America's 'Ugliest Airports' Named in Survey

by Kim Foley MacKinnon Subscribe to Kim Foley MacKinnon's postsPosted Dec 30th 2010 11:45 AMUpdated Dec 30th 2010 11:56 AM

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Five airports won the dubious honor of being named the "ugliest in the U.S." in a reader poll recently conducted by TheStreet.

Of the 5,718 people who responded to TheStreet's survey, which only offered six choices, New York's LaGuardia Airport was picked as the ugliest with 24% of the votes. New York's John F. Kennedy International was second with 17.5%, followed by St. Louis with 16.5%, Philadelphia with 16.4% and Los Angeles with 14%.

TheStreet says the airport list was limited to only major airports and was partly based on comments from readers from other stories. And while beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, ugly in this case means "cramped and dark and lacking vista views."

Comments about LaGuardia Airport, which dominated the poll with 1,385 votes, included one reader saying, "LGA is the worst by far, [with] ancient facilities. ... They need to knock the whole thing down and start over."

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport came in third with 16.5% of reader votes. Jeff Lea, the only airport spokesman to respond to TheStreet's request for official comments, criticized the poll.

"Your survey isn't very scientific," Lea tells TheStreet. "You offered limited choices (after) pre-choosing which airports were the worst."

Honorable mentions went to Chicago Midway and Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport.

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Photo, Jim McIntosh, Flickr

Filed Under: News

Tags: airports, airports survey, kennedy airport, laguardia, los angles, philadelphia, st louis

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nik

LaGuardia is a very nice friendly and clean airport. The only airport we fly from because of the great service. JFK is terrible un-clean and is always backed up.

January 03 2011 at 8:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Gabriela

Honestly, I could care less what an airport looks like as long as it gets me to my flight on time. JFK isn't as bad as most people say. I've been traveling through that airport for most of my life, and I've never experienced any flight delays or rude personnel. But I have also had to catch connecting flights in Bush International Airport in Houston, and everything is so far apart. I remember the last time I went there and the gate where I had to wait for my flight was at one extreme of the airport, while all the restaurants and food vendors were at the other end. That was 6 years ago, and I have refused to use that airport ever since then

January 02 2011 at 10:58 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Billie

As long as they have cinnabon's...I don't care what they look like! :)

January 02 2011 at 5:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

NotesToMel

I think Albuquerque International Airport is one of the most visually appealing and reflects the SW the best. Very clean and open with lots of natural light.

January 02 2011 at 3:58 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dennis

You forgot abut the Palm Springs, CA airport. It looks like a circus tent.

January 02 2011 at 3:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

george42

Opening line of Douglas Adams 'Long Dark Teatime of the Soul'..."It is hardly a coincidence that no language on earth has produced the phrase 'As pretty as an airport'".

January 02 2011 at 3:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dino

Oh, my! There's nothing worse than an ugly airport! (What I hate are the ones like Atlanta, when you think you have plenty of time to get to your flight_WRONG-start walking hard, and you will just barely make it before takeoff)--Airport is TOO BIG.

January 02 2011 at 3:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Joanne

Looking for ugly? Go to the Kansas City airport.

January 02 2011 at 3:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Arseno

San Diego's Lindbergh Field is number 10 on "exteme airports" white-knucklewise in terms of landing and take-off's on a single runway, is like landing on an aircraft carrier between highrises and hills, but it's Americas most convienent airport next to the harbor,downtown and a most beautiful city to observe from a window while landing, airport buildings are attractive and inviting, a favorite destination.

January 02 2011 at 3:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dean

Why in hell would anyone care what an airport looks like?

January 02 2011 at 3:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply