As we travel around the world, we spend a lot of time in airports. And while there are some great ones, there are also some not so great ones, so today and tomorrow, I’m going to be sharing some of the best and some of the worst that we’ve traveled through and that have made an impression on us.
Today, these are some of my least favorite airports around the globe. While there are an endless list of airports to fly in and out of, these have ended up being my least favorites for various reasons as I show below.
We flew through Belfast last November on our tour through the UK, heading to Edinburgh. Granted our experience at this airport was right after a bomb-threat in Belfast the previous day, so that might have hindered our experience, but least to say this airport is a struggle. The signage is not great and it was strange how we entered trying to find the check in counters to check in for our flight. Next security was ridiculous and it was a good thing we happened to be really early for our flight and had lots of time. They were stopping literally every person in line and going through their entire bags to the points of pulling every items out and then handing us back our destroyed bags to put together again. It took us literally about 45 minutes to go through this process and for people running late for their flights, I don’t know how they expect people to make it through. Next, we went to get something to eat, ordered our food only then to be told 20 minutes later (after we waited) that they didn’t actually have the meat we had ordered to make our meals. There was hardly any seats to wait in our gates as well, and overall this airport needs a lot of work.
I fly to Hawaii often, at least once every few months usually and Honolulu is the airport I frequent a lot in the Islands. For such a tourist hub, I seriously can’t believe every time I go through HNL how horrible of an airport it is. There is no signage anywhere and every time I get off the plane, I head off right away because by now, I know the airport really well, but needless to say, everyone gets off the plane and looks around and doesn’t even see how to get to baggage claim. There is no signage anywhere. The airport is also really outdated and while they are working to update parts of it, it needs an entire overhaul. The gate systems are confusing and the gate numbers don’t always make sense for where they should be. You also have to walk really long distances at this airport or wait forever for their shuttle which I never do because it takes so long. HNL also is always behind on offering airport perks like TSA pre-check. They have it now in their International departures but it took them way longer than the mainland to get it and set it up correctly.
LAX, for being such a huge US hub airport, leaves a lot to be desired. The airport is disjointed and the terminals are all so far away that you have to take shuttles between which are inefficient, as well as making you go through security again when you travel between terminals since you’ve actually left the airport and have to go back in again. The interiors are old and run down, lounges aren’t great in the domestic wings and restaurant choices are dismal in most of the wings. The new International terminal opened last year and we went through right before it was opening and weren’t super impressed, the majority of new restaurants are pre-security and the layout of the wings is strange. While there are a great amount of destinations to fly out of from LAX, it’s an airport I’m not crazy about using and really only do when it’s our only option.
Melanie Fontaine says
I have pretty bad memories of Paris Charles De Gaulle – granted, it’s been a while since I’ve been there (I usually take the train to Paris; may actually be faster from where I live in Germany), but the signage there is pretty horrible as well. So easy to get lost! I had to transfer flights in Paris on my way to Canada when I was sixteen and our group really struggled to figure out where the heck we had to get. The problem wasn’t that the signs were in French (I don’t remember anything about that), but rather that there were barely any signs at all. That airport could be a little more efficient – but it does make me appreciate great airports all the more!
Casey Martin says
Yea, I’ve heard people say that about CDG, I’ve personally never had any issues there though to be honest, we don’t fly out of there all that much as we usually go through Heathrow when we’re headed to Europe since it’s an easy flight for us from Seattle. Signage is so important though and I don’t get why airports don’t get that!!??!
Melanie Fontaine says
I think in many airports age plays a significant role – the more modern, the better things like signage tend to be. Maybe things were easier to manage back when airports weren’t as large?
Casey Martin says
Yea very true!
Kathleen Walpole says
Newark Terminal B has to be one of the worst airports I’ve ever been too. I hate when I have to fly out of there to Europe!
Casey Martin says
Yea, I agree, Newark leaves a lot to be desired, although out of the NYC airports, I like the train from Newark to downtown NYC but the airport itself is not great!
Brianne says
Agree with you on LAX. I haven’t been to the others, but I’d also add LaGuardia to it. LaGuardia is such a dark, dirty, foodless dump.
Alison says
I agree with you about LaGuardia. I try to avoid that airport whenever I fly into NYC.
In general, I feel like the NYC area airports leave a lot to be desired. For being such a tourist hub, you think they would try to make them a bit more user friendly.
Casey Martin says
I’ve not flown to LaGuardia, but I’ve heard that about it before!
Elizabeth Georgian says
I’m not a fan at all of the Copenhagen Airport. Each time I fly between Lithuania and the US or elsewhere in Europe I almost miss my flight because of the necessity to go through passport check. Also, at the gate you need to go into a designated area that has no options for purchasing food and you must dispose of any liquids that you purchased outside of that area.
Casey Martin says
Interesting and good to know… we’re headed through Copenhagen this Fall and I’ll remember that!
Courtney says
I definitely agree with you about LAX. I would add Madrid to this list too!
Casey Martin says
Yea, LAX is horrendous! I guess we’ll experience Madrid when we go through Spain in the near future too 🙂
Little Misadventures says
Ooooh I went through LAX about five years ago but I hated every second of it! So disjointed and weird that it was hard to navigate at the best of times…even harder when you were jet lagged/groggy and confused from the flight. I thought it would get better as the years passed but it looks like I’m still going to be avoiding that airport like the plague! Haha.
Casey Martin says
I so agree! It’s way too disjointed to function properly!
Amy Hayes says
LAX for sure!!! I’d also have to add the Guangzhou airport in China… worst layover of my entire life. I vowed to never again step foot in that airport, even if it means a significantly more expensive ticket!
Casey Martin says
Interesting… good to know about the airport in China.
totravelandbeyond says
My least favorite airports are Dulles in DC and Sheremetyevo International Airport in Russia. I have had terrible experiences in both, and fully plan on never using either again if I can help it. I do love flying out of LAX, but having a layover there is the worst.
Casey Martin says
Yea, Dulles is a weird one too! I agree with you on LAX, I don’t mind flying out of it just because there are so many options but it just is such an annoying airport to try to traverse!
Kristin Saling says
I’m with you on HNL. It’s horrifically in need of an update – and that includes the abysmal parking and arrival/drop off directions. Even though I’ve lived here for a total of six years {non-consecutive}, whenever I drive up, I never know if I’m going to find parking, the rental car lots, or the right terminal.
Casey Martin says
Isn’t it horrible!?!? HNL seriously needs an update and yes, the drop off area is horrible too!