This Tiny, Cramped Canadian Airport Was Ranked As 'The Worst Place To Fly Out Of'

New Brunswick, Canada is a delightful area. Maybe you're visiting Grand Manan Island as a cheaper alternative to the crowds in Maine and enjoying the coastal hiking. Perhaps you're there in Shediac, aka the "Lobster Capital of the World," to feast on seafood (or take a picture with their famous giant lobster). Whatever you're there for, you may be flying into and out of the tiny Saint John Airport. It's not to be mistaken for Saint John's International Airport, which is in Newfoundland, over 800 miles and a ferry ride away, as this airport only hosts Air Canada, Flair, Pascal, and Porter. In fact, a 2024 report from CasinoHunters.com (via National Post) listed Saint John as the worst airport in Canada to fly out of, with few food options and no lounge. One reviewer on Yelp said of Saint John, "It's okay. YSJ is a cute little airport, but it has very few options for shopping and food. It's not like someone's going to have a three-hour layover there or something, but overall I find it okay." Another mentioned the tiny terminal. 

However, others called it "cozy," and "The most adorably tiny airport in the world." One reviewer said, "Very small and easy to get in and out of airport is actually really nice for a change!" While you may not have a lot of amenities, restaurants, and shops, you aren't going to be fighting crowds at the security checkpoint. The report based its scores on six factors, including the number of outbound direct flight destinations, lounges, dining facilities, on-site rental car companies, hotels in a 2-mile radius, and operating airlines.

While you may not want to stay for hours at Saint John Airport with no lounge, that doesn't mean it's just chairs on the other side of security. There is one restaurant called Connections Bistro, which is an open-concept bistro and bar. There you'll find gourmet sandwiches, pastries, coffee drinks from the local JavaMoose, and bar offerings. One of those is a beer from the local Moosehead Breweries, which began making beer in 1867. They're open from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends. There is a gift shop inside Connections with souvenirs like smoked salmon, maple syrup, leather, jewelry, and more. You can also get snacks, sandwiches, essentials, and drinks at the YSJ Market and Duty-Free. 

There is free power, USB connections, and free Wi-Fi, though you should know the best ways to protect your data when using airport Wi-Fi. Saint John Airport has something interesting on the health end of things. It was the first airport in Canada to have a public Epi-Pen Auto-Injector station outside the Connections Bistro in case of an allergic reaction. In addition, there are also UPOD workstations for rent, which are 4x4 workspaces that function like a small office. If you need to rent a car, they have counters for Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, and Alamo.