Tuesday Fav/Wed Worsts..... Airports

[Nalt]

I have to travel a lot, so have been through a number of airports and there's more I dislike than like.

My favorite large airport is Tampa: great layout, plenty of space, and pretty easy to get on/off. SLC is another well-designed airport hub that's clean and efficient.

Not being a homer, but Jax has a great airport for its size: you can almost always be through TSA in 15 minutes since they do a great job having enough agents there during busy periods and the various updates have given it a SLC-style feel of being spacious without being overhearing.

Denver is a great large airport, as is Minneapolis and have always thought Philly is a bit underrated too.

Dislikes: Atlanta, Miami, any NYC airport (La Guardia is miles better than what it was post-renovation, but still chitty), Seattle, Boston, New Orleans, Austin, Chicago Midway...and too many others to list, but will leave it there.

Definitely agree that Denver is great. They move people through TSA with assembly-like precision. When you walk up to the TSA security line and it winds back and forth then down the glass wall only to turn left and go back across the building for another 75 yards one tends to think they will never get through in time. They will get you through in maybe 20-30 minutes... It is amazing...

 

[soflagator]

I

Definitely agree that Denver is great. They move people through TSA with assembly-like precision. When you walk up to the TSA security line and it winds back and forth then down the glass wall only to turn left and go back across the building for another 75 yards one tends to think they will never get through in time. They will get you through in maybe 20-30 minutes... It is amazing...

Compared to a place like Kennedy maybe it’s great. And perhaps it was better before as Bernie suggested. But it’s pretty bad now.

 

[MJMGator]

I like Jax. Atlanta sucks for many reasons. The worst was LAX or LaGuardia. Both were just nasty.

 

[Gator by the Sea]

As I’ve gotten older (and as times have changed), I’ve decided that I hate the whole airport/flying hassle and will only do it if absolutely necessary. If I can drive it, I will.

 

[Gator by the Sea]

If I have to fly, I try to get something out of JAX, and avoid MCO like the plague

 

[Gatordiddy]

Definitely agree that Denver is great. They move people through TSA with assembly-like precision. When you walk up to the TSA security line and it winds back and forth then down the glass wall only to turn left and go back across the building for another 75 yards one tends to think they will never get through in time. They will get you through in maybe 20-30 minutes... It is amazing...

I use the Clear/TSA line at Denver - haven’t waited more than 10-15 minutes maximum start to finish.

Clear cut my Dulles wait time to less than five minutes too.

LaGuardia got a reno - looks good now. The problem used to be (still might be to some degree) is the number of flights they were trying to squeeze into an hour was mathematically impossible. I read where they had a lottery for the airlines to participate in which allowed them a reduced schedule of slots to fight over.

Flew out of San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. Not bad for a big airport.

 

[gatorev12]

If I have to fly, I try to get something out of JAX, and avoid MCO like the plague

Most of the time, flying out of Jax ends up being better at the end of the day.

When you figure the $50-70 in gas it takes to get down there; the higher parking costs; and the extra 4 hours of time (minimum) to get down there & deal with longer TSA lines...it's usually cheaper and faster to just fly out of JAX, especially if one can get an hour layover in a different hub (Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, etc.)

 

[secgator]

My least favorite---by far: BWI in Baltimore/DC. Ugly(painted black all over the place, may have changed by now--God I hope so), rude nasty people work there, and the layout sucked out loud. We used to have 3-4 meetings per year with Under Armour during the rocket growth period and unfortunately I had to spend far too much time coming and going through that chithole. Thank God I should never have to go back. Others of note I simply didn't like--Newark was old looking and even ruder people there, Dallas--hated the layout.

Good ones--SF, San Antonio, Houston Bush(lots of connecting through there on Continental so I got used to it and it wasn't so bad after awhile. Pretty spread out though. SLC, and OKC were all ok. OKC was friggin expensive for any flights in or out--not sure why there seemed to be a premium on flights going/coming there but it was higher than any other place I flew into. Airport was fine other than that. Lastly--Nashville was really laid back and easy to get around.

