Ranking the Airports I Have Visited In the United States
I was in the country for just over 1 week and caught a total of 8 flights. Visiting so many airports has meant that I have spent a lot of time assessing the important qualities of an airport terminal.
I have recently returned from a whirlwind trip to the United States to attend a friend’s wedding in Southern Illinois and visit some other friends in Northern California. I was in the country for just over 1 week and caught a total of 8 flights to get from New Zealand and back with all of the other places in between. The bonus of visiting so many airports has meant that I have spent a lot of time assessing the important qualities of an airport terminal. I decided to rank all of the US airports that I visited on my trip from least favorite to favorite.
Two very important qualities in an airport for me are that there are enough seats that are close to my gate, and the ability to fill up my water bottle. As a solo traveler, it is important that I can leave a seat to go to the restroom with all of my items and easily find a seat near my gate when I return. If I am not able to sit comfortably near my gate it makes me nervous that I will miss an announcement about my flight. When it comes to water, I find it very important to stay hydrated when flying, and if I am not allowed to bring water through security I need to be able to fill up my water bottle rather than pay for a single-use plastic water bottle.
Before we dive into it, here are some quick details:
- I traveled between 22 and 30 June 2023
- All domestic flights were on American Airlines
- All international flights were Qantas
- I am able-bodied and was traveling solo
- The terminals have been ranked out of five on the following: Atmosphere, Food, Restrooms, Seating, Water
- I have not ranked the check-in or security experiences as a number of my flights were connections which meant that these elements were not required at every airport
4th Place: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) — International Terminal
Atmosphere — 1/5: The LAX international terminal is so loud and crowded, I felt very overwhelmed before my 14-hour flight back home which is not the feeling I was going for.
Food — 2/5: I paid $18.00 for a packaged sandwich. The sandwich was good, but not that good.
Restrooms — 2/5: Standard facilities but long lines and not enough restrooms for a busy international terminal.
Seating — 0/5: This was the most disappointing factor, sitting on the floor before a 14-hour flight is just not it.
Water — 3/5: Not too many water fountains, but the fountain had a water bottle-filling function.
Total: 8/25
3rd Place: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) — Domestic Terminal
Atmosphere — 2/5: A very busy and rushed atmosphere which is a lot to deal with when you have just stepped off a 13-hour flight and have an 11-hour layover.
Food — 2/5: Not many stores to choose from, and a very limited variety of food.
Restrooms — 3/5: Standard facilities and no lines.
Seating — 2/5: I couldn’t find a seat next to my gate and anytime I got up to use the restroom my seat would be taken which meant I ended up sitting very far away from my gate.
Water — 3/5: Not too many water fountains, but the fountain had a water bottle-filling function.
Total: 12/25
2nd Place: St. Louis Lambert International Airport — Domestic
Atmosphere — 3/5: St. Louis Lambert International Airport has a very calm and quiet atmosphere.
Food — 3/5: Good selection and standard pricing, very short wait times for food.
Restrooms — 3/5: Standard facilities and no lines.
Seating — 4/5: Easy to find a seat which is the most important thing to me. There were a couple of different seating options with couches and standard seats.
Water — 2/5: There weren’t many water fountains and they did not have water bottle filling facilities which meant I could only half-fill my water bottle using the fountain at an awkward angle.
Total: 15/25
1st Place: San Francisco International Airport — Domestic
Atmosphere — 5/5: San Francisco felt like a breath of fresh air. I don’t think I have ever felt more relaxed in an airport. This has a lot to do with how spaced out the airport is, I was able to easily find a quiet corner to myself and sit comfortably.
Food — 3/5: There were a lot of options for places to buy food from and they weren’t too busy.
Restrooms — 4/5: Large restrooms with full-length mirrors and separate stations for people who did not need a sink but wanted to freshen up. No lines and plenty of cubicles.
Seating — 5/5: A beautiful selection of seating options from armchairs, couches, and standard airport seats with armrests and side tables at the ends which was so handy. I could go to the bathroom and go back to my original seat which was a dream.
Water — 5/5: San Francisco airport boasts many state-of-the-art Hydration Stations to encourage the conservation and preservation of the environment by encouraging the reduction of single-use plastic water bottles.
Total: 22/25
Airport experiences can set the tone for your travel, and while you cannot always control the environment of the airport you are traveling through, it is always a bonus when you can sit back and relax in an exceptional airport. For me on this particular trip, the clear winner was the San Francisco International Airport.
Special Mention: Chicago O’Hare International Airport — Domestic
I was supposed to have a longer layover in Chicago, but due to a flight delay, I was only able to experience the airport briefly by hurriedly walking from one gate to the other to make it just in time for boarding. For this reason, I don’t think it is fair to add it to the overall rankings. I did notice that Chicago was very busy but in quite a fun way. There were many bars and restaurants that were full of people having a relaxing drink and a bite to eat before their flights, and there was some good music playing.
