US Airports

[bushycomm]

The reviews of US airports on Skytrak and others are generally most unfavourable, both as to facilities and to the treatment of passengers , including failure to honour fastback passes and express passes.
I really cannot believe conditions are as bad as are made out, but I suppose there id some truth in the reviews.
Which are the best airports for the first landing in the US, both east and west coast?

 

[Hvr]

Hi bushycomm and welcome to AFF. As with every survey take it with a grain of salt and seek other sources of information to confirm or rebut the Skytrak report.


Having travelled a bit in the US I find it depends on the airport, the actual carrier and how busy it is that day/hour.

 

[smit0847]

I liked SFO in the west

 

[Himeno]

Which are the best airports for the first landing in the US, both east and west coast?

I'd be hesitant to recommend an entire airport. A number of US airports can be really good in one terminal and extremely bad in another.

 

[clazman]

I detest LAX

 

[Dr Ralph]

The reviews of US airports on Skytrak and others are generally most unfavourable, both as to facilities and to the treatment of passengers , including failure to honour fastback passes and express passes.
I really cannot believe conditions are as bad as are made out, but I suppose there id some truth in the reviews.

Welcome to AFF bushycomm.

Nice first post.

I don't mind DFW.

 

[juddles]

I love entry via some of the Caribbean islands - you go through US immigration at the departure, not upon arrival.

 

[Dr Ralph]

I detest LAX

+10000000000000!

 

[Dr Ralph]

I love entry via some of the Caribbean islands - you go through US immigration at the departure, not upon arrival.

Such as?

Not my experiences whilst in Jamaica in June this year.

 

[juddles]

Such as?

Not my experiences whilst in Jamaica in June this year.

Have done it in Aruba and Bahamas (Nassau) - I think there are others.

 

[juddles]

Have done it in Aruba and Bahamas (Nassau) - I think there are others.

Just did a wiki search - it appears the only other pre-clearance facilities are Bermuda and places in Canada.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Have done it in Aruba and Bahamas (Nassau) - I think there are others.

Ok. So not in the West Indies.

 

[juddles]

Ok. So not in the West Indies.

Dr Ralph, totally offtopic, but am considering visiting Jamaica, but have heard that it is a dodgy place and you should stay in the resort/etc. In just one post, so as not to hijack this thread nor need to create another, was this your experience?

 

[juddles]

I detest LAX

I used to detest Miami, but now with that self-serve system, last experience was wonderful - took me just a couple of minutes. You need to have an ESTA and I think you have to have been there before, but it is a fast system. But it does seem to take me about 15 minutes fast walking just to get from the bloody plane to immigration.....

 

[Dr Ralph]

Dr Ralph, totally offtopic, but am considering visiting Jamaica, but have heard that it is a dodgy place and you should stay in the resort/etc. In just one post, so as not to hijack this thread nor need to create another, was this your experience?

I was in Jamaica for the cricket a couple of months ago. I went to Kingston and Ocho Rios. If it wasn't for the cricket I doubt I would have gone there and would be very unlikely to return. It's a very long way from Australia!

In terms of security, there are some problems in Kingston. I'd put it on par with other places like Cape Town. No problems in the resorts of Ocho Rios.

If you want to go to Kingston, I'd advise a high degree of personal awareness and caution. Take care not to display valuables and don't carry anything with you that you aren't prepared to have taken from you and you'll be fine. The locals are very skilful in watching you for days to work out what you've got they would be interested in and then waiting for the best time to rob you. Of the group of 20 I was with, 2 were robbed at night on the way back to the hotel from Chris Gayle's bar.

I certainly wouldn't say don't go because there is a high rate of crime, more be very cautious.

 

[dajop]

Just did a wiki search - it appears the only other pre-clearance facilities are Bermuda and places in Canada.

And Dublin, Shannon and Abu Dhabi.

 

[Milboo]

I can't say I have ever had an issue with LAX - and found the new TBIT terminal quite good. The Delta terminal (think it is 6) is a bit slower/ tatty around the edges though.

I have found the NY airports to be average quality but never had issues with lines etc

Main thing is to not expect them to be like what we are used to here - they are a very different beast.

 

[clazman]

Travelling in J and F does make a difference as you are normally first to customs and immigration

 

[juddles]

Travelling in J and F does make a difference as you are normally first to customs and immigration

True to some extent - you beat your flight's pax - but there are normally in my experience six other flights also arriving just in front :/

 

[dk4]

In terms of security, there are some problems in Kingston.

Here is a picture of a shop front from a convenience store in Kingston.

You can step off the pavement and stand at the counter, but the entire inventory of the shop and the sales person are secured behind wire mesh and wooden doors. If you want to purchase something, they will open the little wooden window to take payment and hand your purchase to you.

I would not recommend visiting Kingston - unless one has a compelling reason to do so. The tourist areas of the island however, are fine.