The Top 5 Airports On The East Coast, According To Frequent Flyers

Flying is one of the most stressful parts of any trip. Between parking, getting through security on time, and finding your gate, most find traveling at a dysfunctional airport to be a frustrating experience. Whether you're on a short domestic flight, a long-haul international red-eye, or changing to a connecting flight, no one enjoys getting through airport security. Even Rick Steves' protégé got brutally honest about it being the worst part of any international trip. However, at the best airports around the country, preparing for your flight can be a relaxing and even fun experience.

Some are small and operate at a calm pace, others are large, visually stunning, and modern. However, all of these airports offer an experience with fewer headaches for the average traveler. Whatever flying experience you prefer, these airports have smoother security processes and enjoyable hallways to roam. From Florida up to New England, here are the top five best airports on the East Coast, according to frequent flyers. 

What used to be one of the most notoriously hated airports in America has had a facelift and now tops several lists as one of the best airports to travel through in the country. The butt of many jokes in New York for years, LaGuardia has a reputation nowadays of being clean, easy to navigate, and extremely modern. In 2015, the airport began an $8 billion renovation project, which was completed seven years later in 2022. As a result, the busy East Coast airport went from a total nightmare to one of the best in America.

Today, LaGuardia Airport is the height of modern air travel in the United States. It's also full of local New York City area restaurants, like Bubby's of Tribeca, Junior's, Hill Country Barbecue Market, Irving Farm Coffee Roasters, and local bagel chains. Their newer, aesthetically pleasing terminals are the perfect place to relax, get some work done, or grab a bite to eat between flights, and are much more open and comfortable than the LaGuardia of the past. 

Now known for its bright open spaces, aquatic show in terminal B, and quick TSA lines, this is a great option if you're flying in and out of New York or need to make a connection on the East Coast. One frequent flyer said of it on Reddit, "People love to complain about LaGuardia Airport, but even if my city offered direct flights to JFK or Newark, I'd never even consider them when visiting NYC. Security at LaGuardia is extremely efficient, there are a variety of food and drink options past security, and most importantly, I would MUCH rather take the free bus connection to the subway than pay for the AirTrain." 

Upstate, Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport was named one of the best small airports in the country for the third year in a row by USA Today. Considered to be the best airport to fly into for a vacation in upstate New York, flying into this area, you'll have a quick trip to downtown Rochester, have easy access to Ontario and Toronto, and it is a good jumping-off point for the most incredible Finger Lakes towns for charm, wine, and waterfront adventures. 

Both architecturally interesting and bureaucratically efficient, this airport is smooth to navigate. Home to a relatively new artistic canopy that lights up in a colorful display outside the terminals, just walking through this airport is an enjoyable experience for flyers. It also houses the Frederick Douglass Legacy Mural, which is worth stopping to check out on your way through the airport.

Rochester Airport has also recently improved security checkpoints, which were upgraded in 2016, making it quicker and smoother to get through TSA to your gate. One Redditor who flies out of this airport frequently says "ROC security is super fast and the airport is very small. I always plan to arrive 1 hour before boarding, and it's always been more than enough time." While it's a smaller airport, you can get nonstop flights to 21 cities, including Las Vegas, Washington D.C., and Miami. For an efficient airport, however, it may just be worth having a flight with a connection to avoid driving to a larger city with more congested terminals. 

This airport is beloved by frequent travelers coming in and out of New England. Quite small, Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport sees far less foot traffic than airports in major cities like New York and Boston do. And a majority of New Englanders live within 75 minutes of this airport, so it's easy to reach for most residents looking for that small airport experience. 

Flyers who use this location as their main airport love it for how calm and easy-going the atmosphere is. It's easy to get through security and navigate without feeling like you're lost or rushing to get to your gate. "I love T. F. Green. Easy to get to, easy to park, easy to navigate," one frequent flyer told Travel+Leisure (via Yahoo!Life). The airport received the highest score (84.90) from readers in T&L's World's Best Awards 2025. 

Fewer people, a smaller location, and none of the heart-pounding stress of a long TSA line are a winning combination, it turns out. While this airport is a bit isolated from other major cities, many who choose it say they would rather travel farther to reach it than fly out of a larger one for the reasons above. Readers of Travel & Leisure even voted it the best domestic airport in 2025.

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is not large for a major international airport, making it appealing to a lot of travelers looking for a slower pace and fewer crowds. The design of the terminals is reminiscent of a town square, with store façades that reflect the local region. Wide brick lanes lined with shops, tables, and benches make you feel like you're not at the airport while waiting for your flight. 

This is definitely the airport to spend a slow morning in. On Reddit, locals to the area share similar messages of loving this airport, despite its small size, with one user saying, "I love the Savannah airport, it's small, clean, and fast (never really lines or anything except on busy travel days)."

South Carolina is a hot spot for golf tourism. As the home of the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour, the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport has a PGA Tour Grill, as well as golf equipment and accessory stores to browse. Whether you're about to start your trip or are ending it, gear is abundant. Hilton Head is one of South Carolina's top resort towns, blending bikeable beaches, golf greens, and dolphin tours. It only makes sense that it would have a relaxing airport experience as well.

Last but not least, Tampa International Airport is well situated close to downtown and a good jumping-off point for vacations on Florida's west coast. Tampa is a short drive from Sarasota, Venice, and many other popular West Coast beach towns. Plus, outside of summer trips, Tampa is transforming into one of America's most affordable fall vacation spots. 

In 2018, the Tampa International Airport underwent $1 billion in renovations, making it a truly modern airport that can compete with other large U.S. airports like LGA and even airports abroad. "TPA is a great airport that really balances efficiency and lots of cool options for food, drinks, and shopping," one Tampa resident shared on the city's Reddit thread. "As a local, it's always easy to find something that sucks, but I've traveled all over the country and TPA is top tier." 

The newly installed Sky-Connect people mover train at this airport incorporates modern Japanese trains into its design, allowing Tampa to compete with other international airports. Visually speaking, while the airport definitely has a modern feel, the Florida camp remains. In one terminal, you'll find a 21-foot-high flamingo statue named Phoebe that protrudes from the ceiling. 

There are many, many airports on the East Coast, each varying in size and services. Some spots on this list are small airports, while others offer international flights to just about anywhere. The standouts that made it onto this list were chosen through a mix of online mentions by travel experts and frequent flyers (the frequency with which positive reviews, reports, and mentions appeared being a key factor), as well as personal experience. 

Airports such as New York City's LaGuardia (LGA) make several top ten lists released by travel experts, while others, like Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, are simply loved by locals who travel through them frequently. In some cases, these are popular enough that travelers plan a travel day around that airport. While the airports on this list are of different sizes, customer experience was put above comparing major airports to one another, and some of the smaller airports on this list offer connecting flights to major airports. When looking at the overall experience of each, these were the five airports that emerged as some of the best currently operating on the East Coast.