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Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Passenger Reviews and Phoenix Airport Traveller Reports
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PHOENIX SKY HARBOR AIRPORT customer review : 21 March 2013 by Carole Fon (USA) |
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Rating : 5/10 |  |
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Cleanliness | |
Facilities |  |
Recommended |  |
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Terminal 4 has several hallways or spurs serving the gates - when our gate was changed to one in a different
spur, it was a very long walk, but they had moving walkways. An employee pushing two wheelchairs at once
had to do the same turn-around and didn't use the walkways. The spur that included our new gate had only
three food services (the other one had more), all run by the same company with no cooked food except one
was making breakfast egg sandwiches. I asked for one without meat and was told it wasn't possible. They
seemed to be making them from scratch! I settled for a very good yoghurt parfait, but would have preferred
something more substantial. Most staff were incredibly helpful, but one needed additional training. None of
the food services on our spur had a vegetarian sandwich of any kind. We've had easy food choices at many
airports and while traveling throughout Arizona for two weeks, so Phoenix's attitude seemed very obtuse.
Many people have dietary needs or preferences for a variety of reasons. The airport itself is close to
downtown Phoenix, easy to reach. The free wifi worked fine. The announcements were clear and the
restrooms were clean. Check in and security (at 7.30 a.m.) were friendly and well-organized.
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PHOENIX SKY HARBOR AIRPORT customer review : 10 August 2012 by Mikael Thulin (Sweden) |
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Rating : 4/10 |  |
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Recommended | |
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Being from Europe I'm very disappointed with Sky Harbor's facilities. I flew PHX-LHR from terminal 4. Firstly,
the "duty-free section" was very poor. Secondly, the lack of eateries really surprised me, especially since this
were the gates with the international departures. I was forced to head to another section of the airport to
get a slice of pizza. There were nowhere to sit and eat. I was lucky though to force myself to a table where it
was possible to stand and eat. Finally, the store with newspapers, candy, drinks etc was closed at my
terminal (apparently it isn't allowed at this airport to have more than three stores open at the same gates, a
store clerk told me this). After all, these flaws are quite understandable considering Sky Harbor almost
exclusively serve domestic flights.
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PHOENIX SKY HARBOR AIRPORT customer review : 1 June 2012 by Brian Page (USA) |
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Rating : 9/10 |  |
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Cleanliness | |
Facilities | |
Recommended |  |
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I flew out of this airport while attending college in Phoenix. The airport was easily accessible by bus from
campus, and the check-in and security lines were almost always quick and efficient. Terminal 4 has an
excellent central waiting area (outside security) with seating/shops/food everywhere, with an overall very
nice atmosphere. Having separate security checkpoints for each section of gates (all the gates are connected
behind security) is a very smart feature, which cut down on wait times at security considerably.
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PHOENIX SKY HARBOR AIRPORT customer review : 30 April 2012 by John Oram (UK) |
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Rating : 9/10 | |
Queuing | |
Cleanliness | |
Facilities | |
Recommended | |
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B Diener's comment [27 September 2010] is incomprehensible in that it twice describes PHX as 'a small
airport'. It is actually huge, spreading over a large area with long distances to cover in terminals. However, it
does provide a fairly pleasant experience. T4 has some of those long distances but passing through TSA was
almost pleasant. The centralised Rental Car Centre like that at Las Vegas is actually a good idea and the
associated shuttles are frequent.
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PHOENIX SKY HARBOR AIRPORT customer review : 22 March 2012 by L Lehnert (Mexico) |
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Rating : 4/10 | |
Queuing | |
Cleanliness | |
Facilities | |
Recommended | |
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GDL to SFO on US Air and had a short layover of 1 hr 20 mins at Phoenix Sky Harbor. This airport is a
nightmare. It is so far from one gate to another that 1 hr 20 mins is not sufficient to make the connection. I
missed my connection and had to stay in Phoenix for one night and get a flight the next day. The facilities
were very nice; yet the problem was the distances. In the future I will avoid this airport if at all possible.
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PHOENIX SKY HARBOR AIRPORT customer review : 6 February 2012 by L Lim (Singapore) |
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Rating : 5/10 | |
Queuing | |
Cleanliness | |
Facilities |  |
Recommended | |
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Waiting time for luggage is poor for such a small airport. Rental car companies are all centralised in one
location with just one well served shuttle route which is a great idea. Queuing times for security are OK.
