Six Best Airports in the U.S.
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Taking a flight is the worst part of any trip. Besides spending hours sitting in an uncomfortable chair, you have to deal with long security lines, overpriced food and the stress of something going wrong.
But the experience also depends heavily on which airport you're flying out of. And while you can't always decide this, it's still good to know which airports offer a better user experience than others.
Here are the six best airports in the U.S., ranked.
5. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (Tie)
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Services: Baltimore, Maryland/Washington D.C.
Flights on time: 78.9 percent
Average Google review score: 4.3
Overall score: 6.1
*Data comes from Booking.com's "Best Airports in the U.S. 2022" report.
Bottom Line: Baltimore/Washington International
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Baltimore/Washinton International (better known as BWI) is a lifesaver for people who want to fly into D.C. at lower prices. It's not even close to the busiest airport on this list, but it manages to have a decent amount of restaurants and shops. An impressive 78.9 percent of flights leave on time — something increasingly rare in this age of overbooking, fewer airline staff and rampant cancellations.
You'll be in Baltimore in as little as 20 minutes. And you can also take affordable public transit straight into D.C. You'll pay less than $10 and arrive in about 40 minutes.
5. Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport (Tie)
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Services: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
Flights on time: 85.9 percent
Average Google review score: 4.3
Overall score: 6.1
Bottom Line: Minneapolis-St. Paul International
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The main airport servicing the Twin Cities has a rating of 4.3 on Google. This might be because of the public art and community projects displayed in its terminals, making the transit experience much more pleasing.
With 85.9 percent of on-time flights, Minneapolis-St. Paul International has the best performance out of all the airports here. This alone earns it a spot on the list.
4. Denver International Airport
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Services: Denver, Colorado
Flights on time: 77.3 percent
Average Google review score: 4.2
Overall score: 6.2
Bottom Line: Denver International
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Denver International's beautiful design defies the gray, ugly airport that so often plagues cities. Small but gratifying green spaces make waiting in lines a bit more bearable. Plus, it's easy to get the bus or metro straight into the city. There are also affordable buses that go to other coveted destinations, like nearby Boulder, a gateway to the astonishing Rocky Mountain National Park.
That said, our experience with food at Denver International has been some of the worst we've ever had in the entire world. But given that the airport offers 91 restaurants, we'd be willing to give it another chance.
3. San Francisco International Airport
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Services: San Francisco, California
Flights on time: 82.6 percent
Average Google review score: 4.3
Overall score: 6.5
Bottom Line: San Francisco International
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The rivalry between Los Angeles and San Francisco is real. And while we won't get too into it, we will point out that San Francisco International absolutely kicks LAX's butt in every possible way.
Boasting a 4.3 score on Google and an 82.6 percent on-time flight record, SFO is a pretty good place from which to take a flight. The airport is also a mere 20-minute drive from the downtown area, making it incredibly convenient for travelers. And it has a yoga room for travelers wanting to get some serious stretching in before a long flight.
2. John F. Kennedy International Airport
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Services: New York City
Flights on time: 77.8 percent
Average Google review score: 4
Overall score: 7
Bottom Line: JFK
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One hundred percent of people who fly in or out of New York are relieved when they find a flight from JFK as opposed to the dreaded La Guardia or the inconvenient Newark. Located in Queens, it's directly connected to the New York Transit system, so you can get to any place in the city with relative ease. That said, it does take almost an hour to get to Manhattan, but that's the nature of the city.
The airport also has 121 shops, more than any other of the top six airports. A long layover always feels shorter when you can shop to kill time. There are also 139 restaurants that — while normally overpriced — provide a wide array of options.
1. Chicago O'Hare International Airport
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Services: Chicago
Flights on time: 80.3 percent
Average Google review score: 4
Overall score: 7.1
Bottom Line: Chicago O'Hare
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Colorful tunnels that make you feel like you're inside an exhibition, public art installations and a yoga room make Chicago O'Hare (ORD) stand out from the crowd to win the No.1 spot.
The airport has the largest number of average daily craft operations on this list, with an impressive 2,520. It also boasts 165 restaurants, most of which are not as overpriced as those in JFK (though they're still overpriced). Add to that 105 shops and a 30-minute driving distance from the city center, and it's easy to see why ORD deserves to be crowned king of the airports.