Chart 20 busiest U.S. airports and their alternatives
February 27th, 2008, 3:11 am Hobby Shops
DALLAS/FT. WORTH INTERNATIONAL (DFW)
What’s new?: New parking exclusively for American Airlines passengers; planning for new international terminal, people mover system, additional parking and new runway.
Pluses: Laptop Lane; Internet, e-mail access throughout airport.
Minuses: Modernization and construction may cause occasional inconvenience.
Annual passengers (rank): 60,687,122 (4).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 72.5/76.1.
Alternative airports: Love Field, Dallas.
Distance from downtown: 17.5 miles to Ft. Worth, 18.1 miles to Dallas.
DENVER INTERNATIONAL (DEN)
What’s new?: Lufthansa Airlines now offering nonstops to Frankfurt; construction of new parking garage this summer; upgrading of phone system for data ports.
Pluses: Qwest Business Center on mezzanine level with meeting rooms; Laptop Lane; kiosks for free Internet access. One of most efficient places to make connections in country.
Minuses: Lack of international flights.
Annual passengers (rank): 38,748,781 (6).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 69.3/71.0.
Alternative airports: Colorado Springs.
Distance from downtown: 23 miles.
DETROIT: WAYNE COUNTY (DTW)
What’s new?: New Midfield Terminal to open December 2001, as part of $2 billion expansion.
Pluses: Laptop Lane; computers, etc., in main and international terminals; Northwest Airlines’ busiest hub with more than 100 nonstop destinations.
Minuses: Change in demographics from mostly business to increased pleasure travel has led to more congestion.
Annual passengers (rank): 35,535,080 (10).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 80.8/78.2.
Alternative airport: None.
Distance from downtown: 20 miles.
HOUSTON: GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL (IAH)
What’s new?: $2.6 billion renovation project including new runways, construction of fifth terminal.
Pluses: One of the best on-time records in country; terminals easy to maneuver; underground transportation system between terminals; services more cities in Mexico than any other U.S. airport.
Minuses: Construction everywhere.
Annual passengers (rank): 35,246,176 (11).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 81.7/86.6.
Alternative airports: Hobby, downtown Houston.
Distance from downtown: 20 miles.
LAS VEGAS: McCARRAN INTERNATIONAL (LAS)
What’s new?: 24-hour fitness center; only airport in North America to have hotel check-in at airport (MGM Grand, Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas Hilton, etc.).
Pluses: Proximity to hotels and convention centers; easy availability of ground transport.
Minuses: Lack of on-site business services or Laptop Lane.
Annual passengers (rank): 36,856,186 (7).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 68.1/69.0.
Alternative airport: None.
Distance from downtown: 9 miles (Strip much closer).
LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL (LAX)
What’s new?: By May 3, business centers will be available at various terminals.
Pluses: Free Internet access through Neptune Network.
Minuses: Business centers not up and running yet; congestion.
Annual passengers (rank): 68,477,689 (3).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 60.0/71.1.
Alternative airports: Ontario and Burbank, Calif.
Distance from downtown: 17 miles.
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL (MIA)
What’s new?: $6 billion capital improvement program; more than 300,000 square feet of new terminal space.
Pluses: Executive Conference Center at Airport Hotel (where anyone can use workout room for $8 a day); data ports on most concourses.
Minuses: No Laptop Lane.
Annual passengers (rank): 33,569,625 (13).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 77.9/81.8.
Alternative airports: Ft. Lauderdale.
Distance from downtown: 7 miles.
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL (MSP)
What’s new?: $3 billion expansion program, including fourth runway, new terminal building; adding 10,000 more parking spaces and two automated trams that will connect airport’s light rail system to both downtown and Mall of America.
Pluses: Pierson Grieve Conference Centre offers conference room rentals, copy/printing services, data ports, secretarial services, VIP greeting services.
Minuses: Growth and expansion has led to more congestion.
Annual passengers (rank): 36,688,159 (8).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 75.7/76.7.
Alternative airports: None.
Distance from downtown: 10 miles.
NEWARK INTERNATIONAL (EWR)
What’s new?: $3.8 billion redevelopment project, including two new parking garages and extension of existing Monorail system.
Pluses: Additional 6,600 parking spaces.
Minuses: Congestion and ongoing construction.
Annual passengers (rank): 34,194,788 (12).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 74.7/80.1.
Alternative airports: See JFK, LaGuardia; Westchester, N.Y.
