How many airports have you been to?

[moderatevoter]

Would also be curious to know what people's favorite airport is.  Minneapolis/St. Paul is actually probably the best one I've been to, at least of the American ones.  Gets high marks for the layout, and number of dining/entertainment options for an airport that size.

In the United States, the best airport is easily Detroit, particularly if you're flying Delta or one of their SkyTeam partners. That terminal is insane.

Internationally, I'm going to go with Dubai. The European airports I've been to are fairly meh. The new terminals in Delhi and Mumbai are pretty impressive too.

[moderatevoter]

Angus, you didn't like Detroit? I'm referring to the McNamara Terminal, with the monorail, fountains, etc. Not the other terminal where they have like everyone other than Delta.

[moderatevoter]

Would also be curious to know what people's favorite airport is.  Minneapolis/St. Paul is actually probably the best one I've been to, at least of the American ones.  Gets high marks for the layout, and number of dining/entertainment options for an airport that size.

In the United States, the best airport is easily Detroit, particularly if you're flying Delta or one of their SkyTeam partners. That terminal is insane.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA no

it's two straight lines

and i always had to go from one end to the other

i hated everything
[/quote]

Well, yes But it's still a really nice facility. I think Terminal A is the second longest terminal building in the world, so I understand your pain though haha.

[moderatevoter]

way back when I traveled with my father

I remember back in the day.  First time I ever flew on an airplane was in about 1974 and my father's company paid for it, so it was first class.  The whole family flew to Amsterdam and our seats were on the upper storey of a two-decker.  KLM 747 I think it was.  Remember when people could smoke on planes?  All the second-hand smoke you could handle.  I remember when I was a kid I could walk up to the cockpit door and open it and talk to the captain.  C'mon in son, wanna see how a real airplane works?  That was special.  Back then people had leg room, even in the cheap seats.  And First Class was really special.  The big screen movies and fresh baked pastries and copious sodas and ice cream.  We also went on some cheap seats from time to time.  The cheap service back then was better than the first class service now. 

As recently as 15 years ago I still remember getting on an airplane with my electric guitar case.  No one asking me what was inside it or x-raying it to look for weapons, or asking me to check it and stow it below because it was so big.

Times have changed.  Not having to take off my shoes at the airport or actually having leg room on a plane now seems like it must have happened in a dream.  Nowadays it's like, "Oh, you want to take a suitcase with you?  That'll be an extre twenty-five dollars, please."   Seriouly?

I can't necessarily speak from the same perspective, as I certainly did not fly in 1974, but I certainly agree with your overall point. Traveling is not so fun now a days, and not necessarily just because of the security aspect, but air service is just not the same as it was even 10 years ago.

Random - but you can still smoke on some airlines (not in the US, but many Middle Eastern airlines).