Some U.S. airports have gained a reputation among travelers for being the absolute worst and passengers hate going through them. These 17 U.S. airports are considered the worst for a number of reasons and face a lot of criticism.
LaGuardia Airport
Known for congestion, outdated facilities, and frequent delays, going to LaGuardia Airport is a generally frustrating experience. This major transportation hub for New York City also has short runways making it difficult in challenging weather. According to The Atlantic, LaGuardia has recently received an $8 million renovation to transform it from America’s worst airport.
John F. Kennedy International Airport
JFK is one of the world’s most famous airports but its reputation isn’t great. Despite its size, JFK is often criticized for its complex layout, long security lines, and frequent delays. With JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark in such close proximity, the New York City airspace is heavily congested and JFK flights suffer the most from delays.
Los Angeles International Airport
Infamous for its traffic congestion, no one wants to be picked up or dropped off at LAX. Its confusing layout and old infrastructure also cause stress for travelers, making it tricky to navigate. For such a popular airport, it also has some pretty empty terminals with limited dining options which frustrates hungry travelers.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Not only does Chicago O’Hare cater to domestic flights, but it is also the largest international hub in the U.S. Chicago is the main global connection point and makes a hectic travel experience. The airport is constantly criticized for its delays, crowded terminals, and challenging connections.
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Airport has infamously long security lines and although flight times are staggered to prevent this, it doesn’t seem to make much difference. This airport has extremely low traveler satisfaction and NBC New York found that travelers rated Newark Airport top for the worst airports in the U.S.
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport offers a less-than-ideal travel experience. In addition to regular flight delays and long lines, the airport’s facilities are also in major need of an update, with terminals C and D arguably the worst. The amenities are extremely limited in comparison to other U.S. airports, with very few places to eat.
San Francisco International Airport
Expect to be waiting around when traveling through SFO as SFIST states that San Francisco International Airport has the longest wait times of any airport on the West Coast. The average time for getting through TSA is 28 minutes and while domestic travelers have a relatively easy experience at passport control, international travelers typically wait 46 minutes.
Miami International Airport
When it comes to organization, Miami International Airport is one of the most frustrating in the U.S. It never seems like anyone is in charge and the staff at check-in, immigration, and security are often found to be disorganized. Many travelers also report experiencing rudeness during their airport experience.
Boston Logan International Airport
If you have a connecting flight in Boston, be prepared for a stressful experience. With a confusing and frustrating airport layout, there are limited connection points airside between terminals. If you have a connection between Terminal A and the other terminals, you need to go back through passport control and security.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
According to OAG Aviation, Atlanta Airport is the busiest in the U.S. with 4.48 million airline seats for 2024. Due to how busy it is, it is no surprise that ATL is often criticized for its long security lines, crowded terminals, and frequent flight delays. There are not enough staff at security or immigration. But one good thing about the airport is that its facilities are rated as excellent.
Denver International Airport
As the largest airport in the U.S., Denver International Airport welcomes a lot of travelers but is often criticized for its remote location. While it is 25 miles from Downtown Denver, connections between the airport and the city are extremely challenging making it seem like a much bigger journey.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
The most frustrating thing about Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the regular need to wait on the tarmac for a gate on arrival. It is common for planes to have to wait up to an hour before passengers can disembark. Many airlines at Seattle-Tacoma only have one gate, causing issues for getting off the plane.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
With a sprawling layout, Dallas Fort Worth is renowned for long distances to gates and between terminals. Walking between terminals takes 20 minutes on average and while the airport has a Skylink, it’s often congested and still has a 10-minute travel time between the two farthest points.
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Houston Airport is constantly criticized by travelers for a wide variety of reasons. Travelers report that the security experience is extremely excessive, frustrating, and time-consuming in comparison to other U.S. airports, while signs don’t make sense, creating a labyrinth that is tricky to navigate.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
The biggest thing people rant about when it comes to Detroit Airport is usually the TSA. Here, TSA agents are found to be rude and very loud. There aren’t many posters explaining what is expected at this airport so it is difficult to understand the process, but then agents get irritated when passengers don’t conform to their rules.
Orlando International Airport
As the gateway to the most magical place on Earth, you would expect a pleasant airport experience, but MCO is particularly challenging, particularly during peak tourist seasons. According to TimeOut, Orlando International Airport experienced the most flight delays in 2022 with a staggering 28.24%, ranking it one of the worst in the U.S.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
There are so many things that frustrate travelers at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport including long wait times, congestion, and outdated facilities. However, the most annoying thing is having to re-clear TSA for connecting flights. Signs also abruptly stop at random points making it difficult to find your way around.
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