Kansas City Airport

Not Verified | Southwest 4 hour layover on a return trip from Cancun. Airport is quite nice and modern. With enough space to accommodate surges. I'll take this airport any day over an Atlanta Delta layover. Clearly a new addition to the Kansas field (did not experience old terminal). Customs/bag claim, re-check, and re-screen for TSA for the domestic leg was super quick. Really like the glass jetways. Friendly TSA and gate agents. Bag claim and TSA were all quite clean. Gate areas were dirty - and not in the post-rush kind of way. Heavy duty cleaning seemed neglected/deferred. One example that stuck out: Dusty and fingerprints on window area/sills, etc. Bathroom sink areas could have received more attention. Some soap dispensers not functioning. A small gripe: Impossible to get a bottled unsweet tea anywhere in the facility. Every retail business had the exact same drinks in their grab and go coolers. My guess is it is contracted out to Pepsico or something. What's the point of having multiple retail businesses if they all serve the same stuff? Overall, I really like the size and style of the facility. Will look forward to my next layover here, should the time come.

✅ Trip Verified | Getting from drop off to your gate takes forever. After you check in with airline they have you walk a country mile to get to security. Than its another country mike to get to your gate which was Delta but God help you if you took Southwest. The old airport was fast and easy. What were they thinking. Poorly designed.

✅ Trip Verified | The bathrooms look like they haven’t been cleaned in weeks. Splatters on the back of the toilets, dirty floors, dusty everything. Looks like all they do is refill toilet paper and seat covers

Not Verified |   I have waited for about 1.5 hours to enter the gate. It was so disappointed and I haven’t experienced it before in any airport. The worst airport ever.

✅ Trip Verified | The old airport was great. Fast TSA, comfortable gate seating, no frills. The new one - not even close. Check in was very clunky, there's no real traffic flow, just a mass of passengers. Horrible, slow TSA (similar to Atlanta). Way too many shops and restaurants. Little to no signage for anything. The gate seating area only sat 55 passengers. More shops and restaurants, why are there any at all? An airport is not a destination, it's a thoroughfare. I attempted to find a bathroom and looked until I saw a sign flat on the door (no hanging sign). Overall a poor experience with something that was supposed to make life better. Next time I'll fly out of St Louis.

Not Verified | The new airport is very pretty but there are some important things missing. The signage is not great. They must have forgotten about signs for baggage claim because they only have sandwich boards in the main terminal area directing you to the baggage claim. We found NO SIGNS for rental car area. Finally got a broadcast on the PA regarding car rental location and shuttle. The TSA lines were very long even though not many people are here. They had the area roped of as if they were expecting a large crowd and didn't bother to shorten the lanes when not needed causing people to walk more than necessary. The new seats are uncomfortable. Our TSA person at the baggage check area was rude and didn't seem to know the rules for people over 75. I realize it is a work in progress but seems like some of these issues should have been obvious to the designers and planners. Lets hope it gets better as time goes by.

Not Verified | Feedback on my initial visit to MCI (new terminal). I am a Kansas City native --- this review is critical, as it should be. Overall impression is outstanding compared to the 1970s era terminals. It addresses the needs of a 21st century Midwest airport with all the modern necessities one would expect as a flying customer. First impression walking in, it's big. It spans wide and the design incorporating natural lighting with an abundance of windows is refreshing. The evening sunlight streaming in through different angles really provides a "non-restricted" feel as you walk about the terminal. The respective airline check-in counter/placements are easy to identify and span the width of the front end of the terminal for easy access. Security access is fairly streamlined and the entire process is able to accommodate large volumes of travelers (non-TSA airport - VMD corp) more natural light as you progress through each arm of the terminal (A/B/C) with interior lighting not overbearing. The walkways are wide and allow for excellent views of the tarmac, exterior gates, and various angles of the entirety of the taxiways and runways. Additionally, the escalators and walking escalators are positioned nicely and push you through terminal in a speedy manner. More shops, etc. at each terminal branch, providing basically anything the traveler would need. The vibe and local venues are all a welcome addition and definitely fulfill the needs of the traveler. Individual gates and structured well and offer comfortable seating and ample wireless device charging. The one thing that seems odd is the placement of the gate flight monitor(s). It is essentially in the seating area of the individual gates. Why not place it directly behind/above the agent booth/desk for easy and quick access and explanation (poor design decision). Boarding the plane, the traveler is treated to long glass jet bridges that allow for excellent views of adjacent aircraft and outside weather conditions. This is a well thought out design that many major airports do not offer. Overall, the new MCI/KCI terminal is a massive upgrade to the Kansas City area. It has the opportunity for expansion and I would expect future modifications to address design shortfalls and customer feedback. We concluded it feels like a mall when walking though the new terminal. Three things need immediate addressing - (1) Men's restroom upkeep and sanitary conditions unacceptable. Need to revisit the options of installing automatic hand blower machines and look at the cleaning schedules to ensure conditions do not deteriorate to the point of being an embarrassment. Cleaning crews need to maintain a regular schedule on vacuuming the terminal carpet - paper and debris everywhere. Please explain how the gate flight monitors are controlled by the city? How is this beneficial to the traveler or airline staff? Local control to change/modify the monitors shouldn't even be a discussion. This new terminal is supposed to represent the pride of Kansas City aviation.

