Airports in North America

As the main gateway to Hawaii, Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is one of the busiest airports in the United States, with 21 million travellers passing through it each year. The airport is busy with old-fashioned terminal buildings that haven't changed much since they were built in the 1960s.

There are three terminals at Honolulu Airport, and as the airport is not as well-signed as it could be, transferring between them can be very confusing. The Commuter Terminal and the Interisland Terminal serve smaller regional airlines. The Interisland Terminal also sees some flights to and from the US mainland and Hawaiian Airlines' international flights. The Overseas Terminal, also called the International Terminal, serves all other international arrivals and departures.

The city of Honolulu, about five miles (8km) from the airport, has more than 1 million inhabitants and is as bustling as any major city. Although you might want to go further afield for that remote-island holiday, it's a warm and hospitable first experience of Hawaii.

Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is conveniently located just 9 miles (14km) from central Jacksonville, on Florida’s sunny north Atlantic coast.

The airport is easy to navigate as it consists of one terminal with two concourses (A and C). A third concourse is planned for the airport, but will only be operational after 2013. The airport is also used by the Florida Air National Guard, so keep an eye out for some impressive military jets.

Jacksonville Airport is used by most North American airlines. Many airports across the United States, such as those in Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Baltimore, Chicago, Washington and New York are connected to Jacksonville International Airport.

With loads of shops and eateries, there’s always a lot to do at the airport. Jacksonville International Airport even has an art gallery and live music performances during peak travel seasons. It's the perfect gateway to the sun-kissed beaches of northern Florida.

John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is one of the busiest airports in the United States. It is also the first taste of New York City that most passengers get when flying to the United States. The airport is located in Queens and is 12 miles (20km) from Manhattan, where most tourist attractions are located.

JFK Airport is well stocked with every type of amenity a passenger could ask for. There are loads of shops, restaurants and bars at the airport, as well as hotels, parking and public transport facilities. However, busy airports often forget the finer details and JFK is no exception. Passengers may find it less than user-friendly at times, mostly due to its large size, and the enormous volume of passengers filing through on domestic and international flights (more than 46 million each year).

With eight terminals, flights to John F Kennedy International Airport are easy to come by on most major airlines. Passengers booking flights with American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue and Evergreen International Airlines should find it easy to get a flight to JFK Airport as all these airlines use the airport as a regional hub.

John F Kennedy International Airport is not only a gateway to the Big Apple – for many, it is a gateway to the United States. Although big, the airport is well equipped to deal with loads of passengers and using JFK should not be a daunting experience.

LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is situated in the borough of Queens, 8 miles (13km) east of Manhattan. It is New York’s primary domestic airport, and is the smallest of the city’s main commercial airports, despite the fact that more than 24 million passengers make their way through it each year.

According to a customer satisfaction survey by JD Power and Associates, LGA is ranked last out of 66 US airports. It’s also ranked last out of 31 airports for on-time arrivals. The customs and immigration facilities often come under fire from frustrated travellers arriving on international flights to LaGuardia Airport – so be prepared to queue at peak times, especially after midday.

Despite its downfalls, LaGuardia is a fairly popular airport due to its close proximity to Manhattan. Although not lavishly designed or decorated, the airport is clean and pleasant enough while the staff are generally friendly and helpful. The Port Authority is exploring development options, the result of which may actually lead to the demolition and rebuilding of LGA in an attempt to create a more efficient, smooth-running airport.

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is only 14 miles (22.5km) from downtown Toronto. Despite being Canada’s busiest airport, it’s a pleasant facility to experience, largely due to the staff who have a reputation for being friendly and helpful.

Toronto Pearson International is well-equipped to deal with most passenger needs. It has a great selection of shopping and dining options and it is well-serviced by public transport.

It’s also well served by major airlines. More than 50 carriers offer flights to Toronto International Airport. It is a hub for Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air Transat, CanJet, SunWing Airlines and WestJet.

