Continuing the conversation from @Tron and the guys’ latest Trap Draw pod, wanted to get some refugee input on various airport experiences and share some of mine from 2021.
First off, I fly out of SAN so I’ll piggyback and say it continues to be the favorite home airport of any city I’ve lived in. Easy to get in and out, security lines are rarely long, variety of airlines that service, it’s great. Plus the landing in the city is awesome.
For the most part I fly United and Southwest but the pleasant surprise experience of the year was a trip to SLC on Delta, definitely going to try them again in '22.
Best Airport experience of the year was also a new one for me: Hartford, CT (BDL). My only qualm was the lack of Ubers for pick-up in the greater Hartford area but will not hold that against BDL, the local seafood offerings made up for it. Also an honorable mention to SJC, might be the best Bay Area airport for inter-CA flights, very good for a standard SW operation.
Worst Airport experience of the year: Orlando, FL (MCO). For what advertises as the happiest place on earth, this might be the most miserable. Check-in and security lacked any sort of sense and F&B sucked.
Most unique experience of the year was during my wife and I’s honeymoon: Bora Bora, Tahiti (BOB, even the code is sick). It is on a tiny island and is not serviced by road, you arrive via boat. Only two gates and has to be not much bigger than 2,000 Sqft. It is only served by the local Air Tahiti to the other islands so they have the logistics pretty dialed, no security when leaving was a first for me and the wife.
Agreed. However, Angelenos and those who travel to Los Angeles are in the unusual position of having the option to easily avoid the major airport. I’m done flying into LAX. I’d rather suffer the connection when necessary in a large American city or “other city,” and end my travels in BUR.
Newsflash: Hard to get from Sydney, AUS to Long Beach or Burbank. Eventually you must enter the beast. And, like, sorry that you can’t navigate LAX but it’s a portal to this little thing called ASIA and another place called EUROPE so those planes carry 300+ people who likely need public transport. Different beast.
There may be a lot of people but Phoenix doesn’t register on the Fortune 500 scale, which is very meaningful in air travel circles because airlines love biz travelers.
I will say, entering LAX through the international terminal was better than expected. Night and day vs pulling up to fly southwest. The only time I’ll fly via LAX is if they have a direct flight international or via a layover, shoutout the United LAX-SAN flight
Life hack: Never Uber/Lyft from LAX to your hotel or wherever you’re going. Classic case of herd mentality. Scores of people waiting to pay inflated demand-driven ride share fares, while taxis with set fares are waiting for customers.
Every single time. I can fly from Tokyo, Sydney, London, Paris, etc. to BUR with just one connection, and I’m all over it. Nothing worse than after double-digit hours in the air arriving at LAX, and feeling like your journey has just begun. When I get to BUR, I’m home.
I know it’s the same place and I was there 3 days ago.
You, a rube: Plane lands, you oepn Uber, demand spikes. You are forced to wait until you’re on the LAX Uber & Taxi bus to order your ride. Then when you get to the ride share spot there are 50 people waiting.
Me, veteran of rodeos: Gets on ride share shuttle. Gets off. Looks at line of taxis. Home in 25 minutes.
Interesting visual no doubt, but surely there is more travel types than simply business travel. I would propose swapping PDX and PHX in the categorization matrix. PDX is a bit more regional than PHX, but PDX is probably my favorite airport in the western US. Otherwise, agree that further categorization is necessary. One would not compare Omaha’s airport to DFW. FWIW, Omaha has a wonderful airport staffed by exceptionally warm and welcoming folk.
You, a rube: flies into an airport that requires a shuttle bus ride before earning the privilege of paying for a taxi.
Me, a veteran of international travel: flies through SFO, spends an hour relaxing in the Centurion or Cathay Lounge. Arrives at BUR, gets an immediate pickup from an UBER, which costs about $20, and gets me to my door in 15 minutes.
