Main airports
Atlanta (ATL), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Denver (DEN), Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and Los Angeles (LAX) are among the busiest airports in the country. Official passenger statistics are published by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and by each airport operator.
- International gateways: New York JFK and Newark (EWR), Los Angeles, San Francisco (SFO), Miami (MIA), Chicago O'Hare, Washington Dulles, Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth, Houston, Seattle and Honolulu (HNL).
- Domestic hubs: Charlotte (CLT), Phoenix (PHX), Denver, Minneapolis-St Paul (MSP), Detroit (DTW), Philadelphia (PHL) and Salt Lake City (SLC).
- Leisure and secondary airports: Las Vegas (LAS), Orlando, Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Tampa (TPA), Nashville (BNA), Austin (AUS), Kahului (OGG) and Chicago Midway (MDW).
Every international arrival clears US Customs and Border Protection at its first US airport, so allow extra time when connecting.
Which airport for which airline
Major cities often have several airports, and the airline usually decides which one you use.
- Atlanta: Delta's main hub.
- Dallas Fort Worth and Charlotte: American Airlines hubs. American also has a large presence at Phoenix, Philadelphia and Miami.
- United: hubs at Newark, Chicago O'Hare, Denver and San Francisco, plus Houston and Washington Dulles.
- Southwest: Chicago Midway, Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Las Vegas, Denver and Dallas Love Field rather than the larger neighbouring airports in some cities.
- Alaska and Hawaiian: Seattle, Portland and Honolulu. The two brands are now part of one group.
- Allegiant, Breeze and Frontier: often use smaller or secondary airports such as Sarasota or Palm Beach.
Traps: Check the three-letter code when booking. New York has JFK, Newark and LaGuardia. Washington has Reagan National (DCA), Dulles (IAD) and BWI. Chicago has O'Hare and Midway. Newark is in New Jersey. Portland, Maine (PWM) and Portland, Oregon (PDX) are different airports.
Getting between airports and into the city
Rail links vary by city. Many US airports rely on taxis, ride-hailing and shuttles.
- New York: AirTrain connects JFK to subway and Long Island Rail Road stations, and AirTrain Newark links the airport to NJ Transit and Amtrak services. There is no direct rail link between JFK and Newark, so allow generous time for a transfer.
- Chicago: the CTA Blue Line serves O'Hare and the Orange Line serves Midway. See CTA.
- Washington: Metro serves Reagan National and, via the Silver Line, Dulles. BWI has an Amtrak and MARC station.
- Others: Atlanta, Philadelphia, San Francisco (BART), Los Angeles (shuttle to Metro), Denver, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Portland have rail links to the city centre.
Check the local transit authority for current times and fares before you travel.
Airlines: full-service and low-cost
Full-service: American Airlines (oneworld), Delta Air Lines (SkyTeam) and United Airlines (Star Alliance) are the three large network carriers. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines (now under one group) are also major carriers. JetBlue is a hybrid, and Southwest is a low-cost carrier with a large domestic network. Regional airlines such as SkyWest and Envoy operate flights under the major brands.
Low-cost: Frontier, Allegiant, Breeze and Sun Country. Spirit's operations should be checked before booking.
- The cheapest fares on ultra-low-cost carriers usually include only a small personal item. Carry-on bags, checked bags, seat selection and sometimes printing a boarding pass cost extra.
- Major airlines sell basic economy fares that restrict changes and seat choice, and some exclude overhead-bin bags.
- Baggage rules change often. Check the airline's current bag policy on its own site at the time of booking, and compare the final price including bags.
Lounges
Most large airports have airline lounges: Delta Sky Club, American Admirals Club and United Club. Entry normally requires a premium ticket, status, a club membership or a qualifying credit card.
- Cards: American Express Platinum cards give access to the Centurion Lounge network and Delta Sky Club on eligible same-day Delta flights, within each programme's rules.
- Memberships and passes: airline clubs sell annual memberships and some sell single-visit passes. Priority Pass and similar schemes cover independent lounges.
- Airport-run lounges: some airports have lounges that sell paid entry at the door.
Crowding limits and access rules have tightened in recent years, so check the lounge operator's current policy before relying on a card. Access rules can change.
When to fly
The Brand USA site gives destination and seasonal planning information. The heaviest flying periods are:
- Thanksgiving week (fourth Thursday of November), the busiest holiday travel time.
- Late December to early January, and the summer school holidays from June to August.
- Other holiday weekends: Memorial Day (last Monday of May), Independence Day (4 July) and Labor Day (first Monday of September).
Weather: the National Hurricane Center covers the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from 1 June to 30 November and affects Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic coast, especially from August to October. Thunderstorms in summer cause delays at eastern and southern hubs. Winter snow and ice affect Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston and New York, and fog affects San Francisco in summer. Book early morning flights and allow long connection times in winter and storm season.
