiairportonline.com/

 

The food... even the bathrooms were amazing.

 

In North America?  Ugh... I think they are all constantly under construction, over crowded, dirty and awful.  If there was a viable alternative to flying, I would take it in a second.  

 

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YVR, and not because I live in BC.     It's just well laid out and beautiful to boot.    Favourite non-Canadian airport would be Schipol,  Very easy to transfer around, great lounges, and easy to get in and out of by train.    Least favourite would be Heathrow and least favourite Canuck aijrport would be YYZ(Pearson).   Both are a nightmare to transfer through with line-ups for everything you do, and baggage as slow as molassas.   Not even gonna mention my Delhi, Chennai or Mumbai experiences.

 

Cheers, Tony

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5 hours ago, dnl42 said:

Also, it's the airport "Most Likely to be Backed Up" if there's a hiccup anywhere in the country...

True, but I've also found DFW to be nearly as bad.

 

Agree about Heathrow being pretty bad.   I've flow into Gatwick and thought it was pretty decent, ended up going into Heathrow a few years back and was really surprised about how run down it was.  I expected more from what I had assumed to be the UK's premier airport.  

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Living in Kansas City, and being the Superintendent of the remodel some years back, I am partial to KCI Airport. It's very easy to get in and out of for a mid-size/larger airport.  Although it's showing it's age these days, and being divided into three separate terminals it's still quite convenient.

 

Through some of my travels, Albuquerque's Sunport (airport) is very nice as well.  It seemed to never be crowded, very clean, and also shares the runways with Kirtland AFB, so I often was able to CV-22s fly or at least when taking off, saw the Kirtland ramp. 

 

David

 

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11 hours ago, Djack said:

Through some of my travels, Albuquerque's Sunport (airport) is very nice as well.  It seemed to never be crowded, very clean, and also shares the runways with Kirtland AFB, so I often was able to CV-22s fly or at least when taking off, saw the Kirtland ramp.

Yes, ABQ is nice.

 

They also have cases of 1/72 aircraft on display on the lower level along with a 1/1 1914 Ingram/Foster Biplane.

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None...

 

Sorry, but after flying around in Navy stuff for years, flying as a civilian $ucks B@lls, especially Post 9/11.

 

But if forced to pick, Bangor Int, Maine (BGR), small, not crowded, ANG KC-135s on site, and a good chance of seeing unusual stuff arriving from or on the way to Europe, etc.

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Airport shmarport...

 

I think the key is to stick to the same airline.  Status trumps setting.  It ain't much but being able to board earlier or the occasional bump to 1st class beats what airport any day of the week.

 

You arrive at a gate, you leave from a different one.  Maybe you have time to inhale food, maybe not.  You will be surrounded by people regardless...

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Some of the more enjoyable airports I've spent time in...

 

Beijing Int'l is amazing.  Terrific terminal and very interesting plane traffic to watch.

 

Lihu'e Airport (island of Kauai, Hawaii) is very pleasant.  Relaxed atmosphere due to the fact that a lot of it is open-air.

 

General Mitchell Int'l Airport in Milwaukee houses an AWESOME used book store.

 

For sheer efficiency and ease of in-and-out it's pretty tough to beat the Indianapolis airport.  Otherwise it's just a run-of-the-mill airport.

 

I do agree that the Denver airport is artistically impressive.  As for actually navigating it as a passenger, it's a royal pain.

 

Mike

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On 4/24/2017 at 11:26 AM, 11bee said:

ORD has the best plane watching options of any US airport I've been through.  Lots of international wide bodies to be seen.   Just a bit too crowded for my tastes.  

 

Agree with Orlando, forgot to add BWI as another favorite.  

Next time you transit BWI, send me a msg. I work there, let me know and we can get a cup of coffee and talk models!

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