View Full Version : Which US Airport would you bypass if possible?
Nostromo
31-10-2004, 00:38
Many US airports are busy and the situation has got worse with the new rules. But we have the choice of an alternative airport in some cases, (eg Newark for JFK or Sanford for MCO) to reach our destination. So, which of these busy airports would you avoid if at all possible?
I would avoid Atlanta. Last Christmas it was dreadfully slow and although we had left nearly 2 hours between connecting flights we only just made our connection.
Nostromo
31-10-2004, 02:36
I agree that Atlanta is chaotic, but with me Detroit takes the cake for being the most inefficient US airport.
bellaepovera
31-10-2004, 12:57
Detroit is the worse airport I have ever been in..Ugly and so unorganized. They have started directing alot of international flights there which in my mind is so much out of the way if you are going to Florida that I dont even bother with that route even if the flights are cheaper. Orlando to me is the best as when you get off the plane you feel like you are really going on vacation and you have arrived!!
Nostromo
31-10-2004, 16:25
I think Denver is the best airport in the US, but if you consider the whole world, Singapore wins hands and legs down. Brilliant design, full of amenities and one almost feels sorry to catch the flight!
Washington , a real pain the last time i used it.
Nostromo
02-11-2004, 10:44
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Newark!
[/quote]
I am curious Blott, why Newark? I know it is not a great airport, but I thought that it was all right. People sometimes use it as an alternative to busy JFK and after my wife's recent experience, we were thinking of doing the same for our future visits to the Big Apple.
The last time we went via Newark the place was a nightmare! Huge queues/lines at Immigration, scaffolding and building everywhere, detours, no directions, hardly anywhere open to get food, etc, etc. It was so awful that we've never been that route again!
We like Atlanta (love the train!), Philadelphia is OK (if you like long lines and a long walk!), not wildly impressed with Chicago (a bit Newark-y!) although we are doing this route again in December and we are doing Manchester Dublin Orlando next spring.
LA is OK and so is San Francisco.
E. Cosgrove
02-11-2004, 23:02
Denver is a lovely airport Nostromo, but don't you think that from the distance the roof has the same appearance as Swindon's market hall and some of those tenty things outside Debenhams. [msnwink]
I haven't passed through all the airports you mention but I think LA is the pits { a bit like LA itself actually!!)
Magical Dreams
02-11-2004, 23:20
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Jill
I would avoid Atlanta. Last Christmas it was dreadfully slow and although we had left nearly 2 hours between connecting flights we only just made our connection.
[/quote]
Only used it once!!
And I agree, it is slow! Even though the flight was held for us, it was not a good experience!!
Lucky we had gone alone if the kids had been there it would have been nightmareish!!
[V]
Ray&Sarah
02-11-2004, 23:29
After last weeks experiences of long queues at immigration and building work going on, I would vote not to use Miami again.[msnsad]
heathercobbett
02-11-2004, 23:44
I would have said Atlanta,but the last 2 times we went through they had improved vastly.
They had a multilingual guy checking your forms in the queue and anyone causing difficulties were sent to a separate area so it didnt hold up the whole queue.
However,we now dont travel peak.
Oh Ray and Sarah, sorry you didn't have a good experience at Miami - did you pass throught the interactive walkway, with the myriad of colours, and the sounds of the Everglades? It's always fascinated us. Think the new immigration rules are clogging up all the airports, but it should ease up once more people have been through the system.
One of the things we always like to do is to go to the hotel which is inside the airport - not so beautiful as the one at MCO, but it has an interesting roof garden with a swimming pool, and a fantastic view of the airport, and Miami city.
My pet hate is Heathrow or Gatwick on the return journey, dirty, scruffy, smelly places, with litter everywhere - we always feel embarassed when we return from the US, and particularly Orlando International, that foreign visitors get their first glimpse of our country via these airports. [msnsad]
Ray&Sarah
03-11-2004, 02:27
Totally agree with you Ellie, our airports are a disappointment and the toilets are a disgrace.
Nostromo
04-11-2004, 18:19
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by E. Cosgrove
Denver is a lovely airport Nostromo, but don't you think that from the distance the roof has the same appearance as Swindon's market hall and some of those tenty things outside Debenhams. [msnwink]
I haven't passed through all the airports you mention but I think LA is the pits { a bit like LA itself actually!!)
[/quote]
Funny you should mention the comparison between Denver Airport & Swindon Market. I saw the then new Denver Airport back in 1991 when it was a revolutinary design and was told that it was based on a Native American Wigwam or something. When we came to settle near Swindon over 5 years later, I did think that the market reminded me of Denver Airport.
I agree that evrything to do with LA is the pits. It is the worst city in the US, followed closely by Detroit.
Wandsworth Wizard
07-11-2004, 01:59
I agree Gatwick is bad. I returned last week, chaos at the baggage reclaim. The toilets smelt and were dirty. MCO is so different.
Nostromo
08-11-2004, 15:36
I am glad that so far no one has voted against Philadelphia. I may be forced to use it in May cos the connection time at Charlotte on the way in is too short.[V][V]
Cruella DeVilla
12-11-2004, 16:04
Sandford.
jolliffee
13-11-2004, 15:55
I think Washington is the worst soo slow.
Boston is way to crowded and takes to long to get thru all the scurity. Just to many people
blue nose
22-01-2005, 23:24
manchester terminal one is dreadful.Sanford is a great little airport in my oppinion,well organised well planned and great car pick-up areas. blue nose.
ORLANDO_MAGIC
22-01-2005, 23:54
In the Uk it has to be Manchester,and in the USA its Salt Lake City for me personally because i only had 1 hour between flights and was still in the air within 15 minutes of my next flight departing because there was only one runway open due to the snow.
No,i did not choose SLC as a connecting airport but was assigned it by the nice folk at Delta,long after my tickets were booked and payed for,and was stuck with it.
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005122195210_slc.jpg
it has to be charles de gaulle (hope its spelt right !) what a knightmare of a place.confusing [msnscared] not clean [xx(]un-organised chaos not my favorite place in the world !
For me its Newark its awful!
In the UK I avoid Gatwick at all costs - South Terminal is worse than North!