Worst airport in the USA

Sirs, Madames,

Late coming to the thread.

Glad someone gave a thumbs-up to Albuquerque, a neat little airport with food not out of the cookie-cutter.

I flew into St Pete rather than Tampa for the Poynter deal -- the airport is virtually shut down, only a few charters and a Canadian airline were using it, like a ghost town. The snack bar was not even greasy spoon. Not bad, per se, just a little spooky. About 5 percent of the place was in use, lots of boarded-up retail and restaurant locations. One cab.

As bad as some of the US airports, try a 9-hour stopover in Frankfurt or Heathrow -- they could get the Taliban to talk after about four hours.

YHS, etc

 

That's the problem with the idea from the consumer's POV. The prepay price is typically no bargain vis a vis the local market, and you have to glide into the return area on fumes in order to gain full benefits. I'll fill to the brim 12-15 miles away, and thing'll show full when I check back in. Happy new year.

 

I agree with all this. Atlanta is a zoo, but you can handle it if you're organized. Charlotte is a much nicer experience.

Miami is awful. Tells you a lot about the city. Jerks all around, and it's a blessing if you find people who speak fluent English.

Why does Spanish come first in places like Miami?

I fly in and out at Fort Lauderdale. Good airport, and not that big. Easy to use.

Birmingham is just great. Smaller than you might expect, so everything is fast. From gate to your rental car is less than 30 minutes, sometimes less than 10. And that bar does make a nice strong drink.

 

I almost always do that, unless I'm familiar with the area around the airport and know where there's a gas station near the rental lot. I'm usually pretty good about bringing the cars in on fumes (low fuel light=50 miles before empty) but even so, it's much easier than trying to find a gas station. I remember having to drive about 5 miles out of my way once to find a gas station so I could turn in a car at TPA.

 

I'll back most of it, but sometimes -- when three different flights hit the ground at the same time -- getting the luggage can take a half hour or so...long when you consider the number of gates

 

Memphis is a pit. Replaced DTW as the nation's worst. Food makes up for it, but only so much...

 

I'd say you could leave and tour the city, but at least in Heathrow's case, it might take you 9 hours to get back through the multi-layered security. I've not been there, and I won't ever if I can help it. Notice how every airport has had at least one person defend it? No one, NO ONE, defends Heathrow.