There are uglier airports and airports with fewer amenities; there are airports that are older and airports that are more rundown; there are airports with ruder staff and airports with cruder passengers. There are, without doubt, by almost all measures, worse airports in this world. Except by one measure—an exceedingly crucial measure. In fact, behind safety, it’s almost certainly the most important measure: getting in and getting out. — Fodors.com
Fodor's Travel Guide has ranked Los Angeles International Airport as the worst airport in the world, due in large part to the "improbably stupid design of its catastrophic horseshoe motor-loop."
The airport's design is attributed to noted Los Angeles architect and urban planner William Pereira, who also designed Don Muang Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Tehran International Airport in Iran, and Baghdad International Airport in Iraq, among others. The latter site features the same horseshoe design as LAX, while the two other airports are designed along linear, single-loaded paths. Like LAX, however, Don Muang Airport is designed with a double-decker arrangement that separates arrivals and departures. Don't tell Fodor's!
The best airport on Fodor's list? Safdie Architects' recently-completed Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore, of course. The 1.46 million-square-foot terminal is punctuated by a steel diagrid dome covered with 9,300 glass panels. The concave roof contains the world's largest indoor waterfall and is surrounded by a massive botanical garden.
Where would you rather have a layover?
8 Comments
If you really want to know what makes a bad airport, ask the pilots who fly in and out. LGA is at the top of the list.
Most fun to fly in to: Aspen/Pitkin, nestled into a crevasse between mountains. Hold on tight.
It's interesting that the buildings chosen for illustration have precious little to do with the complicated, overall experience of visiting an airport.
Nice structures, though!
Though in fairness we read "This year, we’re giving Fodor’s Awards to hubs with the coolest amenities in the world" so highlighting structures / geegaws does make some sense...
SFO is the worst--total chaos!
Pilots hate it. 2 parallel runways with simultaneous takeoffs and landings.
I was just thinking that Newark is the absolute worst, but has good food...then clicked the article and sure enough, it won for best food:).
PDX Uber alles.
Actually, a pretty good airport, yes.
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