Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. News

Travel tips: Study says these are the best (and worst) airports to catch a connecting flight

Travel tips: If you can't fly nonstop, travel through this airport

By
airport
Skitterphoto / Pixabay

Choosing a good airport for your connecting flight is essential for a smooth air travel experience. An efficient airport can significantly impact your journey, minimizing the risk of delays, missed connections, and other hassles. FinanceBuzz recently performed a study ranking the best and worst airports for a connecting flight– and some of the airports on the list may surprise you.

Person sitting in airport
Marco Lopez / Unsplash

The best airports and worst airports for connecting flights

The study ranks these hubs as the best airports for connecting flights:

  • Richmond International Airport (RIC)
  • Tampa International Airport (TPA)
  • Boise Airport (BOI)
  • Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)
  • Bradley International Airport (BDL)
  • Ontario International Airport (ONT)
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
  • San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
  • Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
  • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Recommended Videos

Connecting through one of the airports on this list should be a breeze. At Richmond International Airport, the longest walk between any two gates in the airport is only eight minutes, and at Tampa International Airport, it only takes two minutes to walk from a security checkpoint to the gate situated farthest away in the terminal. Walking from one side to the other in Bradley International Airport’s largest terminal takes only three minutes, which is the shortest walk in any of America’s busiest airports. At SAT, it takes 50% less time to walk from end-to-end in the largest terminal than the national average.

On the other hand, there are a few airports you may want to leave out of your travel plans. According to the study, the worst airports for a connecting flight include:

  • Denver International Airport (DEN)
  • O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
  • Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
  • John Wayne Airport (SNA)
  • LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
  • Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
  • Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
  • Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  • Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)

Any one of these airports can be a headache to navigate if you have a tight connecting flight. Denver International Airport is the airport with the worst delay problem in the country, and the longest walk between any two gates at Chicago O’Hare Airport is a staggering 49 minutes. Additionally, JFK has one of the longest walks possible between security and the farthest-away departure gate, which is 17 minutes. To walk between the two gates located furthest apart at LAX takes nearly an hour.

plane ticket
PeopleImages.com – Yuri A / Shutterstock

Key considerations when choosing an airport for your connecting flight

When selecting an airport for your connecting flight, several key considerations should be made. Firstly, prioritize airports with efficient and well-coordinated flight schedules, minimizing your layover times and reducing the risk of missed connections. Also, consider the airport’s geographic location in relation to your final destination, as choosing a hub closer to your endpoint can shorten your overall travel time.

Additionally, evaluate the airport’s reputation for reliability, amenities, and services. If you have a tight connection, then you may want to think twice before traveling through some of the worst airports we mentioned above. Instead, opt for one of the hubs on the best airports list, and remember, always stay calm if you happen to miss your connecting flight.

Amanda Teague
Amanda Teague
Contributor
Amanda, an accomplished freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio, is a dedicated explorer of both the world and the written word… Read Full Bio
Topics
Travel
Savannah Beyond the Postcard
Architecture, Building, Spire

Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.

Read more
Travel
I spent 72 hours in London with only a carry-on. Here’s how I did it in style
London

Somewhere between the baggage claim carousel and the Elizabeth Line, I realized I’d already won. As passengers from my Norwegian flight to London crowded around the conveyor belt waiting for checked luggage to appear, I was already on my way into the city. Twenty minutes later, I was headed toward central London with nothing more than a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. I’ve become a bit of a carry-on evangelist over the past few years. Not because I’m trying to prove some minimalist point or because I enjoy seeing how few shirts I can survive with. I just genuinely think it’s the better way to travel, especially for a long weekend in Europe.

My recent 72-hour trip from Copenhagen to London wasn’t exactly a backpacker’s itinerary. It included a stay at one of London’s nicest luxury hotels, rooftop cocktails, dinners worth dressing up for, and plenty of walking through Soho, Covent Garden, and the rest of central London. Somehow, everything I needed fit inside my Travelpro Platinum Elite Slim Cabin Hardshell Spinner V2, with a backpack holding my flight essentials.

Read more
Travel
This New Montana Hotel Captures the Poetry of the Open Road
Corner, Home Decor, Bed

In case you need another excuse for a Montana getaway this summer, a quirky new boutique hotel has opened in Helena, the Treasure State’s capital. The Bell Hotel occupies the site of the former Bell Motel, a classic 1950s roadside lodge thoughtfully reimagined by CWG Architecture. Each of its 14 rooms features locally made chocolates, coffee, and artwork. While in town, ask the front desk about the Bell’s Picnic in the Park package. The hotel supplies a basket of local treats and a blanket; Montana provides the sublime scenery and glorious weather. You’re on your own for companionship.

Hannah honey was a peachy kind of girl /Her eyes were hazel and her nose was slightly curved /We spent a lonely night at the Memory Motel- The Rolling Stones

Read more