The 12 Best Airports in the United States

A few of these move a hundred thousand people a day without visible effort; the rest make you earn your gate.

1. 1
   Los Angeles International (LAX)

   The country's busiest origin-and-destination airport, mid-way through a multi-billion rebuild.
2. 2
   Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta

   The world's busiest airport by passenger count, and its most efficient connector.
3. 3
   Denver International

   White peaked roof on the plains, with room to grow that older hubs never had.
4. 4
   San Francisco International

   A J.D. Power favourite among mega airports, led by its Harvey Milk terminal.
5. 5
   John F. Kennedy International

   New York's gateway, rebuilt terminal by terminal around the old TWA Flight Center.
6. 6
   Portland International

   Carpet with a cult following and a mass-timber roof over the main hall.
7. 7
   Minneapolis-Saint Paul

   Consistently near the top of satisfaction studies for a cold-weather hub.
8. 8
   Seattle-Tacoma

   Mount Rainier out the window and a compact walk between gates.
9. 9
   Dallas/Fort Worth

   Its own zip code, five terminals and a train that circles them all.
10. 10
    Chicago O'Hare

    Six runways, a neon tunnel and weather that decides the national schedule.
11. 11
    Charlotte Douglas

    White rocking chairs in the atrium of an unusually calm mega hub.
12. 12
    Tampa International

    A hub-and-spoke design from 1971 that still beats most modern layouts.

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