DTW Ranked No. 1 Mega Airport for Customer Satisfaction

**bust** · September-27-19, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by p1acebo

We must have different experiences of Laguardia, because every time I have flew through that airport it has been a cluster f@%k.

I guess so.

Then again I'm not counting flight delays... Laguardia has long been completely saturated with as many flights as it can handle which results in many more of those.

But I have a higher tolerance for a late flight than I do for worrying about missing it.

And I'm not sure why the Detroit TSA so often gives my wife a hard time about one thing or another, or makes her go through extra security. That's never happened to her anywhere else, but in Detroit it's happened many times.

**archfan** · September-28-19, 02:23 AM

Originally Posted by bust

...
Is there any other airport that requires an earlier arrival? Passing through security is slower, on average, than anywhere else I've experienced. The lines are long and the TSA employees seem to be the most particular. ...

Two words: Underwear bomber

**Zacha341** · September-28-19, 05:34 AM

^^^ Yeah I'd rathe they take their time than have a plane come down from terrorism or faulty equipment.

**Maof** · September-28-19, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by EGrant

Airplane! is my favorite documentary

Surely, you can't be serious....

**Maof** · September-28-19, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Calling it a documentary is almost as funny as the movie itself.

Airplane! - Trailer

hahahaha....one of the funniest movies ever.

**Former_Detroiter** · September-28-19, 09:16 AM

[QUOTE=Lowell;580463]There is one awkward aspect at McNamara. If you check baggage and are using ground transport [cab] you have to go up, over, and down again by elevator. Seems like that could have been designed to roll straight out.[/QUOT

I'm not sure who came up with that idea. Would it have been too difficult to have ground transportation outside of baggage claim?

**iheartthed** · September-28-19, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

There is one awkward aspect at McNamara. If you check baggage and are using ground transport [cab] you have to go up, over, and down again by elevator. Seems like that could have been designed to roll straight out.

Isn't the check-in counter up one level from the bridge?

**Wesley Mouch** · September-28-19, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Ground transportation at Metro Airport also sucks.

DTW is the only airport I've never flown through where all of the rental car shuttle drivers go on break or lunch at once [[versus having staggered schedules), essentially leaving paasengers stranded during that time.

Other than that and public transit connectivity, everything about DTW is top notch.

I agree that DTW is pretty good. You can't blame them for ground transport. That option is discouraged by our excellent local legislators who prefer crony capitalism to economic growth.

Only design complaint is the disconnect between the two terminals. I you have to transfer between terminals, you endure multi-mile shuttle bus ride involving heading the wrong direction for a while, followed by the joy of TSA. The terminals actually are fairly close to each other. Too bad there isn't a shuttle via the field rather than the highway system.

Overall, the new airport is great. [[I really like the north terminal, where the overall distance from gate to street is minimal. Its rare today, where the preference is for long concourses and in-terminal mechanical transport for obvious reasons.)

**Tig3rzhark** · September-28-19, 11:19 AM

I got to give my Metro Detroit airport a lot of credit. It is a good place to fly out.

Never flown international from there before. I would like to though.

Gotta hurry up and get a Passport.

**EGrant** · September-28-19, 03:02 PM

I'd appreciate if no one mentioned that going though security by the Westin hotel entrance at McNamara is almost always faster and less crowded. It would not be a good thing if people found out about that.

**313WX** · September-28-19, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

I'd appreciate if no one mentioned that going though security by the Westin hotel entrance at McNamara is almost always faster and less crowded. It would not be a good thing if people found out about that.

They used that line to relieve the main terminal line when I flew out of DTW a couple years ago [[around the holidays).

**swingline** · September-30-19, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by Metro25

They added a route that goes downtown over a year ago. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...pot/108971720/

It's great that SMART has a route [[FAST Michigan) that serves DTW. Unfortunately, the route's only resemblance to a shuttle is that it utilizes a bus [[albeit one that is not a motor coach). The FAST Michigan route uses only surface streets, cannot accommodate large luggage, stops more than a dozen times and takes more than one hour to get downtown. An airport shuttle it is not.

