New York Miami

JFK spreads across four active passenger terminals connected by the AirTrain, and walking between them is not an option. Terminal 1 is the old international building. Terminal 4 is the largest, handling most international carriers. Terminal 5 is the former TWA terminal, now JetBlue's home, with the mid-century curves still intact. Terminal 8 belongs to American and British Airways.

The terminal you depart from depends entirely on your airline. Security wait times vary between them. Terminal 4 tends to be the slowest during evening international departures. Terminal 8 has improved since the co-location of its two main carriers. The TWA Hotel sits adjacent to Terminal 5 if you need to sleep before an early departure or after a late arrival.

JFK feels enormous because it is. Budget extra time for the AirTrain if you are connecting between terminals or arriving by subway. The AirTrain loop takes 10 to 15 minutes end to end.

Newark Liberty has three terminals, and Terminal A opened as a full rebuild in 2023. The old Terminal A was demolished and replaced, and the difference is dramatic. Terminal C is United's hub, massive and busy, with most international flights departing from here. Terminal B handles most other carriers.

The AirTrain connects all three terminals and the NJ Transit / Amtrak rail station. Unlike JFK, the terminals are closer together and the AirTrain loop is faster. Security at Terminal C can back up during afternoon and evening international departures.

The airport sits in New Jersey, around 10 miles from Manhattan. That proximity is deceptive because the drive crosses the Hudson via the Newark Bay or Lincoln Tunnel, and both can be brutal during peak hours. NJ Transit from Penn Station is the more reliable option.

LaGuardia is the New York airport that does not pretend to be anything more than a domestic terminal. No international flights, no customs hall, no transatlantic gates competing for security lane capacity. The result is a faster, simpler airport experience than JFK or Newark for any flight that stays in the country. Eight miles from midtown Manhattan, it is also the closest major airport to the city center.

The rebuilt Terminal B replaced what was widely considered the worst major terminal in the country. The new building is bright and open, with real restaurants instead of the food court that used to define LaGuardia dining. Gates connect via an elevated pedestrian bridge with a clear sightline to the Manhattan skyline. Terminal C is equally compact. Neither terminal is large, and gate-to-gate walks stay under ten minutes.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International is four terminals stretched along a single road, and compared to MIA it is an entirely different experience. Shorter walks, faster security lines, and a layout simple enough that you do not need a people mover or a terminal map. The airport sits three miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale and about 25 miles north of downtown Miami.

Budget carriers built their Florida presence here, and the terminal reflects it: functional, clean, no-frills. Food and shopping options are limited compared to a major hub, but you spend less time in the building because the building moves you through faster. If you are connecting to a second flight, FLL is not the airport for that. If you are going to the beach, it might be the best airport in South Florida.

Miami International spreads across three concourses that fan out from a single central terminal building. The walks between gates are long, and the moving walkways are the only thing keeping connections manageable. Concourse D to Concourse J is a real hike. Build time into connections and wear shoes you can walk in.

The airport handles more traffic to Latin America and the Caribbean than anywhere else in the country, which gives the terminal an international feel even on a domestic flight. Announcements in Spanish and English, signage in both, and a passenger mix that reflects Miami itself. Food options have improved with local restaurant outposts past security, though some far-flung gates still have limited choices. Security lines move during off-peak hours but stack up during the morning international departure rush.

Miami-Opa Locka Executive is a general aviation airport in northern Miami-Dade County. It handles private jets and charter flights, not scheduled commercial service. There are no passenger terminals, security screening areas, or baggage carousels.

If this airport appears in commercial flight search results, it is a data error. Scheduled passenger service in the Miami area uses Miami International, about 10 miles south.