Newark Airport

❎ Unverified | Terminal A is a nightmare compared to other airports of similar size. Not enough seating, services or space - and that's when flights are on time. Delayed flights - the terminal becomes purgatory! Staff are good - very helpful. The problem is management.

✅ Verified Review | Not only was security really rude, but everything is confusing and signs lead to the wrong areas. We flew in after a long 5 hour flight, and went searching for some food to eat. If you want to pay 22.00 for a burger or 12.00 for a veggie wrap, 28.00 chicken, what? Do you think everyone who travels has money to just blow on mediocre food? This is appalling! There is one fast food option, Wendys, and it's in gate B, not A, or C, and if you want to get to any other gate, you have to walk out of security, take a bus to gate B and then go back through security just to get a Wendys burger? Also where's the water fountains where you can fill up your water bottles? Such a disgrace.

✅ Verified Review | I had the worst experience at Newark Airport. Going through security made me feel like a prisoner not a paying passenger - people working there were yelling the rules at you while you're in line for security, one airport staff dropped my bin with my whole bag and phone in it and all of my bag's contents fell on the floor, she then picked up my stuff from the floor and threw my shoes and purse onto the conveyor belt with all my stuff emptied out on the belt. When I said "please don't throw my bag" she looked at me, rolled her eyes and then yelled at the crowd "people hurry up and move forward!" Rude, uncaring, depressing people working at a poorly maintained airport that looks like it's experienced no updates or renovations since the '90's. Anyone traveling with older passengers who need more time through security should especially avoid this airport at all costs.

✅ Verified Review | I was connecting through Newark airport! They made me go through the full procedure as if I were staying in the US! I had to line up to show my passport and my ESTA, I had to wait for my suitcase, stay in line again to clear custom, then give back my suitcase. I had to stay in line a 4th time to go again through security! During all this process the staff were not helpful at all! I had to run from one place to the other asking people to let me pass in front of them! Ridiculous! I will avoid this airport in the future.

✅ Verified Review | Arrived for the second time at Newark and this time, if was a great experience. Particularly arrival, was smooth and with friendly but professional treatment by customs etc. Departing was also quick (very nice that SAS has self-service at the terminal) and security went quick and efficient as well. The airport was pretty calm and not chaotic at all. The only two things I would like, was quicker boarding. The staff was so slow and it seemed very unorganized. And also, why does this airport not have free unlimited wifi? It is something almost everyone uses and something I really value when traveling. I don't understand why such a huge and international hub, do not offer this as a service. Upon arrival, we used the airtrain, which worked really well. My first time at Newark was fine, but this was a pleasent experience.

A long long walk from domestic arrival at Terminal C to baggage claim. But bags were quickly available. From landing to our Manhattan hotel in 90 minutes. Returned 5 days later for domestic departure from Terminal C early morning Check in and security were amazingly quick and well organised. From curb to airside in 20 minutes. Staff were all helpful and pleasant despite a number of obviously inexperienced travellers holding up progress somewhat. Didn't like the iPad meal ordering system at the restaurants much but the food was passable albeit a little expensive. The 30 minute wifi limit is a bit mean. Flight info readily available and gate lounges had plenty of comfortable seating. Rest rooms clean. Boarding was orderly. Having heard horror stories about EWR, our experience was a pleasant surprise.

✅ Verified Review | International experience in EWR is a mixed bag. Arrived via CX late evening. Immigration and customs were surprisingly quick and even friendly but the EWR staff directing arriving passengers to the appropriate queues were rude and even bordering on offensive. Perhaps someone should remind them that the passengers they were shouting at just endured a 16 hour flight from literally halfway around the world. Nevertheless, baggage claim, even for non priority passengers went pretty quick, so this was a 5-star arrival for me. Departing was another story. I could not imagine how US airports catering to internationally departing passengers have the gall to charge $6 for a cart when Asian airports (even the "worst" ones like MNL) offer it as a free service. Check in and TSA security was quick and even courteous, but beyond security for a midnight trans-pacific flight, there were no (not even little) dining, shopping nor lounging options outside of the gate seating. The bars and restaurants were closed and even the snack shop which offered dodgy cold selections closed 2 hours before the flight boarded. No wifi available meant a lot of bored passengers.

