Easiest big-city airport to navigate

I'll bet I've flown into every major airport within the last year or two...

The best is Detroit if you're on Northwest... I agree with the above comments about Houston being very good as well... I've had pretty good luck flying into Reagan Airport in DC as well... I've also found Newark, Philly and Boston to be pretty efficient. LaGuardia isn't bad either. Midway is a dump, but it's efficient and that's all I care about... San Francisco has gotten better. I actually really like the Tampa airport as well.

The worst: OHare is the worst by far, with Hartsfield being a distant second. At least Hartsfield has a decent train system, but for a city with decent weather (usually) they have more delays than anywhere other than Chicago. Miami is pretty bad as well. I try to fly into Lauderdale whenever possible. Orlando is horrendous because of all the Disney travel.

 

In my international experience, all the signs have pictures on them. I just followed the little airplane sign from downtown Osaka, Roma, Moscow all the way to the airport and through ticketing, customs, etc. No problems at all.

 

I admit I am partial to all things Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh International really is very well put together. Easy to navigate. Plenty of options for food. Parking isn't a problem.

One warning. If you can carry your bags on, do it. Baggage claim takes far too long there.

Charlotte's not bad, though you can end up with some long walks if you are connecting there.

It's not really a big connector, but Newark is a dump. It's easier to get to than the other airports in the New York area, but they are all pains in the ass.

Atlanta is too big and a bit confusing the first time you go there.

Worst airport I've been to was Montego Bay. You couldn't pay me enough to travel down there again.

 

Charles DeGaulle in Paris is horrendous. Hate O'Hare and Atlanta, although Atlanta at least has a decent train system. Indianapolis also needs to be burned to a crisp.

I like the new Detroit airport, Orlando is nice but out of the way, Miami was a disappointment.

Also co-sign with Tampa. I was impressed by the airport's location and the ease in which I was able to get around. I'm surprised more people don't fly it.

 

O'Hare desperately needs to be demolished.

Detroit kicks ass.

 

Denver, Houston Hobby and Detroit get my votes for user-friendly. To get outta town, I avoid Logan at all costs and instead opt for Manchester (NH) or Portland (ME).

Hartsfield is Third World frightening. Each time I've flown through Atlanta, it has been crowded and dirty.

 

Pittsburgh is bad for baggage only if you checked it on USAir. All others are there by time you reach baggage claim.

 

Well, you're getting your wish (and mine) -- Indianapolis IS getting burned to a crisp:
http://www.newindianapolisairport.com/

The problem with that airport is that it's like Cleveland or Midway -- a puddle-jumper airport that has tried to shoehorn stuff in to handle more traffic.

I will add to the Tampa love. I've never had a bad experience there, except for the guy at security a few months ago who called his superiors to get a ruling on bringing children's yogurt onto the plane (that was a nay). The amazing thing is, it never seems crowded, even though lots of people use it. Although now with the no-smoking rule, there's not the entertainment of the Smokers' Zoo (the windowed rooms smokers were confined to).

DFW is fairly easy, too. The hardest part is what seems like a 20-mile drive to the terminal from the south entrance.

Of the NYC-area airports, I've always preferred Newark.

 

If you're flying internationally from the States the new international terminal at DFW is where you want to start and end your trip. Plenty of good restaurants and shops, customs and immigration halls are huge and seem to flow pretty well.

Never, under any circumstances, book an international flight that returns to the US via Dulles. It's a fucking dump coming and going but the customs and immigration area is an embarassment to America. If I was visiting from a foreign country and my first experience with the US was clearing customs at Dulles I'd beg the Immigration guy to deport me on the spot. For a major international gateway into this country it's a disgrace.

I'm a big fan of any US airport with free wireless. I've encountered few that offer it though. Columbia, SC has it along with comfy rocking chairs to while away the hours until your commuter jet shows up.

Not a big fan of Miami either. Absolute shithole that is always crowded and not easy to navigate. Every time I've flown through there and had to change terminals I've had to re-clear security. I can't think of any other US airport where I've had to do that for a domestic flight.

Signage sucks, people suck, layout sucks. You have to stand outside and flag down the hotel and rental car shuttles as they drive by. There are no designated shuttle stops at the Miami airport and they aren't allowed to stop unless they're picking up or dropping off.

Everybody who works there speaks at least three languages but none of them speak English. That doesn't bother me when I'm out of the country but last time I checked Miami was still in the United States. Learn the fucking language. I'd rather fly through Mexico City than Miami.

One of my flights out of Miami was actually delayed due to a car accident. I'm not making that up. Our plane got blocked in at our gate because a crew bus ran into a maintenance truck RIGHT BEHIND THE PLANE. We sat there for almost an hour while they tried to cut the guy out of the maintenance truck.

Internationally, the two best airports I've seen are Zurich and Munich. Both offer plenty to do if you have a long layover and both have train stations right in the airport, though Zurich's is a haul from where you check in for US flights.

 

Tom Nevers Field in Nantucket. It's the size of a living room and some truly zany characters work there. Try the lunch counter.

 

I see. I've never been there on another airline. I know it's not as much as it used to be, but aren't most of the flights there USAir, especially the connections?