Unfortunately the "drive to your gate" concept was introduced at MCI in 1972, just as hijackings ramped up and required passenger screening.

KOA is pretty rustic, with air stairs and open-air waiting areas.

Fayetteville, NC (FAY) is very old fashioned feeling. Exposed concrete, low ceilings, no natural light etc.

While I was waiting for my GA flight, a Lion Air MD-80, a Batavia Air 737 and an Adam Air (not flying anymore) 737 all arrived at the same time at JOG. Flights on these planes were leaving about the same time so the lines for boarding went sideways and parallel to the long side of the terminal's waiting area.

IAD screams 1960s and not in a good way.

LPL and T3 at MAN. Plus FRA, though it looks a little more modern, its design is way too old.

SJC's Terminal 3: built in 1965 and used until it was closed in 2010 and then demolished. It had no jet bridges. Stairs were used for all airplanes.

LIH is a throwback. It's so tiny. I love KOA. It was like being in an episode of Fantasy Island. BGI has been updated, but I remember when it was a tiny little nothing of an airport. I once got stuck at KIN for five hours due to the AC breaking down just as we left MBJ. I thought I was in hell and was I scared.

Lol:D

Surprised no one has said HNL - maybe it's changed since I was there in 08, but at the time, I remember thinking it was so old, and so awful.

I just got back from the states and have to say that I still like MCI. I thought SMF was very nice also - quiet, easy, spacious. However, we passed through the US Terminal in PHX, and I'm going to add that one to my 'avoid' list in the future.

I was waiting for this too. Having just flown through there for the first time, and given what a high percentage of Hawaii's economy is based on tourism, you'd think they'd have a more modern set-up.

Most 'Old School' that I've flown through:
HNL
JFK
LGA
MNL Terminal 1
MCI (my home, which I love being an O/D airport)
IAD

Another fun list. Most surprisingly 'Non-Old School' that I've flown through:
RGN
JAX
SGN
MNL Terminal 3

Chris

Old-school in a good or neutral way (e.g., it didn't impact my actual ability to travel through it):

- MCI
- DAL
- MDW
- SYR
- SAT
- TXL
- SHA
- PEK (an older terminal, I understand there are newer ones now)
- DCA Terminal A

MCI is my home airport - a wonderful place for O&D. Drive up, park, walk a few dozen yards to what is essentially your flight's dedicated TSA checkpoint, walk about 10 yards, board plane. If I have a 6AM departure, I can be parking my car at 5:15AM totally stress-free. I will still make preboarding.

Totally understand why a major alliance carrier can't make it a hub. That's why the city wants the big single terminal. The geography and existing runway construction make it ideal for a hub - the facility always performs well in weather - but there's no good way to turn those rings in a sensible hub. Best they can do is a secondary hub for someone like Frontier or Southwest. Sadly, I'm sure that will make it tougher on all of us who use it often for O&D.

Old-school in a bad way: travel through these places never seems to be seamless and low-stress, at least somewhat in part due to the airport's design.

- IAD
- LGA
- LHR, when connecting in the pre-T5 days...no idea if this is any better now
- MAD, when connecting from old to new terminal...MCT for this should really be about 3 hours!!
- LAX

Not really...

When arriving at T5 (via connection bus), one has to join the queue for security after a sometimes longish walk from the bus drop off. Often the non-elite queue goes down the escalator, winds back and forth, and beyond.

AFTER security one may be fortunate to have a gate in the main area of T5. Or not. If not, one has to take a train to another gate area, and walk. Not to mention that T5 has some very narrow spaces between the shops etc and gets quite crowded/bottlenecked in areas.

It is amazing that this 'new' terminal is still so poorly designed. I much prefer T1, and am glad that I am a *A flyer (although I do have to use T3 at times). Although I have been flying BA more frequently over the past year, which requires a T5 experience. :(

The Pan American World Port aka Delta's JFK terminal fits that profile. I won't be sad to see that building go, after having to endure waaaaay too many inconveniences over the last 6 years of living in NYC and flying DL internationally.

Well, MSY has its areas and moments....:eek:

Usually, I do not find it all that bad depending on the airline, though....:cool:

However, I think certain areas of the MSY terminal would greatly benefit from some sprucing up....@:-)