What are your favorite international airports in terms of store and food offerings and why?

I should preface this by saying that when using the term International Airports, I am referring to the International Terminals at airports both in the US and in other countries.

At the airport in Barcelona, they sell small bottles of wine with the screw top.

Walking across the street and picking up the train to go downtown is great in Amsterdam, Rome and San Francisco.

We had a surprise last October when we flew NW for the first time. We flew to Detroit and out (to CDG-Paris). It was a great airport with lots of food options, clean and easy to traverse.

European airports: I don't have a problem with any of them, unless I'm using one to return home Other than the long, long walk to the gate, I even like Heathrow!

topping!

I would love to hear more about what to expect at LHR and SFO....

SFO International is fairly nice with fairly good food, but little or no shopping. Hong Kong is really nice and I rather like Munich as well. Do not believe any airport has particularly good shopping.

The funny thing is that some people seem to have such vivid memories of different airports, but I don't really. Am I the only one for whom this scarcely registers?

I do remember that SFO has a spot that smells like clam chowder. SFO is sadly memorable to me for another reason. A few years ago, Alaska Airlines had a crash on an SFO-bound plane from Mexico. When I arrived at SFO for my Air Canada flight, I kept on hearing this announcement over the loudspeaker, "Meeters and greeters for Alaska Airlines Flight XXX, please come to _______" I knew what was up, because I had watched the news just before I went to the airport.

But so long as I have my books and magazines, and somewhere to sit, the airport hardly makes a difference to me. I guess some airports have longer terminals to walk through, and more stairs to climb, and some are more or less elegant, and so forth. But there's not much that comes to mind without really thinking about it. Gatwick has lots of shops. Schipol has lots of moving sidewalks. LAX has a very nice enclosed courtyard area. Unfortunately for me, this is a smoking area, so I couldn't enjoy it that much, but I thought it was nice enough to visit anyway.

Chiangi Airport - Singapore. Clean and beautifully laid out. Organized, easy to follow signs. Beautiful orchid display. Polite shop assistants.

Definitely the Singapore Airport!

Hi

I think Schiphol in Amsterdam is quite nice. They have lots of different shops raning from watches, diamonds to cheese and standard duty free stuff. I'm not sure what the prices are like on electronics but it is fun to walk around and look at stuff. We normally end up going through this airport since KLM is often the cheaper alternative for us.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

I went through Singapore Airport recently at about 3am. Most of it was closed and toilet facilities were inadequate.Food and retail facilities were poor at that time of the night.I guess my expectations were too high as I had read many good reports and was planning to do quite a bit of shopping. In the end I spent less than $10.

Another vote for Singapore (when it's open!) and Hong Kong. Although I'm sick of seeing the same high-end retail stores over and over, at least they have a buzz and good food choices. Have just been to the new airport in Adelaide, South Australia which is a 100% improvement on the shed they had before. Amazing to see how travel has started to really impact on different countries...

Another vote for Singapore followed by Schipol in Amsterdam. Barcelona comes third for me.

Hi All,

Dhahran airport (Saudi Arabia). From my childhood, I remember the lines of the building resembling a tent billowing in the wind; the lights inside were always yelloish, and the air outside was as soft as satin gossamer on my skin.

Hmmm. No wonder I still travel --

Wish I knew what it was like now.

s

Thanks for having sensible wording: a poster asked about the airports we <b> loved </b> a few months ago. Possibly just about the last verb coming into most of our heads when airports are mentioned.

Surely everyone's favourite has to be London City: 10 minute check in still, a bit over 20 mins by tube from central London. Just possible, if you've got nerves of steel, to leave a house in Islington early in the morning exactly an hour before takeoff, drive to the airport, park, walk to the checkin and catch your flight to Paris or Amsterdam.

Heathrow would be, though, if they'd create a Heathrow Express going west. 45 mins from the Cotswolds to the airport, and you could get your morning constitutional just walking from the platform to the gate. A brisk walk from the HEX platform to Gate 10 T1, says my doc, is just the perfect balanced exercise to stave off the heart attack.

And unlike Changi's swimming pool - which hasn't been open once when I've passed through lately - you can get your aerobic exercise at LHR all day, every day.

The problem I have found with US airports is that there is often so little to do.

I actually like both Heathrow and Gatwick because there is plenty to keep you busy while waiting for flights (each has lots of places to find someting to eat, have a drink or do some shopping). Maybe I prefer them because I live in London and so my time spent in these places is when I have the excitement of going on holiday so I'm in a very good mood anyway.

My favorite is Zurich. They've just recently finished remodeling and have added some very nice shops for last minute purchases. It's also very easy to land in Zurich and catch a train to Lucern or other points in Switzerland. The only drawback with ZRH is the rather long hike to get to the departure gate, and have to leave the shops!! There are signs that suggest you allow 20-25 minutes for your walk to the gate area. But overall, ZRH is a really nice airport.

I hit the post button too soon. I forgot to mention the International Airport at Aitutaki Cook Islands in the South Pacific!! That, and the international airport on Koh Samui in Thailand are my favorite OUTDOOR airports!!! Love the music, the palm trees, and the very laid back atmosphere. No sterile walls, just trees and fresh air!! Shops? None on Aitutaki, but a few on Koh Samui.
Carol

Schiphol - If you do have to be in an airport for an extended time this rates high due to the quite sleep areas and a great noodle soup stand.

I like Amsterdam also. Check out the museum there...it has amazing pictures.

Schipol-so impressed with not only the physical facilities,but the helpful working people in the airport.
Singapore,but it has been a few years since I was there. The Detroit Airport has improved so much in the past few year. Also found Munich very good as easy to catch the train into the city.