✅ Verified Review | The terminal buildings are old and need a major update. I have been to many airports in Asia and Western-Europe, but Newark is definitely not on the same level with those airports. On arrival, we were confronted with a long line of queues for the paspoort check. We queued for about 1.5 hours. The TSA agents did a good job guiding the queue and kept everyone "on the leash" during queuing. But the Homeland Security agents do not have a good work ethic. One of the agents just left his station to chit chat with another agent a few feet away from his post while there was a queue for his counter and "our agent" was just casually talking about hockey with another agent while handling our documents. The bagage claim area was overloaded with luggage from different flights. One luggage carousel handled more than two flights at the same time resulting in the luggage from the earlier fights being unloaded and put on the floor, all mixed up. On departure day, I found out that I had to pay $6 to use the luggage trolley! Never ever occurred to me that I had to pay for an airport trolley everywhere in the world. So I decided not to use them. Ground crew was not friendly at all, no smile and didn't even look me in the eye during check in. Beverages and foods were overpriced. A total of $13 for a glass of beer! No wifi available and very limited choice of restaurants. To sum it all up, Newark Liberty airport is just a horrible place to be. Bad service, overpriced foods and beverages (even for American standards), old buildings and probably way beyond its capacity.

✅ Verified Review | We used Terminal C flying with United Airlines. I could not believe that I couldn't buy an alcoholic drink at any of the bar/food outlets with cash. You are required to use credit cards which I won't do when abroad. The staff were totally unhelpful. Our flight was announced as delayed from 7.35pm you 8.00 pm but we didn't start boarding until 8.40pm. No explanation whatsoever, the toilets were also a disgrace. I have always been under the impression that American service and hospitality is second to none. Don't believe a word of it. Do not use UA or Newark airport.

✅ Verified Review | Terminal C, Self check-in was easy, there was the usual queue for passport control, but nothing too bad. My gate was C80, so I made my way down to the gate, and feeling hungry and I fancied a beer, so called in at one 'eatery' where I was welcomed and sat at a table with an iPad in front of me. A quick glance around told me that every table had a tablet - so I listened while I was told to scan my boarding card barcode and shown how my my name instantly popped up with flight details for all to see - especially as the waiter read my name out quite loudly (which I wasn't terrifically thrilled about in these days of identity theft). I quickly scanned through the menu, the food was astronomically highly priced for even the simplest dish, and beers likewise for ales I'd never heard of. So I fled the place, thinking I'd find a cheaper bar where I could pay by dollar notes, and discuss a choice of food and beers with a friendly barman. But alas, no. Some mastermind of planning had persuaded the airport chiefs of Newark to adopt a full tablet ordering system for every eat and drink outlet. Thirsty, I decided to call in at the Vesper Tavern. At least I recognised the beers on tap, and after my stomach had flipped a somersault at the prices, I decided that I needed a drink, fast. I scanned my barcode again, selected my beer from the menu (note, that the picture of each draft beer shows a full pint - or at least large looking glass of frothing beer), pressed the pay button, and as already mentioned by someone else, spotted the service charge was set at 18%. For what? I'd had no service so far! So I wound it down to 0%, and begrudgingly, I swiped my card (although I'd preferred to have paid in dollars), and waited for my beer to come. Along strolled the waiter with a wimpy looking glass of beer. It certainly wasnt the pint I'd seen pictured on the menu! I sat and observed others coming, and of their dismay at ordering expensive food and drink by tablet. My issue with this is that there's no dialogue between the customer and the staff. Little chance to discuss the food, how you would like the food cooked? Which option would they recommend from experience? Could I sample a beer that I'd never heard of? And if the service was good, then at the end, I'll leave a tip to reflect it - not to have an 18% surcharge lumped onto my bill for something that could have been delivered by a little train on a track, sushi style. I'd love to think that in a year or two I'll re-visit terminal C and all the tablets will have been strpped out and replaced once again by the happy chatter of conversion between customer and bar staff. But somehow, the investment made in this new technology will be made to work. Somehow.