Airports

If you spend time travelling, developing strong opinions about airports is inevitable. Here are some of the airports I like and dislike (and some assessment criteria…)

1. Convenience 

Is the airport 20 minutes or 2 hours from the city? Is there a nice subway line to the airport? Is it functional (i.e., no 45 minutes walk/shuttle between gates)?

2. Architecture & Atmosphere

Inspiring architecture or dump. Chaos or peace & quiet.

3. Views

Beautiful or breathtaking views can redeem (almost) any airport.

4. Intangibles

Are you welcomed by dancers or angry customs officers. Nice shops/restaurants if spare time or crappy snack bar.

The Best

Either so convenient or beautifully located that they are an attraction in and of themselves.

Zürich (Switzerland)

Swiss Alps on approach very moving. Ten-minute train ride to city center even more so. Quiet. Friendly and English-speaking staff.

Brussels

Clean, cool modern design, easy to reach at low price from city centre by train (20 min ride) or by car (efficient taxi line at landing). Once you pass security, peace & quiet, excellent shopping, plenty of space to sit, good indications.

Tintin's rocket in Brussels airport

Rio de Janeiro, Santos Dumont (Brazil)

It operates mostly Brazilian domestic flights. The views of Rio at take-off and landing are definitely an attraction. Friendly welcome.

Santos Dumont (Rio de Janeiro) View of Rio at landing.

These airports have only mild problems and are redeemed in some way.

Madrid (Spain)

Modern design, but getting to gate/exit also takes forever. Police officers at security checks: better not to get stuck if don’t speak Spanish (“Ejpanish”, in one officer’s own words…)… Redeeming feature: excellent subway access (20 min ride) from city center.

Barcelona (Spain)

The new terminal’s modern design is very good. Simple access to gates (linear). Bad access (no subway). Redeeming feature: great shops/restaurants. The old terminal was great, but it is now run down –operated by low-cost airlines and with shops closed-.

Horrors

Cause nightmares. Only redeeming feature is that these airports can be stressful instead of boring.

JFK (New York, US)

If you’re not a US citizen, you’re welcome by a giant line. Yes, customs officers, whose motto is “we are the face of America”. Well, what a disgusting face. Stupid and arbitrary questions, frequent disdain for foreigners. On top of that, your luggage may be waiting for you during hours on the other side…

Charles-de-Gaulle (Paris, France)

Far from Paris. Never-ending traffic jams. Buses between terminals take forever.  Intimidating brutalist design. 

Cancún (Mexico)

Full of amateur travelers (also called “domingueros” in Spanish) – sweating, anxious & dragging too much luggage. Never-ending Lines. “Exit tax” before leaving – the most ridiculous taxation concept ever; besides, more than a tax it looks like the collection of payments by mafia (cash only…).

Saint Petersburg

Remote. Hilarious security checks (they let people board with a bottle of vodka…).

Have a safe journey!