Food choices in the departure area (after security) are limited to fast food only and generally rather poor.
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Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport customer review : 26 June 2011 by Darrell Kronck (USA)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is not as friendly as it says. Your typical
unfriendly experience at Sky Harbor begins at check-in. The TSA machines
block 3 exits which can be a safety hazard if there was a fire. The TSA
agents are the meanest I have come across, and I fly a lot. Sky Harbor
Airport has very few eateries and restaurants compared to most airports
and the selection is very unhealthy. The airport has been undergoing a
constant phase of construction for at least 3 years with no end in
sight. A sky train is supposed to connect the airport with city transit,
but it wont be ready until around 2020.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport customer review : 16 May 2011 by A Jones (USA)
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |
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By far the worst airport security experience I've had, with a 45+ minute wait time, and the
lineup snaking far out into the terminal. All because the TSA officers were checking, re-
checking, re-re-checking (ad nauseum) people for the slightest infractions; for things like
going through their machine with (gasp) a $5 bill in their pocket. No coins, just a slip of
paper. There was an elderly couple in front of me who got re-checked by the scanner three
times because they had little bits of paper in various pockets. This was going on in every
single lineup, not just mine, and it wasn't because something unusual had happened on the
worldwide scene that day. Near as I could tell, the TSA was just doing it for kicks. I rarely
get angry at service personnel, because most people are just doing their jobs as best they can,
but especially the way an elderly couple got treated really had me seething by the time I
finally got through that agonizingly long lineup.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport customer review : 27 September 2010 by B Diener (Canada)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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It's a small airport that is very efficient. The check-in was quick with hardly any line up's.
I can say the same for the security check. Once you are in the secure area you have the choice
of checking out a few gift shops or some bars and smaller restaurants. Personally I liked the
large panorama window overlooking one of the runways with nice scenery in the background. As
it is a small airport traffic delays aren't common.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport customer review : 24 October 2009 by J Segal
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
PHX is my primary airport, so here about 2-3 times a month. Easy to use, good signage but
distances can be long to get from one area to another. Shuttle to parking lots have gotten
more crowded (less buses running?). They are adding a people mover system, so construction is
everywhere.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport customer review : 3 August
2009 : by Elmore Corbeau
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Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
I travel through PHX about 25 times a year and perhaps familiarity breeds contempt, but their
slogan "the Friendliest Airport in America," is completely ridiculous given that I can usually
get through the entire travel process there without so much as a kind word or a smile from
anybody dealing with the public. It's become a personal challenge to see how friendly and
polite I can be and still get a surly response! This last trip I flew on Delta through
Terminal Three, which is showing its age with filthy worn carpet, broken seats at the gates,
and broken fixtures in the bathrooms. The ticket counter agents were surly, the TSA personnel
were yelling at passengers, the bartender at the Taverna restaurant was carding everybody
including a surprised white haired old man in his seventies who proceeded to drop all his
stuff on the floor while trying to find his ID and all the time the bartender was loudly
slagging her managers. Wendy's had a long line that didn't seem to be moving, the Delta/Sky
West gate agent was curt to the point of rudeness, and the flight was almost an hour late with
no announcements. I should mention that in both Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, most of the shops
and eateries close very early, sometimes as early as 4:30 PM, well before the evening flights
leave. I can't count the number of times I've been stuck behind security with literally more
than a thousand passengers who have no place to eat or drink. Sorry, while all of that may be
typical of the pathetic state of air travel in the USA these days, none of it says "friendly"
to me. To top it off, the drunken-sounding automated announcer mangles names to the point of
unintelligibility. On the return, it is common to wait forty-five minutes or more for a
checked bag. On the good side, the free Internet usually works, the taxi stands are very
convenient to the baggage claim and economy parking is cheap at $8 a day. Sky Harbor tip;
park on the roof of the Terminal 2 parking garage. It's as cheap as the outlying economy
lots, but is directly adjacent to Terminal 2 and is just a short walk or bus ride from
Terminal 3.
