2025 Airport Ratings (Living Post)

A live look at all the airports I've visited in 2025 and my rating on them! This post will be updated all throughout the year!

2025 Airport Ratings

Phoenix (PHX)

Times Visited in 2025: 8

Overall Rating: 94/100

Busy: Only on main travel days, but Precheck is always < 15 minutes of waiting for me.

Pros: Always clean, a direct train to the rental car center, quick security, super convenient and generally cheap parking (a major plus for Phoenix residents), direct flights to pretty much every major city + Maui, Hawaii, a ton of lounges and diverse lounges based on whatever consumer you are. Amex, Chase, American, United, Delta, Escape, USO.

I'm biased to Phoenix because it is probably the airport I've spent the most time in, but at that same point I should also be more critical because I've had to spend so much time here. If it was really bad, I would know and I have no problem calling out an airport.

Cons: Not a lot to do or walk around if you do have a layover, lounges are spread out. I really want to try the Chase lounge but it's far from every flight that I've had. Because Phoenix is a hub for a lot of events, during certain parts of the year. The most annoying thing I've experienced at PHX is that when you check a bag, the bag carousel is never right first try and moves around 1-2 times at Terminal 4 (Terminal 3 I haven't had this issue)

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Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)

Times Visited in 2025: 3

Overall Rating: 60/100

Busy: Always, but security isn't really an issue from my experience (Both pre and post Pre-Check)

Pros: Lots of space, shops and activities. During a long layover you could get your steps in, lots to look at and is generally clean and fun to be at! Good lounge selection. I don't think I've had a super long security experience both pre-and-post pre-check.

Probably the best airport to have a connecting flight to, other than Salt Lake!

Cons: You have to pay a toll to pick someone up from the airport. This is actually dumb. I also don't personally love how they do the between this gate and this gate drop off. I think they could've for sure just done one security at each terminal and then ride the train to your other locations. Would've saved a ton of time, and resources they could've further put into developing the infrastructure of the airport.

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Orlando (MCO)

*my first flight ever was Atlanta (ATL) to Orlando (MCO)

Times Visited in 2025: 1

Overall Rating: 01/100

Busy: Self inflicted consistently slow security lines.

Pros: It's an airport that can get you to Disney.

Cons: The worst airport in the US. Unconnected Terminals having to leave a secured area if you have a connecting flight in a different terminal. Consistently the slowest security lines of any airport...any airport I've ever been to...even with TSA Pre-check. Very confusing directional signage with no clear or frequent signs for the most basic traveler needs, like which escalator to take to get to the level for the freaking rental car center... Dirty. Inconvenient construction projects that never get completed.

Denver (DEN)

Times Visited in 2025: 2

Overall Rating: 55/100 (Slightly above average)

Busy: I haven’t seen it crazy busy.

Pros: Big airport, clean, with a lot of new new (This is also a con). Super advanced TSA Pre-check that was super fast. Very nice C Gate American Airlines Admirals Lounge.

Cons: The directional signs were made by someone who is directionally challenged. They put the signs up yes, but there was no thought of the journey a passenger would have going from their gate to leaving the airport. Having split baggage claim zones is weak. And a HUGE flag for me, is not having a rental car center and having shuttles to the rental car companies. United States Domestic Airports who don’t have a train to an actual rental car center do not understand the needs of passengers and need to re-evaluate their priorities. One note that I’m not going to harp too much on is the forever construction. I know they’re improving the facility so giving DEN a hard time about this would be kinda like making fun of someone who’s overweight at the gym. They’re overweight yes, but they’re actively trying to better their life so you’re just a jerk. But I’ve been going to Denver a few times a year for the past 2 years and it *feels* like the construction signs are in the same place not showing any real progress or very slow progress. Get in, get fit make it better, and move on…please DEN.

Miami (MIA)

Fun fact: I’ve never actually left the airport in Miami, just been a connector.

Times Visited in 2025: 2

Overall Rating: Pending 37/100

Busy: Very

Pros: Short flights to very fun places. Generally clean. Lots of shops and food options. Good lounge selection — layovers here are great.

Cons: Poor flow pre security, and poor security process. The airport is not intuitive and the traveler experience was absolutely an after thought. Poor international return process. I believe I had a 20-30 minute walk through a bunch of open empty spaces to get to customs. They absolutely have the ability to make this experience better, but again no thought towards actual traveler experience.

* This might be a biased statement but it’s a true observation that Florida airports are bad. Really bad. I have a special place in my heart for Florida, spending nearly all of my childhood vacations here, but their airports simply do not compare to other states.

Salt Lake City (SLC)

Times Visited in 2025: 2

Overall Rating: Pending 91/100

Busy: Moderate

Pros: One of the most clean airports I’ve ever been to. Big open spaces that make it feel less busy then it probably is. Enclosed short on site rental car center, incredibly underrated bonus to SLC. Easy security with friendly people. I would personally only try to fly in on Delta. All other airlines are second class, American Airlines form Phx doesn’t have a big airplane direct flight to SLC.

Cons: No lounges other than the Delta lounge, which is usually really busy (this is another reason I would only fly Delta in and out of SLC), if you fly in with another airline you have a decent underground walk to the main gate ← this is how good SLC really is. The only things I can think of as a con is a brief walk and only having 1 airline lounge.

Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR)

Times Visited in 2025: 2

Overall Rating: 47/100

Busy: Not really busy, just average tourist traffic.

Pros: Super nice American Airlines staff. Security and Costa Rica’s version of the TSA (I think they’re just Military Police). On my departure flight they inspected my Camera pelican case but were super nice and low number of gates and really easy to find. Customs entering the country was insanely chill and easy.

Cons: Rental car return center for Sixt was in a far away and I drove right by it because no signage. Food was subpar and there were super limited options. No lounges (a super privilege con but hey, I travel a lot and have some new expectations). Under construction and had one elevator to the gates. Overall a below average looking and feeling airport. Nothing to write home about.