Neutral--ATL only because I routed through there a lot and familiarity made it ok. Since I traveled Atlanta as part of my regular territory, I normally was driving up there and knew the area like the back of my hand so driving wasn't a bother for me--however when staying up there on a quickie overnight trip, I'd stay away from the airport and take Marta to the airport....it was sweet pulling directly into the terminal and hopping on or off. Made it quick the several times I pulled that trick. LAX was so-so. Looked like it did in the movies 20-30 years earlier but overall it was ok. It helped that Nike had fleets of cars there to pick us up--the wait was only like 10 mins after getting your bags. Very efficient, but I give Nike the credit moreso than LAX itself. Vegas was just shiny, noisy, and long lines for everything. But it's Vegas so I expected it.

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

Houston Hobby (HOU) sucks for many reasons.

Nashville (BNA) isn't too bad.

 

[CDGator]

For those of you concerned about your carbon footprint, you can book your flight based on emissions. You are scum if you don’t. That’s is all.

 

[Gatordiddy]

For those of you concerned about your carbon footprint, you can book your flight based on emissions. You are scum if you don’t. That’s is all.


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lol... I was just joking with my co-worker that I travel with that we needed to start booking our flights based on this.
I'm hoping the more carbon efficient flights are first class seats.
This way I can accuse management of being climate deniers if they don't approve a $2000 ticket.

 

[secgator]

For those of you concerned about your carbon footprint, you can book your flight based on emissions. You are scum if you don’t. That’s is all.


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Count me as permanently scum.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

For those of you concerned about your carbon footprint, you can book your flight based on emissions. You are scum if you don’t. That’s is all.


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Clearly I'm scum. I'll probably always base my airline flight purchases on where I'm going as opposed to the CO2 emissions.

 

[Nalt]

For those of you concerned about your carbon footprint, you can book your flight based on emissions. You are scum if you don’t. That’s is all.

Since all of my flying is paid for by the gubment I have to fly last-class everywhere. The only emissions that I worry about are those emanating from the fat guy beside me...

 

[secgator]

Clearly I'm scum. I'll probably always base my airline flight purchases on where I'm going as opposed to the CO2 emissions.

Smart move

 

[Altitude Gator]

For those of you concerned about your carbon footprint, you can book your flight based on emissions. You are scum if you don’t. That’s is all.


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I will as soon as John Kerry, Al Gore and Leo Decaprio start doing so!

 

[soflagator]

Count me as permanently scum.

Done.

*edit: oops already had you down.

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

For those of you concerned about your carbon footprint, you can book your flight based on emissions. You are scum if you don’t. That’s is all.


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What? No listings for chemtrails? lol

 

[Treebeard]

Well I didn't see any rules for this thread that put a minimum size on the airport so I am going to plug Gainesville Regional.

50 minute drive up 441 from Ocala. No significant traffic. Simple left turn from 49th. Right up to parking ticket booth. Park. walk at worst 100 yards to baggage check/ticket counter, 60 feet to TSA and bang, you're at the gates. Yes, tickets out of there can be (not always) more pricey than a major airport, and you aren't getting a direct flight much of anywhere, but man it is worth it.

I've landed late night, off plane, got luggage, in car, and home in one hour. No exit ramps, trams, moving walkways - and can see campus from the air!

 

[Altitude Gator]

Well I didn't see any rules for this thread that put a minimum size on the airport so I am going to plug Gainesville Regional. 50 minute drive up 441 from Ocala. No significant traffic. Simple left turn from 49th. Right up to parking ticket booth. Park. walk at worst 100 yards to baggage check/ticket counter, 60 feet to TSA and bang, you're at the gates. Yes, tickets out of there can be (not always) more pricey than a major airport, and you aren't getting a direct flight much of anywhere, but man it is worth it. I've landed late night, off plane, got luggage, in car, and home in one hour. No exit ramps, trams, moving walkways - and can see campus frorm the air!

In that regard, Bozeman's and Boise's airports are both great. Ted Steven's in Anchorage is cool (can be some tricky landings though).

Denver is OK. Will be better once the last four years' of construction ends in the next three or four years.

Sea-Tac blows donkey phallus!