PHOENIX INTL AIRPORT review : 21 May
2009 : by John Philipps
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
Efficient transportation. Check-in activities vary by airline and terminal, but with the
exception of the Spring Break week, all of them move along quickly. The only hitch is the TSA
bag checking procedures, where after checking in, passengers with checked luggage must submit
them to the TSA for security checks and pilfering. All of the terminals have several options
for dining, and T4 has numerous very good opportunities to eat for an airport. The TSA
Security Theater lines for passenger entry to the secure area move quickly, and in T4, if you
see that the TSA has decided to go crazy at one checkpoint, you can just walk across or over
to another line that is actually permitting travel to occur. Checked in luggage usually
arrives in a reasonable amount of time. The restrooms are plentiful and clean. PHX employs
sufficient numbers of airport employees and volunteers to give help and guidance to all the
visitors. The rental car facility is off site, but the rental car shuttle bus system works
smoothly. The airport has a free wifi system in all terminals. The freeways and surface
roads to the airport are all well marked, and the PHX highway system is well-designed and
flows smoothly.
PHOENIX INTL AIRPORT review : 6 November 2008 : by Joe Bailey
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Well run and busy. Phoenix surprised me on a few counts. It is pretty big, very busy, and handles
volumes astonishingly well. It is not an international destination really so is mostly all about
domestic, and as no-one wants to drive to Phoenix it's domestic travel is large. Good airport pretty
well figured out
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by N Prestage
3 June 2008 Customer Rating : 
PHX has undergone extensive improvements as of late. Curiously, I noticed a rather dramatic increase
in the cost of car rentals. When I arrived, I was taken by shuttle to a brand new, common rental
car facility built atop the garage where the rentals are kept. Apparently, the drastic increase in
rental rates (before gas price increases) is due to an outrageous assessment levied against the
rental companies, those fees are then charged through to arriving passengers renting vehicles.
Weather is seldom a problem in PHX, and the signage and traffic patterns of the airport roads make
navigating around fairly easy. The terminals are equipped with moving walkways, making it easy to
get from one part of the terminal to another, if needed.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by Marybeth Richards
23 April 2008 Customer Rating : 
Terminal 4 at PHX is aesthetically pleasing, once past the scrums at the check in counters (signage
is poor, but that may be the fault of a certain airline rather than the airport itself). It's a
shame the aesthetics don't carry over into the airside areas, as seating at the gates is crowded,
with uncomfortable chairs. Baggage delivery from plane to belt always very slow, taking at least 15
minutes after arrival for the first bags to appear. Worryingly, some over-attention to details:
there was a fellow at the stop for buses to the hire car centre to remind pax of the 'rules for
riding the buses' for a five minute journey. The man told me bags had to be placed on the buses in
a certain way 'to comply with federal regulations' - a bit overly judicious, in my view. Too many
irritants and not enough pluses during the Sky Harbor experience to give PHX more than two and a
half stars, which I will grudgingly change to three.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by S Srinivasan
24 December 2007 Customer Rating :
Pretty decent airport overall. Check-in lines were practically nonexistent, security took only a
few minutes to get through, and the ground staff, from the airline agents, to security, to the
baggage handlers were all remarkably friendly, efficient, and helpful. I also liked the "simulated
desert" decorations while moving between the check-in/baggage claim area and the security area on
the second level. Unlike ORD, expected delays were well-publicized, and the monitors were
constantly kept up-to-date. The baggage claim area is a bit drab, though at least this time, my
bags didn't take too long to come through.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by G Kohl
18 September 2007 Customer Rating : 
PHX is an excellent airport on many fronts, with just a few negative aspects. If you plan to transfer
at PHX and want to switch airlines, you will need to change terminals. This is not obvious, but this
is because very few people would want to do this, since both Southwest and America West/USAirways have
their hubs in T4. If you check luggage, do not expect to find it waiting for you when you get down to
baggage claim. Since PHX is a hub, the volume of bags they process is enormous, and the speed that
passengers can make from the plane to the carousel will always result in a wait for bags. (Hint: Do
not check bags!). T2 is very old, and it is not attractive to look at. T2 is fast; from the car park
to the airplane in fifteen minutes on some occasions, including ticketing, security, and the walk.
