Yeah, I was a fierce defender of the convenience of the old terminal. It was like having a super convenient little regional airport in the middle of the biggest city in the US, and I'm one of those folks who spends as little time at the airport as possible.

But I really don't miss the tarps and temporary ducts and vermin, or the need to physically step over people sitting on the floor to get to the gate every time I flew Southwest out of the old terminal. And the construction without interrupting service in such a tight space WAS a marvel of engineering and planning. I also think the architecture is downright masterful (if you ignore the bizarre decision to have moving walkways in the skybridges that only run a fraction of their length): Functionally, the skybridges to the concourses open up so much more maneuverability for the planes (I expect a lot less "we're holding short of the gate while another plane clears the alley" announcements), and aesthetically the terminal itself is attractive (even the bathroom tiling is nice) and I don't know if there is any airport anywhere with better views. When I was a kid I always got a kick out of the "Welcome to New York" sign out by the runway, and the big apples in the metalwork of the fences by the taxi lines. But holy crap is it a wonderful welcome to NY if you're lucky enough to step off of a late afternoon flight arriving at gates 11-31 at the new LGA, and be treated to a sunset behind the Manhattan skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the skybridge. So I think I can live with a few extra minutes of escalators and walking.