The Worst Airport in America…

Thursday, March 26, 2026

Traveling by plane anywhere is bad right now, but in some places, it's worse.

Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 11:44 AM | 6 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

As it turns out, there's a good reason to hate"or at least distrust"just about every airport.

Well, again"some more than others. Ultimately, all of this airport research took me to a dark place: Newark, New Jersey ... .

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But, the author cautions,

hating Newark airport is like hating Mondays, or splinters, or wet socks, or the inevitability of death's cold, cruel tap on the shoulder. Or air travel in general. The truth is, all airports are bad. You've heard. They are unlovely and unloved, designed to be passed through, and doomed by decades of disinvestment. They are a vortex of everything annoying: confined spaces, limited options, bad Wi-Fi, overpriced food, fluorescent lighting, other people. They are the opposite of vacation, even as they are inextricably linked to it. And they lay bare the fragility of this modern life, how easy it is for everything to go wrong"right now, especially. The worst airport isn't Atlanta, or Dallas, or Newark. The worst airport is whatever airport you are in.

I'm joking, of course. The worst airport is Newark.

#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-03-26 11:46 AM | Reply

Until the recent gas price hike, it worked out better financially for me to drive from Cali to the midwest to see family than to fly, figuring in gas and motels vs. air fare and car rental, and I get to enjoy seeing the country off the Interstates as much as possible.
I get to visit State and Nat'l Parks, cruise back highways, visit old buddies on the way, eat local and not get treated like cattle at the airports. There's a lot of great stuff out there.
Just takes a little time.

#2 | Posted by morris at 2026-03-26 12:17 PM | Reply

Most, not all, European airports, top notch.

Helsinki Airport, Finland: Five star.

German airports: The ones I've flown from, Five star.

Luxembourg airport: Comfortable with superb cargo hub.

Vienna Airport: Top notch.

Narita Airport in Tokyo: Efficient.

LGW: Convenient because of rail connection.

CDG: Not too hot. PAX ingress/egress same floor for the flight so the flics are constantly shoving people and cars along.

US airports: See LGA incident. And many US airports receive federal funding to stay afloat as they are unprofitable. Plattsburgh Intl Airport in upstate NY is one if I recall correctly.

#3 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-03-26 12:37 PM | Reply

When I moved here, you parked across a 2 lane dropoff lane and were on the plane in seconds. Now, it's a massive, shiny new airport with new parking structures under construction for what seems like years.

#4 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-03-26 12:45 PM | Reply

#2 | Posted by morris

If it's under 600 miles I usually drive. After 9/11, it wasn't much longer to drive that distance than to drive to and park at the airport, get through TSA, wait, fly, get a rental, and drive to my destination.

#5 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-03-26 02:02 PM | Reply

Same here, AU.

And this episode will NEVER happen gain, EVER.

Last century I left my home in NYC just before 1200 HRs and parked my car at the short-term rental facility at LGA.

With a carry-on bag only, I then boarded a shuttle to DCA.

When I arrived at DCA, I boarded the metro and by 1500 HRs I passed through Pentagon security.

All of this took place within three hours between NYC between Washington DC.

Three hours.

#6 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-03-26 02:14 PM | Reply