Travel News

Why US Airports Fall Behind Global Competitors

Locations in this article:  Austin, TX Chicago, IL Miami, FL Minneapolis, MN Salt Lake City, UT San Francisco, CA Tampa, FL

Yesterday, President Obama pointed to a recent Skytrax World Airport Awards, where there wasn’t a single U.S. entry in the top 25 global airports. Obama spoke about the survey in light of the sequester budget cuts and the FAA furlough debacle, where money was taken from the airport improvement budget to end the furloughs.

However, according to Peter, the problem goes way beyond any federal budget for an airport improvement fund. Instead, it has to do with how current airports can be redesigned — if at all.

There will not be a truly new airport built in the U.S. in the foreseeable future; as opposed to Asia, and especially China, which is opening new airports at the rate of three to four a year!

It’s not just U.S. airport design that’s lagging behind. It’s also the structure and routes of our airports. Cincinnati (CVG) was ranked the best U.S. airport, #30 on the Skytax Awards, and there’s an irony with this selection. Yes, it is a relatively new, renovated airport, located in northern Kentucky. CVG is an indirect product of airline consolidation, mergers and failures. Two years ago Cincinnati had about 800 flights a day. Then Delta closed Comair, and today, the flights number just under 200 a day. So what you have is a pleasant, uncrowded airport…that’s losing money!

Watch Peter’s latest CBS This Morning report to say why America’s airports are lagging so far behind their global competitors.

Keep reading to see Peter’s favorite airports in the U.S., as well as those most in need of improvement.

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