Pilots’ Favorite and Least Favorite Airports

They often use slightly different metrics than passengers to rate facilities.

Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 04:02 PM ET

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Pilots are interested in which airports are busiest, where the arrivals are easiest, and which air traffic controllers generally do the best work. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots evaluate airports based on distinct operational factors like approach complexity, air traffic control efficiency, and overall workload, differing significantly from passenger comfort metrics.
Pilot favorites often feature scenic or challenging approaches, combined with practical benefits like easier navigation or access to cities, exemplified by Innsbruck and London City.
Conversely, least favorite airports are typically characterized by congestion, outdated infrastructure, difficult operations, or exceptionally challenging approaches, such as LaGuardia and Paro.
New airports like Berlin Brandenburg and Beijing Daxing are still establishing their reputation among flight crews.

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Each year, organizations like SkyTrax publish awards that include the best and worst airports around the world. These generally focus on items such as passenger comfort, amenities, concessions, security wait times, and other passenger-focused metrics.

Pilots also have favorite and least favorite airports, but for different reasons. In addition to wondering who has the best scenery and food, crewmembers are interested in which airports are busiest, where the arrivals are easiest, and which air traffic controllers generally do the best work. Also included are the scenery of approaches, airport complexity, and workload throughout each turn.

John McDermott

John McDermott is a student at Northwestern University. He is also a student pilot with hopes of flying for the airlines. A self-proclaimed ""avgeek,"" John will rave about aviation at length to whoever will listen, and he is keen to call out any airplane he sees, whether or not anyone around him cares about flying at all. John previously worked as a Journalist and Editor-In-Chief at Aeronautics Online Aviation News and Media. In his spare time, John enjoys running, photography, and watching planes approach Chicago O'Hare from over Lake Michigan.