**detlump** · October-01-19, 07:37 PM

Yes! This is a huge pain - just had to go through it again on Friday. I can't understand why there could not just be a crosswalk through the arrivals road to the garage with a traffic cop or traffic light to stop traffic. There are only a few elevators and you're not supposed to bring roller bags on the escalator but most everyone does it.

Otherwise I like DTW quite a bit. The only thing that needs to be addressed is the roads to and from the airport. Nothing like visitors experiencing bad roads right off the plane! Why are these roads in such bad shape? I don't see any steel haulers going to DTW!

**iheartthed** · October-02-19, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by bust

Is there any other airport that requires an earlier arrival? Passing through security is slower, on average, than anywhere else I've experienced. The lines are long and the TSA employees seem to be the most particular.

I can think of a few... Atlanta is the absolute worst. Chicago O'Hare is also always terrible. Wait times at LGA feel similar to DTW, in my experience. JFK is highly dependent on the terminal. T4 is the busiest terminal, and the regular security line can be insane. Precheck at JFK T4 tends to be predictable, and about the same as DTW, but much, much better than ATL.

**bartocktoo** · October-02-19, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I can think of a few... Atlanta is the absolute worst. Chicago O'Hare is also always terrible. Wait times at LGA feel similar to DTW, in my experience. JFK is highly dependent on the terminal. T4 is the busiest terminal, and the regular security line can be insane. Precheck at JFK T4 tends to be predictable, and about the same as DTW, but much, much better than ATL.

I'd add Philly to the list of terrible. But Atlanta and O'Hare for sure.

**313WX** · October-02-19, 01:37 PM

Everyone's entitled to their opinion even when they're wrong, but Atlanta, along with DTW, has consistently been deemed one of the most efficiently run airport, in other words the furthest thing from "terrible" or "the worst."

Now LAX? That fucker is a spawn of Satan.

**iheartthed** · October-02-19, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Everyone's entitled to their opinion even when they're wrong, but Atlanta, along with DTW, has consistently been deemed one of the most efficiently run airport, in other words the furthest thing from "terrible" or "the worst."

I don't doubt that it rates high on general operations, but the security line is a different story. It's not really the fault of anyone working at the airport, but instead it's due to the flawed design of the airport itself.

It's the world's busiest airport, but about 90% of the passengers are funneled in through just one entrance, because are no direct entrances/exits to the interior concourses. It is quite obvious that the airport was designed to put emphasis on passengers flying through to other destinations, instead of passengers beginning or ending their trip in Atlanta.

**313WX** · October-02-19, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I don't doubt that it rates high on general operations, but the security line is a different story. It's not really the fault of anyone working at the airport, but instead it's due to the flawed design of the airport itself.

It's the world's busiest airport, but about 90% of the passengers are funneled in through just one entrance, because are no direct entrances/exits to the interior concourses. It is quite obvious that the airport was designed to put emphasis on passengers flying through to other destinations, instead of passengers beginning or ending their trip in Atlanta.

According to this recent analysis of the top 25 busiest airports, Atlanta [[or even O'Hare for that matter) aren't even in the top 5 for the worst average TSA wait times.

https://upgradedpoints.com/average-t...s-us-airports/

[[to DTW's credit, it's in the top 5 for average best TSA wait times).

Your perception of Atlanta's airport simply isn't reality when the actual stats are taken into account.

**iheartthed** · October-02-19, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

According to this recent analysis of the top 25 busiest airports, Atlanta [[or even O'Hare for that matter) aren't even in the top 5 for the worst average TSA wait times.

https://upgradedpoints.com/average-t...s-us-airports/

[[to DTW's credit, it's in the top 5 for average best TSA wait times).

