The Worst Airports for International Connections – Conde Nast Daily Traveler
This is really a look at the worst US airports when making an international connection. I’m sure everyone has their own, but these three are my least favorite.
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That’s the problem with old airports, unless you build a completely new one, connecting from one place to the other will never be easy. Old airports just kept growing and adding new buildings adding only space, not an ease of use.
I think Newark deserves an honorable mention here. In fact, I might place it ahead of JFK. With the United hub split between Terminals A and C, getting to an Express flight after coming in on a mainline flight from anywhere (international included) is a recipe for disaster. Your choices include the Airtrain, which involves going through security again, or a shuttle bus behind security that makes walking seem like a faster option. There’s a similar dilemma at PHL with the F gates from what I’ve heard. Not to mention that both airports are delay-prone to begin with.
Come to think of it, this could really be a great “Top 5”: JFK, ORD, LAX, PHL, and EWR.
In PHL connecting to a regional flight isn’t that bad. There is an express bus from A to F that runs constantly. Used it many times with no problems. The Immigration area is big and spacious. Most time it’s quick to get through there and customs and so long as connecting on US Airways it is a snap. You should not comment on what you haven’t experienced. EWR is much worse, although LAX seems to be a third world airport to connect from an international flight.
I’ll second PHL as not being too bad. Connecting from the F-gates to a regional isn’t bad at all (what, 10 minute wait, tops, for the bus?), and I haven’t had issues with international connections there.
So the 3 worst airports for international connections are in the 3 largest metro areas, and are also the ones served by the most foreign airlines and likely have the most international flights. Coincidence?
(I mean, I’ve never heard of anyone missing an international connection at LGB.)
Yeah, EWR isn’t great.
Looking outside the US: I started avoiding CDG after some long, aimless bus rides all around the airport. I suspect the bus driver actually got lost, on one of the trips from plane to terminal. Almost missed a connection because of that.
I can’t say a bad thing about O’Hare. Sure, you have to change terminals, but with that little train thing this is less of a nuisance than the endless walks in other airports. In fact, my quickest international-to-domestic transfer in the US was in O’Hare: seat belt sign off to domestic gate in a bit over half an hour. Granted, that was without checked luggage on a Saturday, but still.
Top of my list of Airports to Avoid when Flying into the US: Dulles. The contraption they use to bus people from the arrival gate to the immigration area makes it impossible to employ the Quick Walk to pass all the thankfully clueless tourists. Had to wait two hours there last time which probably wouldn’t have been much shorter if there hadn’t been a government shutdown.