Which airport is most convenient for longer stopovers?
While many airport terminal operators prioritize investment in duty-free shops or restaurants, others go a step further and try to make the stopover experience as comfortable and luxurious as possible. Airports like Singapore Changi, Hamad International in Doha and Dubai International all have facilities that give passengers great memories. From cozy bedrooms to champagne lounges, some of these places could be mistaken for a 5-star hotel. Hamad caught my eye with its size and range of options for relaxing. Which airports stand out to you? Let us know what you think below!
Should all first class tickets for domestic flights in the United States include lounge access?
Flying in premium cabins comes with many benefits, and not just on board the aircraft. Passengers with business and first class tickets can often take advantage of perks like priority check-in, expedited security screening, and of course, lounge access. One area of the airline industry where this doesn’t apply, however, is for US domestic first class ticket holders, as these fares generally don’t automatically come with lounge access. Instead, this is determined by frequent flyer status. While many first class passengers have sufficient status anyway, such a system seems unfair to those who don’t but may treat themselves to a one-off premium flight and therefore value lounge access more than the frequent flyers who get it every time. So I think all US domestic first class tickets should include some form of lounge access, but what about you? Let us know in the comments!
How many of the world’s best connected airports have you flown through?
Aviation analytics firm Cirium has released its list of the world’s best-connected airports for 2024, based on the number of destinations available. First place goes to Istanbul Airport with 309 destinations, most of which are served by Turkish Airlines, which flies to more countries than any other airline. Close behind was Frankfurt Airport with 296 destinations, and Paris Charles de Gaulle came in third worldwide with 282 destinations.
Four US airports made it into the top 10, but no British airports. Of the top 20, half were European airports, four were in China and two were in the Middle East.
Here is the list of airports that made it into the top 20: Istanbul (309 destinations), Frankfurt (296 destinations), Paris CDG (282), Amsterdam (270), Chicago O’Hare (270), Dubai (269), Dallas Fort Worth (261), Shanghai Pudong (243), Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (237), Rome Fiumicino (234), Denver (229), London Heathrow (221), Jeddah Kin
How long before your flight should you arrive at the airport?
Some passengers find it crucial to arrive at the airport many hours before departure. Others don’t mind arriving close to departure. During normal operations, many airports and airlines in Europe and North America recommend arriving three hours early for long-haul flights and two hours early for short-haul flights. I usually follow this recommendation to be on the safe side. However, do you think passengers should arrive earlier? Let us know below!
Which airports are easiest for transit?
Despite significant advances in direct flights in recent years, many routes still require transfers. Some airports are masters at transferring passengers and are designed to allow travelers to quickly connect to their next flight. Other airports, however, have more arduous steps along the way. I find the transfer at Dubai International Airport to be as smooth as ever. It has been carefully designed to ensure a seamless process for passengers and their baggage so they can transfer to their connecting flights as easily as possible. What other airports do you think are easiest for transferring passengers? Let us know below!
Why are there so few connections to South America from the UK?
The UK is one of the best-connected countries in the world. London Heathrow is praised for its well-connected network as Europe’s busiest airport, handling almost 80 million passengers annually. However, as of August, Heathrow only offers nonstop flights to four South American cities – Bogota, Santiago, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In comparison, Madrid is connected to 17 South American airports. Some surprising names, including tourism hotspots such as Peru and Argentina, are not served from London. It’s also important to note that the UK has a fast-growing Latin American diaspora. With Madrid just a stone’s throw away from the UK capital, perhaps British Airways will let its IAG counterpart Iberia conquer the Latin American market from Spain. Meanwhile, South American airlines may find it difficult to grab coveted slots at Heathrow. What do you think? Let us know below!
