Survey: LaGuardia Once Again Worst Airport In U.S.

Zagat's Comes Down Hard On Once Great Hub Of Air Travel

November 30, 2010 10:00 PM

The old control tower is seen as snow is cleared at LaGuardia Airport – Queens, NY – Feb 26, 2010 – Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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NEW YORK (CBS 2) — And there’s yet another unwelcome badge of distinction for LaGuardia airport.

A new survey rates it as the worst airport in the country — again.

And to think, once upon a time — 1960 to be exact — LaGuardia was voted the greatest airport in the world by the worldwide aviation community.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Zagat’s annual air travel survey of 8,000 travelers gives it a rating of 6.18 out of 30, which means LaGuardia is, for the fourth time in a row, the lowest rated airport in the U.S.

Travelers at LaGuardia on Tuesday were a little bit kinder, maybe because the place wasn’t very crowded.

“No, not at all. I don’t know, several come to mind that are definitely less favorable to travel through than this. This is easy,” Matt Zimmerman of Colorado told CBS 2’s Don Dahler.

“It’s often a tough place to get in and out of,” added Jeff Glatzer of Manhattan.

“I don’t consider it to be a great airport. My gate always seems to be at the very end and my luggage takes a long time to arrive,” said Gina Zehr of Chicago.

Ted Zagat said reviewers blame the design.

“LaGuardia has two or three real problems. One, it’s one of the oldest terminals. It was built under Robert Moses in the 1930s I believe. Number two, it is separate. It has two main terminals that are quite far apart, relatively,” Zagat said.

LaGuardia’s sister airports didn’t fare much better. John F. Kennedy and Newark Liberty ranked only a few spots higher on the list.

Part of the problem is LaGuardia was expanded over the years in a piecemeal fashion. So last April, they hired consultants to take a look at demolishing the whole place and starting all over again.

Until then, travelers will have to make the most of narrow passageways, crowded waiting areas, and more surveys confirming what everyone already knows.

If you’re curious, Portland International Airport got top honors.

LaGuardia does have one advantage over the other airports in this area – it’s a lot closer to Manhattan.

The other airports at the bottom, LAX, Philadelphia and Miami.

Survey: LaGuardia Once Again Worst Airport In U.S.

den1313

Tampa is the best, period!

Peggy

No way. Grumpy TSA agents work there

docb

Miami and Newark are by far the worst airports of all time…rude employees, long lines where you are moved like cattle and the other travelers are scary looking…I love flying in and out of LaGuardia, yes its no frills and old but it’s quick, no lines and a short ride to the city. If I want to shop and eat good food I’ll do it in the city.

EJA58

I couldn’t disagree more. Miami, in the last three years has opened over 70 new gates in two new terminals. Just two months ago it inaugurated its new intermodal car rental center. Roadway access in and out of the airport has been completely expanded and revamped. Did I mention some of the best restaurants and cafes anywhere such as La Carreta, Sushi maki, Clubhouse One, Ice Box.

Kaaarl

EJA58 You wouldn’t be a Miami airport employee would you? You sound like an advertisement!

DaleW

Worst part about Portland airport? Location location location. It’s PORTLAND, fer goshsakes.
Larry Schwarz

Kennedy,while up there with Laguardia,has the best way to get there.I have made it from Manhattan to JFK in 35 minutes vis Long Island Railroad and Airtrain.In bad weather Kennedys long runways can handle it better then its sister airports and the delays are not that extensive.Laguardia has no train access,it also rated the worst Airport food in the country.
mgseamanjr

The new Indianapolis airport is very nice and has wonderful quick-bite restaurants, like Wolfgang Puck Express and Fridays. ORD must be low on the list and how about Detroit’s mile-long terminal (at least it has a tram)? I agree that London Heathrow Terminal 5 is great to an extent–besides the shopping, restaurants, wine-bars, etc., the upper levels have no intercom announcements so it’s actually quiet. Too bad English people are the employees. All this of course assumes the luggage folks there have gotten all their massive problems solved (was it only 10,000 bags they had to send to Italy to sort through? You know you’re in trouble when the Italians have to sort your bags).
Frequent Flyer

