gsforfree

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Facilities-wise, I like JFK (since I don't fly DL).

While the physical plant at LGA is dated, I can get from my apartment to the UA gates in 35 minutes. Plus au bon pain is aneasy breakfast on the way.

eastnortheast

The fact that immigration (both inbound and outbound) can be so long and chaotic (unless you have Fast Track) makes BKK lose points and definitely drops it below airports like SIN and ICN.

CO777DAL

DAL-Dallas Love Field. It's like flying on a private jet. Continental (new UA) and Delta have their own terminal while the new terminal is being built. You can walk from check-in to the gate and clear security in less than 10 minutes. The great thing is you can park in Garage B and walk right into the terminal which is directly across the street. There is even an Elite Access security line at DAL but there is almost never any waiting at security. Southwest has their own side of the airport.

Here is a video on the new Continental (UA) gates at DAL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82kg6Kjmtyo

The greatest thing is I can get off the plane and be in my car in less than 10 minutes and after a day of flying all I want to do is go home. No matter how bad the traffic is or the weather, it will never take me more than 20 minutes to drive home. Having this as my home airport for the last 12 years has defiantly spoiled me.

Non stop to IAH and soon DEN

Mike Jacoubowsky

I like different airports at different times. If I'm not stressed, a place like CDG can be interesting and even fun, especially if you're into figuring out how things work. And if I'm in need of reason to think it won't be bad to be back home again, CDG can serve that need as well!

FRA I have no use for. Poor layout, crowded and difficult to find lounges, and no feeling of concept or theme.

LHR is no place to be if you're in a hurry and the over-crowded mall area makes you feel trapped.

IAD is actually not such a bad place if you're an elite, but horrifying to see the lines during irrops for those who aren't. And transportation to DC is an embarrassment.

MSN & SBA & SAN (commuter terminal) each have their own type of small-airport feel that's kinda nice, yet they're very different from each other. MSN has sone decent food options, SNA feels like something out of Casablanca (yes, I know it was BUR) and SAN commuter terminal is pretty efficient despite a chaotic feel.

DEN is like trying to get from one end to the other of a gigantic linear enclosed strip mall. I've never been there long enough to know what it's really like.

LAX security seems ridiculously confined compared to most, at least for the parts I've used.

CaptainBilly

I can't realistically say that KOA is remotely in the same league as SIN and MUC, my #1 and #2 best. However, KOA has some really great features. Such as:

- Uniformly friendly and helpful staff;

- Rarely really crowded since there are normally only two UA planes at a time. Even when there is the KOA version of "crowded" it somehow is never stressful and clears rapidly.

- So far no nude-o-scope.

- Luggage arrives at baggage claim quickly.

- You can't get lost. It's too small.

- Parking lot is directly across the street from arrival / departure area.

- The airport has only the minimal amount of walls required before entering the secured area. After clearing security there are even fewer walls and only about one third of the terminal / gate area actually has a roof.

The fact that in twelve years of KOA as my home airport and hundreds of times arriving and departing I only remember once that I felt the need for a roof says volumes about the climate.

- If there are irrops you may be stuck at KOA for a day since there are very few alternatives to waiting for the next day's flight. Think about it. You're stuck on the Big Island for an extra day. That's a *good* thing!

CB

ExExpat

I'm surprised to see anyone put FRA as a "best"- I connected in an out on LH once, and one trip was enough for me. If you weren't a seasoned traveller I think you'd be lost. NO monitors, really unclear directions; after clearing customs, there's nothing telling you what gate you should be heading to and the signing is ridiculously circuitous. Then you have to go through security again...and without knowing if you're in the right set of gates.

On the way home, connecting in FRA through BCN, I'm just lucky I didn't have a tight connection. After clearing customs and finding my way through the crazy under-construction terminal to my new gate, I had to clear security in two different places.

Hated it.

I am not a huge fan of CGD either, except for the new terminal (the one they had to rebuild after it collapsed). The older terminal is smoky and reminds me of an ant colony with all the tunnels and weird escalators.

