Dulles one of the worst airports; BWI one of the best

WASHINGTON – Dulles International is the seventh worst airport in the country.

In a list by Travel + Leisure Magazine, readers did not like the airport’s location, design, long lines, lack of cleanliness and baggage handling.

In contrast, readers rated Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall as one of the best. BWI landed in sixth place out of the 22 largest U.S. airports for its customer service and convenience.

Readers assessed U.S. airports based on how they fared in seven categories: flight delays, design, amenities, food and drink, check-in and security, service and transportation and location.

Here are the top five best airports:

  1. Minneapolis
  2. Charlotte, N.C.
  3. Detroit
  4. Orlando, Fla.
  5. San Francisco

Of BWI, the magazine said, “Fly through Baltimore, and you stand one of the best chances that your flight will take off and not be canceled. … And with a No. 4 ranking for check-in and security lines, there’s a very good chance that you’ll speed through TSA lines as well. And if there’s a problem, the seventh-ranked staff communication means that your complaint should be heard and dealt with appropriately.”

The worst ranked airports are:

  1. New York’s La Guardia
  2. LA’s LAX
  3. Philadelphia International
  4. JFK in New York
  5. Newark International in New Jersey

Of Dulles, the magazine said, “Our survey suggests it’s worth considering routing your D.C. plans through Baltimore instead.”

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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