Not Verified | Brand new airport that looks pretty nice but housekeeping services are poor in and outside the airport. They tried to make it local Kansas City restaurants only so don’t look for a Starbucks, you won’t find one. Seating at gates is sufficient with work table space as well.

Not Verified | Poor lighting for road signs for rental car return. By the grace of God I was not killed, I was going head on to incoming traffic the wrong way because of poor lighting, it was 4 am on May 11 2023. Lack of signs and direction for rental car return. Please fix this problem before someone is hurt.

✅ Trip Verified | Brand new, pretty and nice but very inconvenient. They did not provide enough space to check is thus creating chaos. Confusing lines, no one was helping. For departing passengers using parking shuttle you get down on arrival area then get to upper level to ticketing, only 1 escalator going up and down. If not working you have to carry your check in luggage. very high escalator, did not see option for stairs and minimal number of elevators. Once you check-in getting to your terminal is a long walk not enough moving walkway. Beautiful but not functional, poorly planned new airport. Spent money to make it beautiful but poorly functional. Very inconvenient airport. If I don’t live in Kansas City, will surely avoid this airport.

Not Verified | I fly 20-30 trips per year and KC Airport is by far the worst I've been in. We almost missed our transfer flight because doorways exiting terminals were not adequately marked so we had to go through TSA again. Another lady said she had the same experience. TSA people took my reusable water bottle because it was full of water from last airport and would only let me leave airport and pour out. Before all this happened, I went to the restroom, which was shockingly filthy, broken doors, non working towel dispensers, half smashed toilet paper dispensers.

✅ Trip Verified | Terrible customer space and internet as compared to other cities. No room to sit or eat when your flight is delayed or cancelled. Taking the shuttle back and forth to the rental car is awful. Let’s no get started with the internet and cell phone coverage in this concrete jungle. Tell your customers to move.

✅ Trip Verified | Arriving in Kansas City wasn't too bad, but departing was awful. The airport is broken into a lot of little areas for gates, and of course you can only go behind security in the one serving your airline. It seemed like all of the pre-security restaurants were closed, and in the Delta area there was only one post-security sit down restaurant, which charged an obscene amount of money even by airport standards. The airport itself is poorly lit, with a lot of broken stairs and escalators, and just gave off a depressing vibe. The only good thing is that security was very fast. But overall, this is not an airport where I want to return.

Not Verified | I use to live in KC several years. Just flew in tonight and completely appalled by MCI. Yes it has always been small, very outdated and practically no where to eat and shop but tonight when I got off plane about 10.15, it stunk beyond words. Trash was piled high, it smelt like bathroom was clogged up and people were trying to find seating wherever they could. The smell literally made me physically sick to my stomach once I got outside. For someone seeing this as first impression of a beautiful city it missed the mark big time. Come on KC it’s time to take some pride in your airport.

Not Verified | This has got to be one of the worst airports I have ever been to and believe me I have traveled extensively. From the rude, loud, and verbally abusive TSA agents, the antiquated equipment, slow processing of bags and personnel, and just down right lack of up to date knowledge, this is your first interaction with the Terminal and sets a horrible tone. Then lets move onto the facilities or complete lack thereof. Restrooms are dirty and never maintained or stocked and you have to be skinny, traveling with no bags, and have a lack of smell to even get into and use one if you can find it. Choices for food or drink are limited, outlandishly overpriced (more than other airports), and if you do get anything its stale. Their locations in the dungeon you have to stay at until you board your plane give light to the complete lack of forethought by whomever designed this. Now you need a seat to wait for your plane. That too is horrendous, toxic experience with never enough, and the one I did find to sit in today at SW Gate 43, was sticky and there was a smell coming from the area around me. Decided to stand for the last hour until boarding. I will need to detox everything from my bags to myself before I step foot into my home. Not to mention complete detail my vehicle afterwards. Add to that there are not places to recharge your electronics at your seats like all other airports for your long stay in the cold, dark lifeless tunnels of a terminal unless you crowd around a small area with 1 or 2 outlets, like cows waiting on the evening trough meal. I see they have started a new terminal, but of course the designer there too was either stoned, blind, or has no architectural class whatsoever. And whom ever approved this so called improvement must have pockets lined with gold. You build a beautiful new terminal and then tower a gaudy concrete parking structure in front of it to hide what little majestic magic you were trying to show off. I was once proud to say KC was my home, but if this is the best foot forward you can show to our many visitors, returning Missourians, or International Flyers, then you should be removed. There are two pieces of sunlight that do exist in this total train wreck of an airport. (1) The rental car facility and staff still remain top notch. Whether spending big bucks or trying to save a few I have always be treated with grace, humility, and kindness on the buses, counters, and car parking lots. (2) Gate agents for SW and Delta (only two airlines I use) are always friendly and eager to help in anyway. Kansas City Airport (MCI) you need to seriously look over your customer service, facilities, and architectural managers and make a complete overhaul. Unless this is the look your are going for, draining the customers of all money, life, and happiness at which case you have nailed it.