By far Newark is better than LaGuardia any day of the week. Don’t fly out between 7-8 a.m. or 5-6 p.m. and you won’t experience what one called nightmarish delays. I have never had a problem with security or the TSA, and find the staff helpful. Don’t walk around like you own the place, or are a super duper 1 million mile flyer that is owed something, and you actually might get a smile from them and help as well. I avoid LaGaurdia at all costs, because of the obnoxious paseemgers that push and shove, and text until the flight attendant takes the device away. Have never had a problem st SFO either, but LAX you can keep. People there are just as arrogant as at LaGuardia……
Ray in Hawaii

What’s up with SFO? It’s been continuously under construction since 199_ (fill in the blank). I just had to walk a mile from United to Continental outside at night through a construction zone. Best airport by far, Vegas baby!!!! Gambling on the concourse to your gate and 5 minutes away from the strip…… But like previous poster said, the best airport is the one that gets you home…….

Global Crosser

Did they fix that issue at LVI where you have a 5 minute walk (over which you have to haul your own luggage in some cases) along a rather skinny sidewalk and cross a couple driveway entrances to get to the international terminal if you are transferring from the domestic?
Red

More like 197_. SFO is a hell hole.

Global Crosser

Little known PDX (Portland Int’l) perk is a local city ordinance that requires all airport retail, food and other concessions to be priced at levels equal to those in the city. Add to this the fact that Oregon has no sales tax. This means no $11.00 personal pizzas or $2.50 for a bottled water, inside the security perimeter where you are a captive audience. Thank God sensible, progressive attitudes prevail on the west coast.

rich

Take the word “progressive” out and you’ll be making sense as well.
Economist

Global Crosser is totally right. There’s NO WAY the airport could possibly get the money from customers by charging higher fees elsewhere.
PDX Native

Yes, those terrific progressive attitudes just about got hundreds of people killed by a terrorist bomb in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Thank you, FBI, for doing your job and doing it well. Portland, Oregon: The only major city in the U.S. to withdraw from the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Pablo

Oh, you mean where they just foiled a terrorist plot? Try again. You failed miserably on that one.

Lucie

Heathrow Terminal 5 is nice now that they’ve got the bugs worked out. The new Paris Charles DeGaulle is not bad. My favorite is Pittsburgh – where else would you see side-by- side statues of George Washington and Franco Harris? I also like Wilmington, NC for the rocking chairs in the entry lobby. Very friendly staff at both of the last two.
SKY

LaGuardia is very sardine-like with lower ceilings, tiny waiting areas and just a general tired feeling. The bone-jarring drive around the airport doesn’t help either. High stress before you get there and while you wait . . . the views of NYC don’t entirely make up for it.

And Portland, Oregon is g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s! Open, spacious, lots of natural light, beautiful art and the only airport I’ve been to with live music played in the concourse. I could happily be stranded for several days there without feeling stressed out. And the plane ride in is equally stunning as you come across the river.

But ultimately, my favorite airport is the one that takes me home.
Mike Everly

I’ve got a surprise for you elitist, big city, left-coast & eastern seaboard travel officianados. Kansas City has by far the best airport in the world. Here’s why. Park your car and walk 150 feet to your plane! It has all amenities you need prior to boarding, including haircuts, shoe shines, boutique shops, food courts and even private lounges like the Admiral’s Club. There are three separate terminals so traffic is disbursed making it seem like you’re boarding a private jet since there are no crowds or long security lines. I have never waited longer than 10 minutes. Another thing that makes it unique are the multiple long runways set in the middle of vast and undeveloped grassland which afford very safe conditions in the event of a problem nessecitating emergency procedures.

There is a downside to MCI. If you don’t originate your flight in Kansas City and need to connect with an airline in another terminal it could take as long as 5 or 10 minutes to board a free bus within 30 feet of the gate you exit and be delivered to the door of your connecting flight.

I also find Pittsburgh’s airport very comfortable with great restaurants and a top notch Godiva Chocolate Shoip that served me well one Valentine’s Day when there wasn’t time to stop at a store before catching my flight.

Finally, having flown in and out of all the airports mentioned here I only have a couple of comments contrary to those already given. Denver’s airport seems to be inordinately huge. Because of it’s design, making connections, either in the same terminal or changing terminals, has kept me running more than once to barely make the flight. Other than that it’s a great venue. Also, maybe I have been lucky but I’ve had little problem at DFW. Never the experience of taking an hour to get out of the complex after landing. Again, maybe just luck or the fact I am almost always flying American to Terminal “C”.