The T2 parking garage is right next to the terminal, and the terminal is an older one full of airlines
like TED, so you can move right through it. And you will want to, as there is no real reason to
linger. T3 is fast; from the car park to the aircraft is again quick and easy. T3 is a vintage 1980's
terminal, but it has some very attractive artwork on the departures level, and because of the hub in
T4 for Southwest and America West/USAirways, the remaining mainline airlines are usually on time and
heading for their own hubs. T3 is also clean with plenty of seating, although most of the airline
clubs are now closed since 9/11. T4 is new, clean, and efficient. Lines in the ticketing level can be
enormous, but they move quickly. Security is usually pretty fast in T4, and the lines on the
departures level move quickly there, also, exept on Spring Break. T4 has numerous dining options,
shoeshine, and even art galleries. Passengers can walk from the Southwest side to the America West
side without leaving the secure area. The travelators make a transit in T4 fairly painless.
Sky Harbor has moved all the rental cars to an off-site condo facility to the southwest of the
airport. The busses run very efficiently, and they are not operated by the self-important Transit
Police like at SJC, but rather by helpful folks who want to transport you. The facility itself is
huge but easy to navigate. Roads and Signage: The traffic flow around the three terminals is complex,
but the signs are very clear and accurate. Drivers new to Sky Harbor should be aware that the Rental
Car facility is not AT the airport, and that the traffic flow at T2 is different from T3 and T4
because it has a different orientation to the runways.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by Paul Townsend
3 January 2007 Customer Rating : n/a
I had the chance to see the Phoenix Airport during a very long layover
and found the experience to be quite positive. The Southwest Airlines
concourses tended to be a bit crowded, but I found the terminal to be
admirably well maintained overall - clean, shiny, and refreshing. All
airports should do as well as Phoenix does on basic upkeep. Signage was
good inside the Southwest concourses and the shops and eateries were
plentiful. Overall, it was very pleasant.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by Sergio Bucovich
15 November 2006
I recently flew through PHX airport for the first time. I flew in on America West and was
connecting to a United flght. Overall, I really enjoyed this airport. Terminal 4, which is where
most of America West/US airways flight arrive and depart is spacious, lots of shops, and easy to
navigate. However, the major flaw with this airport is transfering to a non America West flight.
There were no signs anywhere. I had no idea which terminal to go to, or how to get to the other
terminals. I asked several airport personnel and simply got a shrug indicating that they had no
idea. The screens only show american west flights, so that didn't help at all. Finally, I found a
TSA person who told me which terminal United flies out of and how to get there. Once this was
solved, the transfer of terminals is pretty easy and efficient. Overall, great airport, but needs
better signage for people transfering to other airlines.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by Jane Marfleet
20 January 2006
Fly to Phoenix once or twice a year. Baggage always takes forever no
matter which terminal you fly into. Recently flew United to SFO and
waited at check-in for almost half an hour, which wouldn't have been bad
if I wasn't the second person in line. When the passenger in front of me
thought he had an open agent, she closed her station and left even
though there was only one other agent that was only checking in first
class passengers. She didn't care that no one was checking in the rest
of us. The check in area is unbelievably small - I think they expect
that planes holding hundreds of passengers don't actually fly out of
their airport. Security took almost an hour - we were wound out down the
ramp and around the corner towards the baggage carousels. The security
agent checked our passports and insisted on additional ID for my husband
because his passport had expired, but let me right through even though
mine was expired too.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by John Robertson
28
April 2005
I mostly use Term 4 (for America West) though I've done a few out of Term 2 and 3. Though not
remarkable, PHX is actually a pretty good airport - maybe even great by US standards because of it's
overall efficiency. I've seen many long lines at check-in's which are usually a function of how
many agents an airline wants to make available. Even at peak holiday times, I don't think the Am.
West lineup has ever taken longer than 30 - 40 minutes, and if you arrive early (or just luck out
perhaps) you often walk right up to the counter without wait...I'd say this happens about half the
time I travel. Other airlines may not be quite so fast judging by their lines. Security lines
appear very long at times, but in fact they move quickly. A lineup stretching 300 feet can actually
clear through in only 15 minutes. Even better (at least for Terminal 4), you can go through
security at either of the two A gate entrances or the B gate (3 total), whichever is shortest, and
use post-security moving walkways to go back to your assigned gate. Many people don't know this, or
even when told, are afraid to thinking they'll be going from one long line to another. After 20 or
so trips in the last few years, I've never seen all 3 security points busy -- you can almost
literally walk right through if you're willing to move the least busy. Land-side and air-side
restaurant shops are generally good in both areas although the last year, construction is closing
off several land-side stores. There is a severe shortage of chairs/tables in the land-side of Term.