With its two terminals and great connectivity both locally and internationally, Toronto Pearson International Airport is a great choice when flying to Canada.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is located 16 miles (26km) southwest of downtown Los Angeles. As the sixth-busiest airport in the world, it’s hardly surprising that LAX serves as a primary gateway to this region of the United States. Flights to Los Angeles International Airport arrive daily from major international hubs across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.

Los Angeles International has nine terminal buildings and on average it serves approximately 60 million passengers per year, and handles more than 600,000 aircraft take-offs and landings. Currently there is a project underway to build an additional terminal building west from the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The terminal will have ten gates, and is expected to be completed in 2012.

As this is a busy mega-airport, queues can be long and chaotic. The best thing to do would be to give yourself plenty of time to get all of the hassles of checking in and clearing customs over with, and then relax at one of the restaurants or pubs and get a nice big meal and a refreshing drink. Then, if you still have some time to spare, you could do a little gift shopping for that special someone.

Located five miles (8km) south of Las Vegas’s central business district, McCarran International Airport (LAS) is the largest airport serving the notorious Sin City, handling a whopping 40 million passengers each year.

Flights to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport come from all over the world. However, the most popular routes are short domestic flights from US cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, Chicago and Salt Lake City.

The facilities at McCarran are good, and staff members are friendly and efficient. The newer – and smaller - Terminal 2 has less to occupy your time and fewer places to sit, which can get annoying at peak times. Other than that there are few complaints to be made about the airport, so relax and try your luck at the slots while you wait for your flight.

Situated 8 miles (13km) north-west of downtown Miami, Miami International Airport (MIA) is South Florida’s main airport. Due to a vast number of tourist attractions and sizable local populations, it’s one of the largest hubs in the US and acts as the country's main gateway to Latin America. Having served just fewer than 36 million passengers in 2010, the airport is the 28th busiest in the world, with flights to Miami International Airport coming in from most continents.

Unfortunately, though, the airport has a reputation for being slow and disorganized, especially when it comes to luggage procedures. Passengers in transit often miss flights as they are required to clear immigration before collecting their baggage, after which they must then transfer it to their connecting flight. Moreover, it’s common practice for staff to remove bags from carousels and place them on the floor, leaving passengers to crowd around heaps of luggage and compete for a chance to locate theirs. Signage is lacking and unclear, and many airport personnel speak Spanish only.

However, MIA has a wide variety of eateries, bars and retail outlets to keep layover passengers amused. Musical performers also provide entertainment throughout the airport’s public spaces and numerous wall paintings add colour and vibrancy to the interior of the terminal building.         

Guadalajara International Airport (GDL), also referred to as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport, is situated 10 miles (16 km) south of the city centre of bustling Guadalajara. With almost 7 million passengers in 2010, it is Mexico’s third-busiest airport. Flights to Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport come in from Mexico and the US.

In 2007 the airport underwent major expansion and renovation, including the construction of an additional terminal concourse, four new taxiways and a multi-level parking complex; all of which have doubled the airport’s handling capacity and improved operations on all levels. Long queues are still common, but developments are set to resolve the issue.  

Guadalajara International is a relatively efficient airport with friendly and helpful staff and, with renovations taking place, it’s going from strength to strength. Travellers may look forward to seeing it compete with top international airports in the not-too-distant future. 

Located roughly 12 miles (20km) from downtown Montreal, Montreal Trudeau International Airport (YUL) serves Greater Montreal, along with parts of northern New York and Vermont.

The third-busiest airport in Canada, Montreal-Trudeau processes nearly 13 million passengers each year. Although the airport has state-of-the-art facilities and is pleasant enough, there are frequent complaints about long, slow-moving queues, disorganized customs and security processing, and a lack of adequate staffing.

Flights to Montreal Pierre-Elliot Trudeau International Airport are available from all over the world, including Mexico City, Barbados, Brussels, Barcelona, Cancun, Calgary, Paris, Toronto, Dallas, Chicago, London, New York, Rome, Amsterdam, Casablanca, Doho, Lisbon, Munich and Panama City, among others. While flights may be convenient, don’t plan on quick stopovers at Montreal-Trudeau as the long queues may turn into a missed connection.