OK, What's the BEST major airport in the world???

[SmileyBoy]

Here's my pick: It has GOT to be the Cincinnati (Northern Kentucky) Int'l airport. The architecture is absolutely beautiful, stunning, and provides a very comfortable environment. I think the architect who designed that terminal won a shitload of awards, too.

Here's also some other nice ones in my opinion:

The mall section and the new addition of Minneapolis/St. Paul's Lindbergh airport terminal is absolutely beautiful, but the ticket counter part of the terminal kinda sucks, mainly because of the outdated architecture.

The new Istanbul Ataturk Airport is absolutely GORGEOUS. I landed and took off from there right when it was brand-new. The nicest Airport in Europe (because it's on the European side of the city), IMO.

I don't know why people diss Chicago O'Hare airport, but I went to the international terminal to pick up my cousin who was flying in from Turkey a few years ago, and it is VERY beautiful. Skylights, great restaurants, etc. It's the PERFECT terminal to pick someone up. I've arrived at the domestic terminal at O'Hare on the way to San Francisco, and it doesn't seem too bad, but the International part is gorgeous.

[La_Serpiente]

1. Honolulu Intl. Airport might not look pretty

but it is pretty efficient. The flow is pretty constant too.

[terrya]

2. Pearson International in Toronto. Very efficient. No hassles. eom

[GOPisEvil]

3. If you're flying on American, D/FW is easy.

I think the little tram between terminals is pretty darned efficient. I've never flown there on another airline, so I can't speak to that, but using American, D/FW is pretty good.

Other airports that are pretty good: Los Angeles and O'Hare (once again, on American O'Hare was a breeze - love the train station right in the airport!)

[ChoralScholar]

13. DFW is not bad

but i think the shameless AA promotion is funny. "Let's take the trAAin...or how about the skywAAlk?" How AAsinine can you get?

It is a good layout though, with the semicircular terminals, and now with the Eagle terminal also.

I remember a time when, if you flew on Eagle, they would bus you to a tarmac with like 800,000 prop planes on it, and your plane was always in the middle. You'd wonder "how are they ever going to get this plane out of here?"

[GOPisEvil]

14. I believe that's the trAAm.

;-)

Yeah, it is over the top, but who cares? It works pretty well. However, if you are going between terminals B&C (I think), NEVER walk! You'll walk for DAYS. Take the trAAm. ;-)

[Zech Marquis]

27. I loved those trams at DFW

a real joy. Now what about Kansai International in Osaka? I haven't been through it--yet--but I heard it's much, much easier than narita (although the terminals have been upgraded at Narita)...

[ChoralScholar]

4. Even though it's really busy

Hartsfield Atlanta has an excellent design, with the parallel terminals, and the train that runs perpendicular down the middle. They could keep adding terminals forever, and the airport would never get complicated (like O'Hare and Houston Bush).
I'm also pretty partial to Ontario, California - also a very nice airport.

[cyclezealot]

5. Singapore

The efficiency there is amazing. But would any knowledgeable person about Singapore expect any different.

[Zero Gravitas]

17. Singapore

Yeah their airport is nice & efficient. Its a pity that Singapore is a "Fascist Disneyland" though.

[DCDemo]

6. 4-way tie

Singapore's Airport is a DREAM
Hong Kong's new airport is awesome and nice, beautiful and very efficient
Tokyo's Narita is also wonderful
Zurich is also quite nice, with a train station downstairs, a shopping mall, etc.

[omshanti]

10. Ditto on Singapore's Changi airport.

It is gorgeous, with tons of live orchid plants everywhere. Beautifully laid out.
Also the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Malaysia, is gorgeous -- gotta plug my home town!

[sfecap]

7. In the world?

Hong Kong, PR China

Changhi, Singapore

Kansai, (Osaka) Japan

Incheon, (Seoul) Korea

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Dubai, UAE

Ataturk, Istanbul

[SmileyBoy]

8. It seems to me that someone who usually doesn't fly...

...has different criteria for judging these airports.

Now I haven't flown for several years now, and I've only recently gone to the Minneapolis or Chicago terminals to pick people up. It seems to me that folks like me judge a terminal on the basis of being comfortable and inviting, having good amenities and good architecture and aesthetics. But folks who fly alot seem to judge it on the basis of efficiency and accessability.

[tsipple]

9. Munich

Also depends on your definition of major, but London City Airport is fantastic.

[Dr.Phool]

11. They were all rated

about 6 months and the top 3 in the world were rated. It was

Singapore
Amsterdam
and our own little Tampa.

I use Tampa pretty often, and when I compare it to mediocrity I had in Cleveland, it's easy to see why. Parking, easy of entrance and exit, getting to the gate, cleanliness, layout. It's great.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

12. Vancouver. I do like Schiphol, but that's just my bizarre taste.

[leftofthedial]

15. well, for my unpopular opinion

Apparently unlike anyone else who comments on it, I really like Denver International Airport.

It is a beautiful place. I have flown, in, out and through there several hundred times now on several different airlines, and have very rarely experienced any hassles or significant delays.

My only real complaint is how far it is from the city, especially for those on the far west and south sides of the city.

Oslo, Norway also has a gorgeous airport.

[mainer]

16. Kuala Lumpur's great. Sorry to say Schipol stinks of cigarettes

A surprise to me: Hanoi's airport (brand new) is spectacular. I flew there back in 1987 when it was just a shed surrounded by rusty tin hangars with aging Russian jets. Went back to Hanoi last year, and their new airport is sleek marble and marvelous.

Honolulu Airport -- nice surroundings, but bad pedestrian traffic flow. A nightmare to get through security during busy hours.


Heathrow: rundown, shabby, a rabbit warren of corridors.

Hmmm. It does seem to me that airports in Asia are surpassing airports in the U.S.

[omshanti]

18. Yay! More props to my hometown

Thanks!

[Zero Gravitas]

19. KCI

I love Kansas City's airport. Three terminals that are close together and are circualr with parking in the center. IF you have bags the baggage carrusels are typicaly about 50ft from the gate. IF you park in the circle parking, your car is no more than 100yds away.

If you're getting picked up, the car can stop literaly 50ft from the gate/baggage claim. It is very efficient as a destination airport!

[beyurslf]

21. KCI is one of my top airports to avoid. JFK is the top spot to avoid.

I like Cinncy. OKC is easy to get aroudn in but drab. I liked San Frans. Had to spend the night in St Louis airport once. It wasn't the best to sleep in but it was a nice airport.

[Zero Gravitas]

24. Why do you avoid KCI?

Its not a hub is it? I've always found it to be very convienient.

[VermontDem2004]

20. The one in Denver

It's nice.

[Tempest]

23. Did they ever get the baggage system working?

The opening of the airport was postponed for almost a year because the baggage system didn't work.

Then when the airport opened, the baggage system was eating and destroying people's luggage.

The system was also delivering luggage to the wrong terminals and sometimes to the correct terminal after the planes had already left.

[VermontDem2004]

26. Oh I don't know

I only been there once, but it was the nicest airport I ever been in.

[HawkerHurricane]

22. It's NOT Lindbergh Field

in Downtown San Diego.

A pilot's nightmare (passing between skyscrapers to land, steep take off to avoid mountain), a traffic nightmare (ONE road in and out), a neighborhood nightmare (landing route takes it over middle class neighborhood near downtown; takeoff route takes it over middling wealthy Pt. Loma), a artistic nightmare (that's one ugly painting of Charles Lindbergh)...

[Padraig18]

25. O'Hare!

Bsuiest airport and does an amazing job of handling the traffic in an efficient and orderly manner. :thumbsup: