Airports in North America

Located just three miles (5km) from the central business district of the second-largest city in Tennessee, Memphis International Airport (MEM) is a regional hub serving the greater Memphis area. The airport is within easy distance of both Arkansas and Mississippi, making it a convenient alternative to several airports in the American South.

Flights to Memphis International Airport come mostly from other US cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Houston, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Denver, Boston, Miami, Charlotte and many other cities in the South. There are a few international flights to Cancun and Amsterdam with Delta.

The airport is small, but designed for efficiency. Travellers looking for designer shops and high-tech amenities may be left disappointed, but Memphis International Airport is a practical gateway to Tennessee, and just a short drive from popular Memphis attractions such as Graceland and Beale Street.

Oakland International Airport (OAK) is 4.6 miles (7.4km) from the city center of Oakland, California, and one of three airports serving the San Francisco Bay area.

Although not as popular with tourists as nearby San Francisco or San Juan, oak tree-lined Oakland has an interesting and diverse mix of cultures, with more than 100 languages spoken throughout its suburbs.

Popular with low-cost carriers, the airport saw a boom at the end of the last decade and is currently undergoing a much needed multi-million dollar upgrade to its two terminals. There are flights to Oakland International Airport mainly from destinations across the US. The busiest routes are those to major Californian cities as well as Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Portland. Terminal 2 is used exclusively by Southwest Airlines, with Terminal 1 used by all other carriers.

Situated eight miles (13km) north-west of downtown Miami, Miami International Airport (MIA) is South Florida’s main airport. Due to a vast number of tourist attractions and sizable local populations, it’s one of the largest hubs in the US and acts as the country's main gateway to Latin America. Having served just fewer than 36 million passengers in 2010, the airport is the 28th busiest in the world, with flights to Miami International Airport coming in from most continents.

Unfortunately, though, the airport has a reputation for being slow and disorganized, especially when it comes to luggage procedures. Passengers in transit often miss flights as they are required to clear immigration before collecting their baggage, after which they must then transfer it to their connecting flight. Moreover, it’s common practice for staff to remove bags from carousels and place them on the floor, leaving passengers to crowd around heaps of luggage and compete for a chance to locate theirs. Signage is lacking and unclear, and many airport personnel speak Spanish only.

However, MIA has a wide variety of eateries, bars and retail outlets to keep layover passengers amused. Musical performers also provide entertainment throughout the airport’s public spaces and numerous wall paintings add color and vibrancy to the interior of the terminal building.         

Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport (MSP) is the biggest and busiest airport in the Midwest, serving the greater Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul. So close together that there is no visible distinction, the cities make up a sprawling metro area of more than 3.5 million people.

Most airlines fly in and out of Terminal 1, also known as the Lindbergh Terminal (named after Minnesota native Charles Lindbergh). Terminal 2, the Humphrey Terminal, is named for popular local politician Hubert H. Humphrey, whose name also adorns the nearby football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.

Flights to Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport come from all over the world, but its most popular routes are to domestic cities such as Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Seattle, Las Vegas and Milwaukee.

The airport is clean and attractive, with helpful staff and sparkling facilities that make flying through the airport a pleasure. Its convenient location near two downtown areas and many attractions makes it a great place to start a vacation in Minnesota.

There aren’t many direct flights to Mobile Regional Airport (MOB), in fact you can only fly directly from Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Memphis and Charlotte. Despite this, Mobile Regional is a busy little airport with more than 50 daily flights.

You may expect that a small airport like this would offer bargain fares, but that isn’t the case with Mobile Regional. As no low-cost carriers such as JetBlue or Southwest operate from the airport, the fares tend to be higher than nearby Pensacola Regional Airport.

The facilities at Mobile Regional are basic, with only a couple of restaurants and newsstands to keep passengers entertained between flights. A lack of entertainment and children’s amenities make it a less-than-ideal airport for stopovers. Still, if you do fly into Mobile Regional Airport, you can expect a warm Southern welcome from the friendly and helpful staff.

Located roughly 12 miles (20km) from downtown Montreal, Montreal Trudeau International Airport (YUL) serves Greater Montreal, along with parts of northern New York and Vermont.

The third-busiest airport in Canada, Montreal-Trudeau processes nearly 13 million passengers each year. Although the airport has state-of-the-art facilities and is pleasant enough, there are frequent complaints about long, slow-moving queues, disorganized customs and security processing, and a lack of adequate staffing.

Flights to Montreal Pierre-Elliot Trudeau International Airport are available from all over the world, including Mexico City, Barbados, Brussels, Barcelona, Cancun, Calgary, Paris, Toronto, Dallas, Chicago, London, New York, Rome, Amsterdam, Casablanca, Doho, Lisbon, Munich and Panama City, among others. While flights may be convenient, don’t plan on quick stopovers at Montreal-Trudeau as the long queues may turn into a missed connection.

Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Nashville. Having recently undergone a five-year renovation plan, the vastly improved airport building now comprises an enormous passenger terminal with 47 gates and four concourses.

A mid-sized airport offering warm service and adequate shopping and dining options, with a strong emphasis on honoring and promoting the state’s rich musical heritage, Nashville International serves as a pleasant gateway to the greater Tennessee region. Like all airports, queues can sometimes be lengthy (especially during holidays); however, operations are generally smooth and staff efficient.   

Nassau International Airport, now known as Lynden Pindling International Airport, is situated 10 miles (16 km) west of Nassau, New Providence Island. It is the Bahamas’ largest airport and the country’s main gateway to the world.

Having recently undergone renovations, including terminal expansion and upgrading of various facilities, as well as the addition of 34 new gates, Nassau International now has the capacity to handle 5 million passengers per year. Staff are friendly, queues are generally short and check-in and security fast and painless. Better yet, the airport features a US Border pre-clearance facility for flights traveling to the US. Shopping and dining options are limited, though. In essence, Nassau International is a quick in-and-out airport with little reason to stay longer than you need to.

As the largest commercial airport serving the New Orleans and southeast Louisiana area, Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) welcomes around 8 million passengers each year. The airport is located 11.5 miles (19km) west of New Orleans, and is the second lowest-lying international airport in the world, sitting merely 4.5 feet (1.4m) above sea level.

Flights to Louis Armstrong International arrive daily from across the United States, with occasional flights arriving from Canada and South America. Some of the major airlines that operate at the airport include Continental Airlines, Delta, Frontier Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines among a number of others.      

If you're spending some time at the airport, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the efficiency you'll encounter here. Queuing won't take up too much time, and staff are friendly and happy to help. There'll be enough to keep you occupied, although if you’re waiting in Concourse D, then you'll have to make do with limited refreshment options.