Your perception of Atlanta's airport simply isn't reality when the actual stats are taken into account.

Atlanta is #6 on the worst list.

https://www.smartertravel.com/airpor...sa-wait-times/

**Trumpeteer** · October-02-19, 08:58 PM

So sorry you're so wrong. Wait times at ATL are not bad. Once you get in to the Concourses you have a world class experience with food/beverage. White tablecloth to fast food. Not a bad place to spend time waiting for your flight. DTW isn't bad but not close to Atlanta.

**Don K** · October-03-19, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Atticus

This is unfortunately very true. If you are not physically able to use an escalator, coming from ground transportation you have to first take an elevator up to the sky bridge, then another separate elevator up to ticketing, go through bag drop/TSA, and then take a third elevator down to the gate level. Not to mention all the elevators are both crowded and in short supply, which often means long waits for each elevator. Upon return home you have three more elevators to go through, and the long waits associated with each. Not fun.

Right. When travelling with someone using a wheelchair, you park [[hopefully in a disabled spot near the elevators), so up in one elevator, check in in the garage, go up another level to TSA, then down [[on one elevator that often has lines of wheelchairs and strollers) to gate level. Returning, it's down to baggage claim, up to the skybridge, then down to wherever you parked.

As an able-bodied person I found McNamara to be a breeze and indeed one of the best large terminals in the country. For someone with a disability it really kinda sucks.

**Detroitdave** · October-04-19, 05:13 AM

DTW is one of the best airports in the US to get in and out of .
I agree 1,000%. LAX is the worst airport in the US to get in and out
I lived in LA and dreaded flying in and out of LAX. LAX is the spawn of Satan.
Residents of the LA area hate coming to pick you up at LAX.
Charles De Gaulle in Paris is the worst in Europe.I hated taking those buses to the Plane from the gate ?! You have to be at the gate an hour and a half before your flight and that's after you've past through security !

Originally Posted by 313WX

Everyone's entitled to their opinion even when they're wrong, but Atlanta, along with DTW, has consistently been deemed one of the most efficiently run airport, in other words the furthest thing from "terrible" or "the worst."

Now LAX? That fucker is a spawn of Satan.

**drpoundsign** · October-04-19, 10:30 PM

YES. They should have a train between Mcnamara and the North Terminal.

**drpoundsign** · October-04-19, 10:35 PM

I hate Atlanta for several reasons.
1. It's an out-of-control Monster [[Too BIG) Yeah-they have the underground
train, but, if they had two airports, they wouldn't need it. You have to
wait for that train, and then take a long escalator ride.
2. Some of the employees in the shops have attitude.
3. [[relates to #1, actually.) The Idiot airlines like Delta sometimes have-
Literally-a 20 minute layover. Impossible to make your flight. I've
spent many an unwanted night in Hotels near the airport.
4. I am boycotting Georgia as much as possible to protest their "heart-
beat Abortion Law. NO Delta or Home Depot for me [[although I still
have a Skymiles Card.)

**Trumpeteer** · October-05-19, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by drpoundsign

I hate Atlanta for several reasons.
1. It's an out-of-control Monster [[Too BIG) Yeah-they have the underground
train, but, if they had two airports, they wouldn't need it. You have to
wait for that train, and then take a long escalator ride.
2. Some of the employees in the shops have attitude.
3. [[relates to #1, actually.) The Idiot airlines like Delta sometimes have-
Literally-a 20 minute layover. Impossible to make your flight. I've
spent many an unwanted night in Hotels near the airport.
4. I am boycotting Georgia as much as possible to protest their "heart-
beat Abortion Law. NO Delta or Home Depot for me [[although I still
have a Skymiles Card.)

The train stops at each concourse every THREE minutes. A long escalator ride?? You must not get out much as the escalator ride lasts about 30 seconds! Some of the employees have an attitude? Wow I've never seen that anywhere else in the world.

PLEASE boycott GA!