Distance from downtown: 2 miles to Newark; 16 miles to New York City.
NEW YORK: JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL (JFK)
What’s new?: $10 billion redevelopment project, including new/improved passenger terminals, concessions, restaurants, light rail system, additional parking.
Pluses: Laptop Lane; most flights of any U.S. airport to overseas destinations.
Minuses: Ongoing construction, lack of flights to/from many domestic destinations.
Annual passengers (rank): 32,779,428 (14).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 78.5/80.1.
Alternative airports: See LaGuardia, Newark; Westchester, N.Y.
Distance from downtown: 12 miles.
NEW YORK: LAGUARDIA (LGA)
What’s new?: $800 million redevelopment project, including finishing touches to new central terminal as well as $18 million concession and retail space redevelopment, featuring 50 new shops, restaurants.
Pluses: Laptop Lane.
Minuses: Ongoing construction.
Annual passengers (rank): 25,233,889 (19).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 73.1/80.2.
Alternative airports: See JFK, Newark; Westchester, N.Y.
Distance from downtown: 8 miles.
ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL (MCO)
What’s new?: Continental offering nonstops to LaGuardia; $1.2 billion improvement campaign, including new parking spaces and 16-gate terminal; Laptop Lane.
Pluses: Third lowest air fares in country; flexibility of schedule and choice; centrally located; all phones with seats and shelves.
Minuses: Working on improving wireless access.
Annual passengers (rank): 30,822,580 (15).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 77.1/83.1.
Alternative airports: None.
Distance from downtown: 10 miles.
PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL (PHL)
What’s new?: Two major construction projects, including $125 million international terminal scheduled for completion in summer 2002 and a new runway.
Pluses: Laptop Lane; interactive Internet kiosks.
Minuses: Delay and congestion.
Annual passengers (rank): 24,900,621 (20).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 73.7/76.0.
Alternative airports: None.
Distance from downtown: 7 miles.
PHOENIX: SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL (PHX)
What’s new?: Third runway opened last October; 2,300 additional parking spaces.
Pluses: Temperate climate helps alleviate delays; Laptop Lanes.
Minuses: Construction; roadway signage needs updating.
Annual passengers (rank): 35,889,933 (9).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 66.8/70.0.
Alternative airports: None.
Distance from downtown: 4 miles.
ST. LOUIS: LAMBERT-ST. LOUIS INTERNATIONAL (STL)
What’s new?: Coming in early May, Laptop Lane, with computer workspaces, fax and copy machines; 17.4-mile extension of Metro Link light rail will open this summer from Lambert through downtown St. Louis to Belleville, Ill.
Pluses: Complimentary packets of health and comfort items — small towel, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush — available from Airport Information Booth for stranded/delayed passengers.
Minuses: Construction.
Annual passengers (rank): 30,546,698 (16).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 70.3/73.2.
Alternative airports: None.
Distance from downtown: 13 miles.
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL (SFO)
What’s new?: 2.5 million-square-foot International Terminal opened late last year, featuring light rail system, new parking facilities, BART (rapid transit) station at airport.
Pluses: Business center in new international terminal offers access to computers, printers, Internet; only airport in world housing accredited museum.
Minuses: Growth has led to occasional congestion.
Annual passengers (rank): 41,173,983 (5).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 60.3/71.2.
Alternative airports: Oakland and San Jose.
Distance from downtown: 14 miles.
SEATTLE-TACOMA INTERNATIONAL (SEA)
What’s new?: Airport expansion project under way involving main terminal, parking garage, restrooms, third runway. New low-fare airline JetBlue now offering daily nonstops to JFK; more retail space to come; renovation of Satellite Transit System, Sea-Tac’s underground subway system.
Pluses: Auditorium seating up to 300, conference and meeting rooms, business center; Laptop Lane; Wayport Wireless offers high-speed Internet access throughout airport.
Minuses: Delays often caused by prevalence of low-lying clouds; ongoing construction.
Annual passengers (rank): 28,404,312 (17).
Percentage on-time arrivals/departures: 66.7/72.6.
Alternative airports: None.
Distance from downtown: 13 miles.
Note: Passenger figures, from Airports Council International (ACI), are preliminary for 2000; they include arriving and departing passengers, but direct transit passengers are counted only once. On-time figures, from the Department of Transportation for February 2001, are those flights that arrive/depart within 15 minutes of schedule.
Other sources: FAA, OAG and public affairs offices of individual airports.
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