Best and worst airports: Part I

In the three weeks I was gone, I experienced a total of 15 airports. Some were average and fairly unforgettable, some made me want to curse at any biped that crossed my path, and some made me want to set up shop there for a couple of weeks. I've ranked these 15 airports in descending order (last entry is the top-ranked one), making a separate list each for best and worst airports. In this post, I'll do the best airports I've experienced and in the next, the ones I'd rather not visit again if I can help it.

Best

8. Derry — It's so small, it's impossible to get lost or have tired feet or anything. Keep in mind that this isn't the type of airport to hang out in and be entertained while you're waiting for a connecting flight; it's more of a terminal airport where people arrive to stay put. You can take the 144 bus into Derry's city centre for about £3 or a cab for £11 or £12. Because it's so small, all the staff are so helpful, like when the automatic door wouldn't open and the staff told each other about it like they were family members.

7. Dublin — The folks at the private lounge are really nice and helpful and you can't help but pepper them with questions just to hear their lovely accents. Unfortunately, the food choice isn't really good. If you're not hanging out in the public lounges, the rest of the airport has plenty of amenities, and there are two places where you can get an Irish SIM card. Make sure to print boarding passes before you arrive because the printing kiosk they have there sucks. I got lucky when the agent at the Air France-KLM desk printed mine (not sure how many times I should be repeating this, as I think this should probably stay a secret), but that was a fluke. Walking distances are on the longer side of average and when you get to security, be warned: this is definitely an airport where you must plastic bag your liquids, gels and aerosols (or at least, most of them).

6. Tromsø — It's small and intimate and nothing takes long at all, and when you land, you get an awesome view of the fjords and mountains. However, because it is so small, that means there's not a whole lot to keep you occupied there. Probably the easiest way to get to the airport is by one of those dedicated airport buses but if you just get a Tromsoø city transport card, you may as well save money. Only trouble is, the bus is always late so factor that in, and it doesn't actually pull into the airport, so you'll have to walk about a quarter kilometre to get in.

5. Hamburg — Their private lounge has both showers and sleep pods (which I only discovered with half an hour before boarding, so just a shower for me, no nap), but major marks are taken off for their wifi. You get one free hour every 24 hours, and then you have to pay after that (can't remember how much). Passing through security is relatively quick, although there are a couple of different lines you can enter and I'm not really sure what the difference of each is. One Hamburg subway line terminates right at the airport and in a neat twist, you don't have to pay zonal fare, just one price to get you there.

4. Rome Fiumicino — Things feel a little hectic once you're inside and there's a fair bit of walking, plus the wifi connection takes a bit of patience to set up (but it is free). Depending on which shop you're at, you'll either hear fluent English or get a hand in your face as the person is on the phone and won't let you into things. You'll also encounter plenty of people asking you if you need a taxi or ticket on the Leonardo Express train. The latter is okay because there's only one price, so it doesn't matter if you go with that agent or buy from a machine. The express train into Roma Termini is kind of nice, though, even if it doesn't quite leave on time.

3. Kraków John Paul II &mash; It services the second-largest city in Poland and yet the airport itself is incredibly foot-friendly without feeling squeezed. A nice bonus is that going through security takes hardly any time at all, which is a pleasant surprise given that there are about three quarters of a million people in Kraków. The food selection isn't terribly big, but with the weak Polish currency, you won't be spending much anyway. There are also plenty of English-speaking staff present.

2. Oslo Gardermoen — There are no private lounges covered by the Priority Pass card, which is a big minus, but they do have a coffee place called Caffé Ritazza where you can get free refills on your coffee. This coffee shop also has plenty of electrical outlets and tall-backed egg-shaped chairs that are nice to sink into. One of the biggest selling features of Gardermoen is how ridiculously easy it is to get into the city centre. The fastest option is the Airport Express train that, while a little pricey, gets you into Oslo S in just 20 minutes; it's also got plenty of outlets on board, vending machines for coffee and tea, and free wifi.

1. Eindhoven — This middle-sized airport is big enough to offer plenty of amenities for every traveler, yet not so large you feel like you're wandering around Algonquin Park. There's a Starbucks where you can enjoy burnt-tasting coffee (but really, everyone goes there for the abundant electrical outlets), post boxes just outside, spacious and clean bathrooms, a kitschy gift shop where you can buy clogs and tulip-y things, and a huge wall mural picture outside of PSV Eindhoven where you can "sit" amongst the football team and have your picture taken. I'm told that Eindhoven itself isn't much, but it's a hub in getting to Germany and the rest of the Netherlands quickly and easily. And everyone speaks English there, so you never feel too out of sorts.