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I, too, have noticed the decline in airports. Both status and comfort are severely lacking from even the 1980s when, as a child, my family and I spent many a fl

I, too, have noticed the decline in airports. Both status and comfort are severely lacking from even the 1980s when, as a child, my family and I spent many a flight delay waiting for my father to return from a business trip. But something the article fails to mention: this seems to be a uniquely American phenomenon. The airports I've interacted with elsewhere in the world have been head-and-shoulders above anything in the US.

GlennS 9y ago
Personally, Kona Airport in Hawaii is by far the nicest airport I've been to. In general I agree with you though.
- beamatronic 9y ago
  Agree 100% about Kona. Very casual feel. Be sure to check out the Onizuka Space Museum if you have kids.
- glandium 9y ago
  Kona airport feels doesn't feel like an airport at all. That's why it's nice. But there aren't a lot of international flights getting there, which helps.
Fnoord 9y ago
> The airports I've interacted with elsewhere in the world have been head-and-shoulders above anything in the US. Which ones have that been, and when? The most hilarious things are the lithium ion conundrum. 1) People being required to hand over their mobile electronic devices, to have Customs logging in and 2) the thing where they were illegal to be carried in hand bagage forcing them to non-hand bagage where its arguably less safe. The other funny hysteria (for a non-NT) I remember is the liquid/water hysteria. But that one was active in EU as well! I feel like EU isn't that far behind US in these matters. However, I'm unsure if the VWP for US people coming to EU also asks whether the person was an enemy combatant in WWII. The questionnaires on the VWP are... peculiar, to say the least.
- sithadmin 9y ago
  >Which ones have that been, and when? Just in the past year alone for me: TPE, BKK, NRT, HND, FRA, CTS. All have much better layouts, more clever controls of in-terminal foot traffic, and better amenities than most US airports. The international airports that were closest to US airports in terms of quality were DUB, WAW and ITM.
- dawhizkid 9y ago
  I actually find SFO to be a really nice airport, especially Terminal 2. It's compact, which makes it easy to navigate, yet as a major hub has direct flights to a lot of domestic/Asian/European destinations. It's also relatively easy to get to from SF (~20m), which is a major plus for me. One of the worst things about living in NYC is getting to JFK, which can take 90m+ by train or 60m+ w/ traffic by taxi. Even w/o traffic it's very expensive to take an Uber/taxi to/from JFK into Manhattan (at least ~$55-$70 one way). Especially painful after just coming back from a trip to Austin, where you can take a clean public bus from the airport to downtown for $1.25 each way arriving in about 20 minutes!
- jballanc 9y ago
  > Which ones have that been, and when? Personally, I find Zurich and Munich do a great job of isolating the slog of security from the rest of the airport experience. Yes, you still have to deal with much of the same security theater as in US airports, but once you're past that you can relax in a nicely apportioned environment. As for overall feel, though, I like Turkish airports the best. Unlike the US and EU, the security there is more than theater. They actually scan your bags before you enter the terminal (and, you know, stand in crowded queues with everyone else and their bags). Ataturk's domestic terminal is something straight out of the 80s, and its age shows, but somehow it's still more relaxed and better laid out than most US airports. The Ataturk international airport, on the other hand, and especially the Star Alliance lounge, is a stunning environment.

GlennS 9y ago

Personally, Kona Airport in Hawaii is by far the nicest airport I've been to. In general I agree with you though.

beamatronic 9y ago
Agree 100% about Kona. Very casual feel. Be sure to check out the Onizuka Space Museum if you have kids.
glandium 9y ago
Kona airport feels doesn't feel like an airport at all. That's why it's nice. But there aren't a lot of international flights getting there, which helps.

Fnoord 9y ago

> The airports I've interacted with elsewhere in the world have been head-and-shoulders above anything in the US. Which ones have that been, and when? The most hilarious things are the lithium ion conundrum. 1) People being required to hand over their mobile electronic devices, to have Customs logging in and 2) the thing where they were illegal to be carried in hand bagage forcing them to non-hand bagage where its arguably less safe. The other funny hysteria (for a non-NT) I remember is the liquid/water hysteria. But that one was active in EU as well! I feel like EU isn't that far behind US in these matters. However, I'm unsure if the VWP for US people coming to EU also asks whether the person was an enemy combatant in WWII. The questionnaires on the VWP are... peculiar, to say the least.

sithadmin 9y ago
>Which ones have that been, and when? Just in the past year alone for me: TPE, BKK, NRT, HND, FRA, CTS. All have much better layouts, more clever controls of in-terminal foot traffic, and better amenities than most US airports. The international airports that were closest to US airports in terms of quality were DUB, WAW and ITM.
dawhizkid 9y ago
I actually find SFO to be a really nice airport, especially Terminal 2. It's compact, which makes it easy to navigate, yet as a major hub has direct flights to a lot of domestic/Asian/European destinations. It's also relatively easy to get to from SF (~20m), which is a major plus for me. One of the worst things about living in NYC is getting to JFK, which can take 90m+ by train or 60m+ w/ traffic by taxi. Even w/o traffic it's very expensive to take an Uber/taxi to/from JFK into Manhattan (at least ~$55-$70 one way). Especially painful after just coming back from a trip to Austin, where you can take a clean public bus from the airport to downtown for $1.25 each way arriving in about 20 minutes!
jballanc 9y ago
> Which ones have that been, and when? Personally, I find Zurich and Munich do a great job of isolating the slog of security from the rest of the airport experience. Yes, you still have to deal with much of the same security theater as in US airports, but once you're past that you can relax in a nicely apportioned environment. As for overall feel, though, I like Turkish airports the best. Unlike the US and EU, the security there is more than theater. They actually scan your bags before you enter the terminal (and, you know, stand in crowded queues with everyone else and their bags). Ataturk's domestic terminal is something straight out of the 80s, and its age shows, but somehow it's still more relaxed and better laid out than most US airports. The Ataturk international airport, on the other hand, and especially the Star Alliance lounge, is a stunning environment.