4 which is too bad as the Oaxaca (sp?) restaurant there is a must for me but I have often had to
stand and eat or kindly ask others if I may share their table, something I'd rather not have to do.
The T3 & 4 shops are typical "airport" but decent and there's lots of coffee bars, sit-down licensed
restaurants, and the aforementioned moving walkway lets you explore the rather large Terminal 4
relatively quickly, even when lugging your carry-on around. I often leave extra time on trips just
so I can do this. Knock-on-wood, I've never had a baggage error checked-in through PHX, so in fact
I almost never carry-on anymore. The T4 B gate is international, but it's stores aren't
remarkable - the duty free is nothing amazing. Fortunately, you are a people-mover ride away from
all the A gate stores, without having to go through security again. PHX doesn't have the ambiance
of other airports I've been to like Honolulu, nor the clean look of Vancouver, but it is not
unattractive, and does quite well at what's important...getting you checked in accurately and
quickly. Restrooms are always clean. Airline employees roam the floor just to be there for people
asking questions - they are actually partly responsible for why security moves so quickly too as
they work with the TSA.. When looking at efficiencies and amenities combined, I certainly prefer it
over Las Vegas McCarran or SeaTAC. Read about Wash. Dulles and LAX Terminal 4 just to see
frustrating an airport can be and you'll have some idea of what a good one is like.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by Stephen Amster
11
April 2005
The worst part of PHX is the baggage system on arrivial. It takes very very long for bags to
arrive from aircraft -- even lightly loaded aircraft. This is true at each of the three terminals
(2, 3, 4) and does not depend on which airline one travels. If you have the misfortune of arriving
at terminal 4, then be prepared to also be harrassed by poorly trained staff who insist on checking
bag tags -- but when asked, they have no idea why they check bag tags other "than its my job."
Apparently it is not a security factor; if it was one would think that the checkers would know that
that is the reason they do it. But they don't and they are rude besides. But the wait for the bags
to come of the flight is even more disturbing.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by Marybeth Richards
7
March 2005
PHX is a decent enough airport, although signage could be improved. The TSA baggage screeners were
kind enough to put locks on my cases after they'd screened them, which impressed me. The tiny
Duty Free store for international flights is astonishing, too - not every airport can be like LHR,
but it could be quite a source of revenue for the airport operators and/or City of Phoenix to sell
more duty free goods.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by Nick Wallace
15
December 2004
Travelled thru PHX twice now. Both times were arrival and return to LHR.
Very quick (for USA) immigration and everything well signed. At hire car within 35 minss of landing
on a full 747-400. Airport is clean and tidy and all staff friendly. Security was unobtrusive other than when
proceeding to gate and then thorough. Only downside was the lack of any decent Duty Free and catering was limited (and expensive).
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by G Boisvert
23
November 2004
Phoenix is an overly large airport. Ive flown through all three of the terminals- The America West
one looked every bit as big as O'Hare, the ATA one was nice and medium sized. The United Terminal,
however, is little better than a shack. The car rental facility used to be right at the Terminal,
but they've moved it since - this was a pain last time we were there, since Air Force One had just
landed and all traffic was kept in the airport until the President had departed. Not a bad airport
as long as you're not in whatever terminal United uses, but if you are flying United don't expect
much.
Phoenix Int'l Airport review by Mark Crotty
10
October 2004
Security at Phoenix is abysmal. Is it just coincidence that, because I had a
European passport, that
I was shunted to one side. The security check took 19 minutes!! Was I impressed with such
thoroughness? Certainly not! Most of that time I was left standing without explanation. I had to
remove my shoes, tie and extract the buckle of my belt to 12 ins from my waist. I had metal
stiffeners in my shirt collar. This really confused the guy and he asked me to remove them. As I
stood there with my collar up he commented that "you look just like Elvis" He should have been
tested for drugs. I do understand the need for security. However on this trip LHR-ORD-PHX I managed to clear security
with 2 razors (unintentional) a tweezers and a nail clippers in my wash bag!
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