Happy travels all and don’t think those of us in flyover country don’t have something to offer in airports. Actually, we are glad it’s still undiscovered. That way it’s better for us who live here.

camden

people live in kansas?

Dave In Banning, CA

Actually, Kansas City Airport is in Missouri. It’s close to Kansas.
I’d rougher live there than NY city, but that’s a personal preference.
scott

I think about 2 1/2 million people live in Kansas City area.

Chris In Detroit

I fly here to see family about twice a year and it was clearly designed and built pre 9/11 as it consists of 3 or 4 “U” shaped terminals where you can drop-off/pick-up and park inside the U for a flight on the outside of the “U” which is probably no more than 150 walking feet.

Unfortunately, because it’s so narrow security is at each gate, and once you’re through security you’ve left the food and store behind (mostly).

It’s actually not too different from LGA in that its small size was a plus before 9/11 and is a burden now. The best travel experience I’ve ever had was the Delta Shuttle from LGA to either Logan or National, but it’s not traditional travel.
RM

I fly through Kansas City twice a week and quite honestly, I’d rather fly through LaGuardia. You haven’t lived until you get a gate change that requires you and 150 of your closest friends to go through security again. But at least when you get groped by the non-TSA renta thugs, you have an opportunity to go visit one of those amenities you mentioned because they are ALL on the ground side of security. And it’s awesome when you get off a flight and see that there is an exit door right in front of you as you exit the jetway…only that one isn’t open. The one that’s open is waaaay on the other end so now you have to fight your way through a crowded boarding area with all the people sprawled out putting their shoes back on because there isn’t enough room to do that after going through security.

There is no legal place to park your car, check your bags, get your boarding pass, go through security, get to your gate and do it all while walking only 150 feet. Kansas City has FINALLY put a new terminal into the 10 year plan for the airport. I doubt they’ll ever build it since KC is a dead city and they will never have the money, but at least they realized that their airport is terrible and can’t compete with other cities. Then again, maybe a new terminal will breathe life into the city so I can finally sell my house and get the heck out of there.
Toto

I have a brother and his family living in Ks. Make that 2.5 million plus 4.

S Speer

Newark is by far the worst airport. I have travel led all around the world and I have never met more unprofessional and incompetent people. I mean this is across the board, and not just one or two employees. Every employee was terrible. TSA, as usual, was a joke. Half the airport employees do not even speak English. Besides being located in the US, English is the common language of all airports. Of all the airports I have used around the world, I have never met a group of airport employees with a worst understanding of the English language. Just terrible.

ToFrequentATraveler

I agree that EWR is probably the worst. They have that built in 20-30 minute extra scheduled flight time in theiir inbound/ourbound flights just so that that they can claim ontime arrival/departurs. You can sit on the tarmack for 30 minutes and still be ontime to you flight to another airport.

Only reason I made PHLworst is that my 15 year olld flew thru there on his own on US (sc)Air to Allentown this summer and had a terrible experience. No one was able to tell him how to get from Term B to Term F(US (sc)Air connection gates without having to go outside of security.

He actually called me and I told him that there was a bus that would take him over fron one terminal to the other, It was marked on the online airport map, but was not easily advertised in the actual airport.

Whatthe?

Why did this even have to happen? Hate to say it but PHL is a 50-min DRIVE to Allentown! Pick the poor kid up or let him take a bus or train. You’d have saved him a lot of time and effort.

ToFrequentATraveler

Worst Airports – Philadelphia, Newark, JFK, LAX, Chicago (both ORD and Midway), DFW (so large – its 1.5 hrs just to get outa there -off the plane, bags, get rental on the south end of the airport)

Best – Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Denver, SFO, Portland

Worst Small City – New Orleans, Memphis, Saint Louis, White Plains, Salt Lake City

Best Small City – Indianapolis, Huntsville, Raleigh, Providence, Austin

R. Torn

Austin received the best small- medium airport ward from Airport Council International last year. We work hard on it.
Larry Schwarz

Salt Lake City miight be in need of a facelift.But its easy to navigate as there are moving walkways between concourses,The food is good rated the top third for Airport food.People are friendly.Despite rumors about Utah liquor laws,you can get anything you want at the Airport.Its also 5 minutes from downtown,and 35 minutes from the best skiing or as Utahns call it THE GREATEST SNOW ON EARTH.

funkonaut

Shhhh.
Red

There is no good food at SLC. None. Zero. And for some reason, the businesses all shut down as soon as it gets dark. For those short haul flights, you get dumped off at Concourse E where you are in the elements and you either freeze or fry, depending on the time of year. I hate that place even more now than before I posted. Words cannot describe what a hell hole that place is.

