Best and worst airports
Apr 12, 2011, 9:04 am
#106
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SFO, BDL
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat, CX GR, Hilton Diamond, Global Entry
Posts: 963
Good:
BDL-great staff. I am on a first name basis with a majority of the UA staff.
SFO
CRQ
IND
PHL
BAD:
LAX
IAD (except when I have time to go over to the B concourse)
ORD (connect times are too long for me)
PHX
BDL-great staff. I am on a first name basis with a majority of the UA staff.
SFO
CRQ
IND
PHL
BAD:
LAX
IAD (except when I have time to go over to the B concourse)
ORD (connect times are too long for me)
PHX
Apr 12, 2011, 10:45 am
#107
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
I realize that perhaps I am a touched biased, but CLT is just a nice airport. It is designed well, is spacious and has fairly friendly folks. I'm also partial to HNL, but that is probably more about "location".
Safe Travels
Safe Travels
Apr 12, 2011, 3:17 pm
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,619
Out of all of the airports that I use, MCI is definitely the best.
Staff:
The best UA employees I have ever encountered. Always willing to help pax, and really go the extra mile for elite pax. Station manager is constantly in the gate area, assisting the GAs and pax. I have had many conversations with the station manager, and he is a great person to know. Very friendly, and a good ambassador for UA ^ I am always addressed by name, even before I give them my 1K card or ID. I know all of the staff, and they all know me, very well. At least they don't think I am crazy for doing some of these MRs.
Layout:
I usually get to MCI about twenty minutes before boarding begins. Only thirty feet from 1K line to security, which is fairly easy to deal with. Gate area could use some rehabilitation, but alright. Prices for food/drink are way too much
MCI:
Depending on traffic, I can get from the plane to Lawrence in less than 55 minutes. Very easy to get to.
Staff:
The best UA employees I have ever encountered. Always willing to help pax, and really go the extra mile for elite pax. Station manager is constantly in the gate area, assisting the GAs and pax. I have had many conversations with the station manager, and he is a great person to know. Very friendly, and a good ambassador for UA ^ I am always addressed by name, even before I give them my 1K card or ID. I know all of the staff, and they all know me, very well. At least they don't think I am crazy for doing some of these MRs.
Layout:
I usually get to MCI about twenty minutes before boarding begins. Only thirty feet from 1K line to security, which is fairly easy to deal with. Gate area could use some rehabilitation, but alright. Prices for food/drink are way too much
MCI:
Depending on traffic, I can get from the plane to Lawrence in less than 55 minutes. Very easy to get to.
Apr 12, 2011, 3:43 pm
#109
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Toronto YYZ UA-1K 1MM,QFgold
Programs: Royal Ambassador/ SPG Platinum 75/Marriott gold
Posts: 14,283
For a UA airport without a doubt YYZ [ Toronto ] is number 1.
The worst airports for sure are LGA/EWR/JFK.
The worst airports for sure are LGA/EWR/JFK.
Apr 12, 2011, 3:51 pm
#110
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SNA/LAX... somewhere sunny and warm, but crowded.
Programs: AA/UA/UR/MRP/IHG Plat
Posts: 916
Apr 13, 2011, 2:10 pm
#111
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Carmel Valley(was Hawaii)
Programs: United 1K 2.7 MM
Posts: 1,174
SFO
We like SFO: even long lines in the security lanes for Elites go pretty fast.
No-one has mentioned the fabulous art exhibitions they have in the SFO United and International terminals. The first one, years ago, was carousel animals..recently there was a GREAT asian ceramics show, and right now its "recycle art"..kind of goofy, but we like the barbed wire buffalo.
They are worth a journey; never seen anything comparable in any other terminal.
No-one has mentioned the fabulous art exhibitions they have in the SFO United and International terminals. The first one, years ago, was carousel animals..recently there was a GREAT asian ceramics show, and right now its "recycle art"..kind of goofy, but we like the barbed wire buffalo.
They are worth a journey; never seen anything comparable in any other terminal.
Apr 13, 2011, 2:33 pm
#112
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS 1MM
Posts: 693
Went through BOS yesterday and parked at C18. What a dump of a terminal (did not see the rest of the airport as I was going straight home.) Perhaps my vision was skewed by my recent visit to ICN but they really need to spruce that thing up.
