JIA 1 Of Best Airports To Be Stranded In

[jcjohnpaint]

hell I have been to airports all over the world and JIA is one of my favorites.  I am not really sure why.  I just really like it. 

[ChriswUfGator]

It's well laid-out, easy to use, isn't so large that it takes 45 minutes just to get from one end of the airport to the other (like Denver or ATL), it has starbucks in it, I mean really it's a decent airport. I also have to concur that TSA here isn't bad like at other airports, and for the simple reason that they're polite, you never hear the TSA horror stories here like you do other places. Which is ironic, really, considering the conservative bent this area has, TSA could fondle all the 6 year olds, dump out all the breast milk, and arrest people for no reason all they want, and they'd probably get 3 rounds of cheers from what little segment of our voting public actually flies around here.

(Nota Bene: SouthWest passengers are excluded from my screed, they seem VERY representative of JAX. I always wind up next to a 400lb drunk redneck guy who had more beers in flight than he had teeth, or a 700lb female redneck with 7 screaming kids who thinks it's hilarious that little Krystal is climbing in my lap while Dale, Jeff, Tony, Mark, Kyle and Jimmie (courtesy of Nascar.com) are all kicking my chair. That airline is a damn trailer park with wings.)

[BridgeTroll]

One area JIA could use some improvement is baggage claim.  It has got to be the slowest of any airport I have been...

I always wind up next to a 400lb drunk redneck guy who had more beers in flight than he had teeth, or a 700lb female redneck with 7 screaming kids

Karma perhaps?

[ChriswUfGator]

One area JIA could use some improvement is baggage claim.  It has got to be the slowest of any airport I have been...

I always wind up next to a 400lb drunk redneck guy who had more beers in flight than he had teeth, or a 700lb female redneck with 7 screaming kids

Karma perhaps?

Lol, I don't know whose adorable puppy I must have kicked to deserve Southworst...

Isn't just me either, my poor dad got stuck next to a drunk redneck with a bunch of sick kids coming back from New Orleans to Florida on Southwest and they gave him swine flu. I have continually tried to give them second chances since I used to go back and forth to school in the 90s, back when SWA was REAL low budget with those 30 year old 737-100s and 200s with the eardrum piercing turbojets and pea green and brown interiors to hide the stains. It's been one disaster after another, like clockwork. The past few years they're actually been higher on most given routes than Delta or US so it makes not flying them easy.

[Bativac]

Isn't just me either, my poor dad got stuck next to a drunk redneck with a bunch of sick kids coming back from New Orleans to Florida on Southwest and they gave him swine flu. I have continually tried to give them second chances since I used to go back and forth to school in the 90s, back when SWA was REAL low budget with those 30 year old 737-100s and 200s with the eardrum piercing turbojets and pea green and brown interiors to hide the stains. It's been one disaster after another, like clockwork. The past few years they're actually been higher on most given routes than Delta or US so it makes not flying them easy.

That's strange. My wife has always only flown Southwest and has never had a bad experience. I used to fly Delta and US but haven't in years. I will never fly Delta again as long as I live thanks to their terrible customer service and prices. I've flown Southwest a couple times and it's been great. Now of course having flown Swiss Air a few times last year, I'm spoiled. No US airline can hold a candle to Swiss.

I will say that JIA is definitely in the upper echelon of airports. It's easy to navigate, bright, clean, and also easy to get to and from. Having driven to O'Hare and the Miami airport on many occasions, I don't wish those on anyone. I haven't seen all the renovations. The last time I was there was last November. But I do always pop into the art gallery. And how many airports can boast rows and rows of rocking chairs??

[fieldafm]

You're first and last problem is that you're flying Southwest, lol.

JIA > Chicago O'Hare any day of the week.  I HATE, HATE, HATE O'Hare.  With an exclamation point !

Atlanta isn't too awful to get stuck in.  I caught a couple of hour long naps late at night in ATL on the tram system thing.  Its easier to sleep there b/c you can stretch out and lay down on the bench at the front of the tram, way better than trying to sleep in a seat with arm rails in the terminal.  

LAX is not the best place to get stuck in.  Especially if you miss a flight and they won't issue you a boarding pass until 5AM the next morning, so you have to 'sleep' on a bench outside the baggage claim area.  

[ChriswUfGator]

You're first and last problem is that you're flying Southwest, lol.

Lol, totally agree! Typical flight on Southworst;

[I-10east]

I never had any problem with Southwest; It's rankings are high, so whoever thinks that they're awful is in the minority. The most ghetto airline that I been on was the now defunct TWA.

[WeeklyJoe]

I've been a much less than weekly poster lately, but still a near daily reader. Please allow an out-of-towner (Hilton Head, SC aka HHH) and Amtrak foamer to throw in a couple of cents worth, again.  My remarks may not completely on but, at least, related to the topic.

Whenever scheduling LD travel, I always look to balance time with adventure on a budget, which can be either out of or right down Amtrak's alley. If possible, which means not always, I'd rather include an extra experience, but my trips usually consist of being a pseudo-nomad one way and finding the quickest jaunt between points the other.

Since I haven't had a local option for such, my travels to JIA have almost always been to take advantage of less expensive Southwest flights, while also using the opportunity to use Amtrak from Savannah(SAV) and add Amtrak Guest Rewards(AGR) points. I've also at times done this to Orlando(MCO) and Tampa(TPA). With any of the scenarios, the local options for public transportation are in the mix.  Due to scheduling to the three departure points, MCO is the only I've ever been able to depart from the same day as the Amtrak arrival.  TPA has not been too often.  JIA is either a long two-bus journey from Clifford Lane via JTA or an expensive (to me) cab ride, and outbound always necessitates a hotel stay overnight.

All of these options are about to go on my back burner, since Southwest is about to add service at Charleston, SC in March. The local Amtrak station is close to the CHS airport and allows an 8:20am departure from SAV on the Palmetto to get there. I'm not in agreement with the negative comments of others here, especially when you consider a needed change in itinerary or checking extra baggage.

I can honestly say exploring the JIA terminal has never been on my high priority list, but knowing there's a collection of art to explore may keep it on my list of possibles. My most memorable art experience in an airport has to be during a delayed layover in Nashville(BNA), who seems to recognize the benefit possible through their Arts at the Airport program. http://www.flynashville.com/arts/default.aspx

While there during concourse construction, a temporary exhibit from Hatch Show Print almost made me late for my connection. http://countrymusichalloffame.org/our-work/

[simms3]

Pictures (recent from November):

[Coolyfett]

I never had any problem with Southwest; It's rankings are high, so whoever thinks that they're awful is in the minority. The most ghetto airline that I been on was the now defunct TWA.

Spirit is kinda bad too, spanish people always pulling food out of their pocket & crubsin up the seats. I understand saving money, but cooked rice out of a zip lock bad is like ewww! American Airlines was my recent flight.

[TheProfessor]

They have a Brooks Brothers store there now.  I don't get why JIA put in all of those escalators and stairs instead of just putting in one large ramp from baggage to the gates??