Whatthe?

If travelling to South Florida, skip FLL and head to PBI. It’s a pleasure compared to that dump.

Sarah

I travel a lot. Orlando is my favorite airport. Indianapolis is one of the best. Of course, I really don’t like any airports so maybe I should say the least awful.
chaz

Anybody been to Indy? First rate. Beautiful space. Easy in and out. Close to downtown.
http://www.fly2houston.com Traveler

Houston Airports are the best. Both Houston Airports rated in the top 5 J.D. Powers award!

Whatthe?

Unfortunately when you leave the airport you have to face the fact that your stuck in Houston.

AnimalFarm

LAX is terrible because of the hours long security lines. I would rate Washington-Dulles the worst. Atlanta is good. Seattle-Tacoma is terrible.
Chicago-O’Hare is also pretty bad. But if you want to see bad, go to any of the big European airports… I promise you’ll feel like the Pope and kiss the ground when you land in the good ol’ USofA.
Nico

You want to see a great airport, Huntsville/Decatur, Alabama, is awesome. II rate that #1.
Nick

I had good airport experiences in LAX and Philly. Miami is definitely a dump. Portland is fine but not any better than places like Jacksonville, Charlotte, DFW, all of which have nice airports.
I think San Francisco, SeaTAc, and Atlanta are awful.
Kevin Sinnott

La Guardia is fine, except the runways are tight and weather causes delays. The walk to the furthest gate is still fine. It’s best quality is its proximity to Manhattan. You can take an early morning flight from Chicago, Midway, and be in midtown Manhattan by 10:30/11AM. I can take 3 meetings and be back home that night. I can’t complain. Of course, I don’t go shopping at airports. How about free wi-fi. Sounds like La Guardia is bucking for some rehab money from the Feds. Right?
CJ

Typical lack of information in another news article. Is the second worst airport Portland, Oregon or Portland, Maine? Stop being so self involved in the eastcoast life style and expand your mind. Just telling your readers that Portland is the second worst airport does everyone a disservice. Oregon or Maine? Which is it?

AP

There is only one Portland Intl. Airport. And it was rated the best, not 2nd worst.

BH

Also Portland Maine is Called Portland Intl Jetport….Please read the article before you reply!

West Coast Native

There’s another Portland?

Michael Patrick Schmitt

Oh and also; NO airport in the worlld has such an amazing approach as LaGuardia with its views of the city

Ben

DCA, old Kai Tak

Astralis

LAX was actually very good! I live in Houston with an excellent airport and always find LAX to be excellent.
Michael Patrick Schmitt

LaGuardia is a GREAT airport and one of the best in the country. It is not one of these shopping mallls disguised as an airport like most of them. You get in and out quickly. It is IN the city, 25 minutes to Midtown Manhattan. Denver is like an hour away from the city. The TSA is very good and fast at check in which is amazing considering the volume of people. The only problem with LaGuardia are the delays of planes. Stop picking on Laguardia and stop building malls disguised as airports.

Greg

You NAILED it. These reviewers are clearly occasional travelers rather than road (sky?) warriors.

LGA is excellent other than ground delays. You get in and to the gate fast. You get out and into the city fast.

Portland is a mess. Ever walk to the Alaska regional jet terminal? It’s a little off the beaten path.

Miami is horrible except that flights get out on time. It’s home so it gets points from me for on time!

The others are shopping malls disguised as airports. Orlando? Tampa? Horrible. Or they’re impossible to navigate like SFO or LAX. Or have the mile long syndrome like MIA or DTW.

Best are LGA, SAN, RDU.

But interesting that nobody mentioned ATL. Hartsfeld has to be the absolute worst airport in existence for overcrowding and stupid delays. How many times have I sat on the Tarmac with no gate to go to while my connection flight taxis past on it’s way north or west.

jaydee

I have been to more than a few airports and LAX is far from being bad. None of them are my idea of where I want to be

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Survey: LaGuardia Once Again Worst Airport In U.S.

Zagat's Comes Down Hard On Once Great Hub Of Air Travel

November 30, 2010 10:00 PM

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