Apr 13, 2011, 2:39 pm
#113
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: UA GS, F9 Summit, Marriott Gold, HH Gold, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 333
Apr 14, 2011, 9:08 pm
#114
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: Oneworld
Posts: 93
Terminal E at IAH
New and clean and lovely and modern and soooo much beautiful natural light. Any airport with a Pappadeaux's in it already has my vote. My only complaint is that it doesn't have its own baggage claim.
Worst Airport hands down is LIS...it's like a bad dream to navigate. I had to make my way behind what felt like a crack in the wall behind a coffee shop to get to my plane.
Worst Airport hands down is LIS...it's like a bad dream to navigate. I had to make my way behind what felt like a crack in the wall behind a coffee shop to get to my plane.
Jul 24, 2011, 1:00 pm
#116
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Silver, HH Gold
Posts: 41
Big fan of DEN and glad that its my home airport...I do get that it can make for long walks for connections, but I always start/finish here so I don't have to deal w/ that.
Also like SFO and NRT...
Not a fan of LAX, BOS or IAD...especially bothered that IAD's changes are not making big positive impacts as would be expected based on the cost.
I'm hoping that finalized UA/CO will allow IAH to be a better place, but I have had some horrific experiences there and the layout of the airport is a mess.
As others have said, some of the smaller airports can offer an easy pleasant experience, but it seems to be hit and miss even with the nicer ones.
Also like SFO and NRT...
Not a fan of LAX, BOS or IAD...especially bothered that IAD's changes are not making big positive impacts as would be expected based on the cost.
I'm hoping that finalized UA/CO will allow IAH to be a better place, but I have had some horrific experiences there and the layout of the airport is a mess.
As others have said, some of the smaller airports can offer an easy pleasant experience, but it seems to be hit and miss even with the nicer ones.
Jul 26, 2011, 2:34 pm
#117
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: 5280 feet
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 674
When it first opened in 1998, OSL was really nice. Open, airy, modern look. Maybe it was just a contrast to the shuttered former airport at Fornebu, which was patchworked together, crowded (albeit right next to the city and with great on-site spotting opportunities).
Flying into and out of OSL earlier this month, I realized I have become less and less enamored with it. It is a godawful haul to get there from the city or any points west of the city, unless you splurge for the airport train which is brutally expensive ($40 a person; but of course a cab fare would be mortgage-worthy). Baggage takes forever, longer than DEN (and I thought that wasn't possible). It is a long, crowded walk from most gates to baggage/customs. The duty-free store in baggage claim is an interesting innovation but it is jam packed, with tight ailes and long lines (of course, given how long it takes to get your bags, it's not like you will be short of time....)
They force you through their main duty-free store once you pass through security, which is crowded and noisy. Boarding is confusing, with most gates having an overly large service desk blocking the gates and two entrances, one on each side of the service desk. Gates are usually understaffed.
There is talk of expansion, but I'll believe that when I see it.
Flying into and out of OSL earlier this month, I realized I have become less and less enamored with it. It is a godawful haul to get there from the city or any points west of the city, unless you splurge for the airport train which is brutally expensive ($40 a person; but of course a cab fare would be mortgage-worthy). Baggage takes forever, longer than DEN (and I thought that wasn't possible). It is a long, crowded walk from most gates to baggage/customs. The duty-free store in baggage claim is an interesting innovation but it is jam packed, with tight ailes and long lines (of course, given how long it takes to get your bags, it's not like you will be short of time....)
They force you through their main duty-free store once you pass through security, which is crowded and noisy. Boarding is confusing, with most gates having an overly large service desk blocking the gates and two entrances, one on each side of the service desk. Gates are usually understaffed.
There is talk of expansion, but I'll believe that when I see it.
Dec 3, 2011, 8:21 am
#119
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: MSP, PSP
Programs: UA 1P, Rapid Rewards, SkyMiles
Posts: 1,079
Can't agree more...
No-one has mentioned the fabulous art exhibitions they have in the SFO United and International terminals. The first one, years ago, was carousel animals..recently there was a GREAT asian ceramics show, and right now its "recycle art"..kind of goofy, but we like the barbed wire buffalo.
They are worth a journey; never seen anything comparable in any other terminal.
They are worth a journey; never seen anything comparable in any other terminal.
Dec 3, 2011, 9:40 am
#120
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,490