Not Verified | This is without a doubt the most poorly organized and dirty airport I have ever been in. Here is a recap of my Kansas City Airport adventure. As the bus from the rental area drops you off at terminal C (American) door C10, you enter the building and can see overhead placards to the left and to the right both listing ticketing and gates. As my flight indicated C84 I headed towards the ticketing to the right. I dragged my bags nearly 1/4 mile around the curved building edge which obstructs your ability to see any distance beyond a hundred feet or so. After 8-9 minutes of walking I stopped dumfounded as the ticketing area that was revealed around the corner was Spirit and Delta. Not American Airlines. I completed an about face and walked all the way back to the C10 door. I double checked my ticket, double checked the sign and sure enough gate c84 was in fact the direction I headed. With no other choice I went the opposite direction and found the American Airlines ticketing center approx 150 yards in the opposite direction of my gate. Needless to say I shared my experience with 3 AA employees one of which was a supervisor. There is old used toilet paper on the ground right inside the terminal as you pass security. The restrooms haven't been cleaned in forever as is evident by the horrible urine stench, puddles of urine on the floor near the urinals, crusted urine stains on the toilets, the garbage is overfilled and used paper towels are spilled over onto the floor. As you walk through the terminal there is garbage on the ground, horribly stained carpet, food debris on most seats and literally piles of what appears to be mud/manure on the floor where someone had scraped their boots in the ground. Pretty sure I found the true origin of Covid. Yup in KCI.

Not Verified | I don't go to an airport to eat, or shop, or admire the furnishings. I go to catch a flight. Period. For people who live in the area, you can currently arrive at economy parking half an hour before your flight boards, take the shuttle to your gate, check in (with or without bags) and still easily make your flight. I have been doing this since 911 slowed things down. The city has embarked on a multi billion dollar new terminal "upgrade" to make our beloved airport a clone of larger markets. Long TSA lines, long treks to the gates (now it is about a 2 minute walk from check in to TSA). Separate TSA checkpoints at each cluster of gates means you get through in 5 minutes or so.), We are not a true hub. We don't want a hub. We have plenty of flights and the airlines compete for our business, resulting in lower airfares. The city stopped routine maintenance to strengthen their case for a new terminal. Had they done due diligence, the airport would have looked just fine. But the construction unions held sway and the travelling public here will now be paying increased ticket prices, laden with extra fees to pay for this. A giant step backward.

Not Verified | I have traveled world wide and this is the dirtiest airport I have ever been in. The carpet, bathrooms and seating are all unkempt. I understand it may be an older airport, that is not the issue. It needs cleaning. The airport is easy to access and get around. Gate attendants were polite.

✅ Trip Verified | TSA was extremely rude, obnoxious and angry at Passengers. They order people around and throw their personal items like they are Nazi's at a Concentration Camp. This "Agency" should be disbanded. They are a useless waste of my hard earned money that I pay to these rude morons to do nothing but harass citizens.

✅ Trip Verified | The TSA Agents were absolutely awful and down right ugly. There is absolutely no reason to treat any person they way the lady treated my son and I at the initial check in. She was wearing "2" masks and I could not hear a word she said and my 17 year old son could not understand a word she said either. We are not frequent travelers and this was our fist time at this airport and the lady should have been fired. She was ugly to every person I heard her dealing with. She yelled at all the line telling us there was a "glare" in her little box so we need to stand in a certain spot so she could see our face. Just wrong all the way around and customer service was zero, then we go to the line where you take off your shoes and go through that machine. Where do these people come from. I cannot believe TSA thinks it is fine to speak to people the way they do. It is down right awful.