New York – JFK, LaGuardia, Newark Ranked Worst Airports by Travel & Leisure Magazine

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    New York – In the latest America’s Favorite Cities survey, where Travel + Leisure readers rated 30 U.S. cities airports on a variety of fronts, including food, shopping, on-time performance, and the efficiency (or potential surliness) of airport employees.

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    The best airports in the U.S. share a few things in common: plenty of dining options and “entertainment,” which could mean live music, kids’ play areas, spas, or—increasingly important—free wireless Internet access. Strikingly, airports that made up that lower half of the AFC airport survey tend to still charge up to $10 for you to check your email or change your Facebook status. The free wireless is one reason Oregon pharmacist Chris Carter loves Portland International Airport (No. 4), along with small niceties. “It’s easy to get in and out of,” he says, “and we love the parking garage with lights in the ceiling, showing you where open spots are.”

    America’s Worst Airports

    #1 New York The Big Apple has long made a tradition of outdoing its fellow American cities, and its area airports—JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark—indeed stand out, at least in terms of being miserable. Food, entertainment, on-time performance, and staff efficiency all occupy the last-place ranks in the AFC survey. The highest the NYC airports rank for anything is 28th—for airline clubs, which perhaps just serve as a comfortable place to hide until your flight finally boards.

    #2 Los Angeles Like many things in the L.A. area, it’s all about traffic: transportation to and from the L.A. airports—from Long Beach and Burbank to the granddaddy hub, LAX—ranks a lowly No. 30 in the AFC survey. AFC readers are so over the Jetsons-style façade of LAX (No. 29 for design and functionality), and the airports’ staff rank next-to-last, too. But perhaps that’s no surprise in a city that also ranks 29th for its friendly locals—just the types to cut you off on the freeway.

    #3 St. Louis Maybe folks just miss TWA: its old home, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, is dreary to AFC readers on a number of fronts. It ranks last for its airline clubs—you’ll find only one American Admirals Club—and its food and shopping rank 28th and 29th, respectively. Plus, you’ll pay $8 for WiFi.

    #4 Washington, D.C. In the No. 1 AFC city for historical sites and monuments, the airports—Dulles and Reagan National—score poorly in a monumental way. They rank No. 29 in entertainment, perhaps due to the fact that WiFi is still limited and comes with fees. Shopping, meanwhile, ranks 27th—picking up a “Hail to the Chef!” apron or browsing the Smithsonian Museum Store notwithstanding.

    #5 Boston Logan Airport sure does try to please travelers, with its kids’ play areas, rocking chairs, free WiFi, and even an on-site spa—but AFC voters aren’t noticing, ranking it 22nd for entertainment. Maybe they just can’t find the good stuff: Logan lands near the bottom (No. 28) for design and functionality, which includes layout and good signage, and ranks No. 25 for transportation both inside and outside the airport. Things improve once you get out of Logan’s reach, though: the city of Boston ranks fifth for its mass transit and for being pedestrian-friendly.

    #1 Houston You don’t have to be an oil baron to get the most out of Houston’s top-ranked airports—but it helps. The Texas city tops the charts for its VIP-friendly airline lounges, found mostly at George Bush Intercontinental (IAH). For everyone else, both IAH and Houston Hobby came in at No. 2 in the AFC survey for their food and drink (don’t miss the Tex-Mex or Cajun fare at local chains Pappasito’s and Pappadeaux) and second for entertainment—which may reflect that free WiFi. Best of all, Houston’s airports get the job done: they come in third place for on-time performance and second for their competent and down-home-friendly staff.

    #2 Orlando How can anyone get a case of airport angst so close to the Happiest Place on Earth? Orlando International Airport places first in the survey for airport entertainment—perhaps thanks to the pleasant atrium hangout in the main terminal. Or, it could be that window-shopping counts as entertainment. The airport’s retail (No. 2) offers a microcosm of the city’s most famous gift shops: SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, and—but of course—a store called Disney’s EarPort.

    #3 Minneapolis/St. Paul In the city deemed most intelligent by AFC readers, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport wisely appeals to travelers’ basic needs of consumption: it ranked first for both food (such as local steakhouse Ike’s) and shopping (it has its own so-called Mall, which is a stone’s throw from Mall of America). The airport also offers thoughtful entertainment (No. 3): two large play areas for kids, a 1.4-mile indoor walking trail, and a designated “quiet” seating area for meditation and relaxation. The only downside: there’s a slight chance you might end up getting to your destination late (AFC voters ranked it No. 8 in on-time performance).

    #4 Portland, OR Portland International Airport (PDX) tops the AFC survey for its transportation options—plenty of people movers between concourses, and an easy hop onto the city’s light-rail system, which goes downtown. You can also do some good shopping (No. 6), without the usual fears of airport inflation. PDX promises no sales tax and “fair retail pricing”—with an emphasis on local brands such as Nike and Powell’s Books.

    #5 Providence You won’t lose your bags or your sense of direction in Rhode Island, because Green Airport is the picture of competence: it ranks first in on-time performance, first for staff efficiency, and second for its functional design, which includes good signage. You’ll likely have enough time to sit down and enjoy the offerings at the on-site oyster bar (the airport’s food ranks No. 6).


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    11 Comments
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    Yep
    Yep
    13 years ago

    Couldn’t agree more! NYC is supposed to be “the gateway to the world” or whatever and those “airports” are horrible! The only pro in JFK Is the Shul near the Elal check -in.

    charliehall
    charliehall
    13 years ago

    I actually like La Guardia’s terminal, nice and small. You wait a long time to take off and land, though.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I think the security and check in are quite efficeint at jfk and lga and I enjoy finishing the whole process in under half an hour every time….

    13 years ago

    All the years that I lformerly ived in NYC, I could never understand the “change” mentality. For instance, if a purchase is 35 cents, and you give the clerk $1.00, they don’t like making change. In fact, they will usually rudely state “GOT ANY CHANGE FOR ME”. I remember one time at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, a clerk rudely told someone (who purchased a newspaper), “this isn’t a bank”. Someone told me the exact same thing, when I made a purchase at a bakery, and I didn’t have the exact change he wanted. Once, at LaGuardia, a clerk gave it to a customer for not having change. Then, before I could even make a purchase, she assumed that I didn’t have any change, so she gave it to me, also. Out of town, if the purchase is 70 cents, and you give the clerk a $20.00 bill, they will gladly give you $19.30 change, without uttering a peep. Go figure!