On the "Best" side- the Emirates terminal at DXB remains one of the nicest airport terminals I've ever seen. But the UA terminal leaves something to be desired.

rafgva

This is the cost coting.... and noting to do wise 3 world airport...


as you base in LAX it must be difficult for you! sorry...

USFFjer

Like:
ORD- Billy Goat and Jamba Juice (if I have a longer connection I sometimes head over to Argo Tea in the AA terminal too), and then the tunnel between B and C to work off the two lol. Also maybe it's just my luck but I have never had an irrop that was O'Hare related- one departure delay of 45 mins that was caused by delayed inbound from LGA. Finally I've found some outlets that are kind of tucked behind support columns, albeit not the most obvious spots.
BDL- has gotten better over the years, since the older A concourse was merged into the new. Nice big windows to watch the action, and decent food selections- the Dunkin Donuts near the UA gates is always nice. Also the UA staff I've interacted with have always been good.
TUS- kind of minimalist, but a nice gift shop, coffee bar, and workstations with outlets looking out over the ramp.
DEN- Can be a longish walk from the further Express gates to the main gates, but nice and airy with good shopping and eating options. Also great views of the mountains and area.

Don't like:
OMA- I try to minimize my time before boarding, one Scooters and food vendor, and frankly the gate area is tight if there's an ORD and DEN flight going out at once, and spillover from the WN gates doesn't help.

Madone59

HAHAHA.

A few years back ORD-FRA (on a 772) got in early, we deplaned on stairs and had to sit, waiting in bus's, because the airport was not open yet!

VivoPerLei

That's odd. I've had flights to both LHR and FRA circle because it was too early to land, but I've never had sat on a bus because the airport wasn't open. Maybe it was before shift for the immigration staff.

trainman74

My favorite UA airport is TPA, although I'm probably biased because it's my hometown -- in fact, for much of the time I was growing up, the airport was by far the nicest public building in Tampa.

MrMan

Second that for DAL,and a nice lack of AAtitude, and that coming from an EXP! Gate to home in less than 10 minutes!, and great plane watching airport. All the worlds Potentates /Dictators/Emans have their jets serviced there at DalFort(Former Braniff). No trains, no waiting for gates, no 30 minute taxies to runway.

shdflyer

Call me old fashioned, but my favorite airport by far is my home airport, SHD, Shenandoah Valley. Tiny, Free Parking in front of the terminal, one gate, agents who have become friends, cards stock BP, no Mr. Chicken, just face-to-face small town flying, the way it used to be... and there is never any traffic to deal with getting to or from the airport

weero

CDG - much like FRA - are not all that terrible if you arrive or depart. But transfers are absolutely disgusting and even more so in CDG.

FRA is confusing, narrow, dark, under construction with long and unpleasant security checks.

Now for CDG you can add filthy, no signs that direct you where to go, and a choice - if you have to change the terminal - between either a bus which takes aeons to ride (and with aeons I mean 40+ minutes) or clearing a most unpleasant not to say outright xenophobe immigration and then strolling to your next terminal.

Incompetent and rude agents and security people complete the image I have of CDG.

lhrsfo

Not only is it not mandatory, I have not even seen any in T1, T3 or T5. T2 is closed, so it's only T4 that I'm not sure about. Whereas, it's a major exercise trying to avoid them at so many US airports where they are quasi-compulsory in that you either have to submit to the nude-o-scope or you get even worse treatment. And don't get me started on Passport Control at US airports - the real reason why so many people simply won't fly to the US - a gross invasion of privacy for every foreign national in what claims to be a free country.

Having said that, the worst airports list would be:
FRA - building site, mess, confusing, stressful
IAD - depressing, dirty, disorganised
OAK - building site, very poor transport options
JFK, EWR, ORD - I always seem to get heavily delayed
CDG - everything possible wrong with it!

Best
SFO - Lovely spacious design (particularly G), great views on approach
INN - Beautiful, quick to transit
LCY - So efficient
MUC - Very efficient and light-filled
DEN - similar to MUC
HHI - because I like small uncrowded airports
LWK - because I particularly like tiny airports!