I've been to 700 airports and these are my favorites in America... and the 'gross' major hub I'll never visit again

Lee Abbamonte describes airports as 'a necessary evil' - where he aims to spend as little time as possible. 

But some are far better than others, and as someone who has been to over 700 airports worldwide, including every single one in American, the 45-year-old jet-setter is in a unique position to judge. 

As New Yorker who lived in Manhattan for 21 years, Abbamonte says he has personal beef with the Big Apple's three major airports - particularly John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in Queens.

'Traffic can be an absolute nightmare,' the travel influencer said in an interview with DailyMail.com - adding that from Manhattan, getting to the airport can take from 30 minutes up to about two and a half hours.

But there is one US airport he takes particular umbrage with: Miami International.

Lee Abbamonte, 45, has been to every country and every US state at least three times

'That airport is just absolutely abysmal. It's old, it's gross. And if you have to connect there, oftentimes you have to go through security twice because the terminals don't necessarily connect and the lines are really long,' Abbamonte said.

He said he'd had two flights out of Miami canceled for no apparent reason after hours-long delays. And on one occasion an enraged fellow passenger was arrested following a violent outburst, and after hours of waiting the flight was still canceled. 

'Just an absolute complete s**t show, six hours of my life just completely wasted. And you're not even really given a reason,' Abbamonte said.

It's perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that when recently compiling his top 20 airports worldwide, not a single US city made the list. 

But to help domestic travelers scout out the best spots, he has now provided DailyMail.com a list of his ten favorite US airports.   

1. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

This airport - one Abbamonte has flown in and out of 'a million times' - tops his list of favorites for a multitude of reasons. 

He lives in Los Angeles now, and Phoenix is just an hour and a half away by plane. Being an avid golfer, he said he's never had a problem checking his golf clubs when he goes to the Arizona city to tee off.

'There's never a lot of traffic, the security lines are negligible,' Abbamonte said. 

'Every time I go to Phoenix, it's just a breeze. The people who work there are generally pretty nice. You get a lot of retired people just moonlighting, chilling out.'

Serving 48.7 million passengers in 2023, Phoenix is one of the busiest airports on the list. It's a hub for American Airlines and offers nonstop flights to more than 125 destinations around the world.

A sign displays an an unofficial temperature as jets taxi at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at dusk on July 12, 2023

2. John Wayne Airport: Orange County, California

Originally named Orange County Airport, it was renamed in 1979 after actor John Wayne died that year. Known for playing gunslingers and cowboys in western movies, Wayne lived in Newport Beach, a neighborhood near the airport.

Surrounded by the cities of Irvine and Costa Mesa, the airport is about 41 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. 

Abbamonte described it as the perfect airport to fly out from for locals who don't want deal with the hustle and bustle of LAX, one of the busiest airports in the US.

It's also a good option for travelers flying in who don't necessarily want to be in downtown Los Angeles but are looking for a more laid back experience in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach or Anaheim.

John Wayne is too small to be a hub for any particular airline, but it served 11.7 million passengers in 2023.  

Aerial view of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, on Thursday, May 11, 2017

3. Palm Springs International Airport: Palm Springs, California

A green oasis in the middle of the southern California desert, Palm Springs was incorporated in 1938 and quickly became a popular getaway for Hollywood stars looking to avoid the prying eyes of gossip journalists.

Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and many other famous people were frequent visitors.

Palm Springs also happens to be one of Abbamonte's favorite places in the country. He loves it because its a huge golf destination like Phoenix, but it also has great weather and the people there are committed to an outdoorsy lifestyle.

So much so that even the airport is outside.

'It's an outdoor airport because the weather's beautiful there. It's always warm and the gates are outside,' Abbamonte said.

He added that once you touch down, you're right in the middle of Palm Springs, making it easy to get to wherever you want to go.

Palm Springs Airport served 3.2 million passengers in 2023, a jump of nearly 9 percent from the year prior. 

Palm Springs Airport is unique because since its weather is so moderate, everything, include the gates where passengers wait for their flights, is outside

4. Jackson Hole Airport: Teton County, Wyoming

Jackson, a 10,000-strong town in Wyoming's Jackson Hole valley, is a paradise for winter sports, boasting three upscale ski resorts with summits as high as 10,450 feet.

The town is home to the Grand Teton National Park and is within driving distance to Yellowstone National Park.

But visitors who decide to stay can vacation at its many dude ranches or simply walk around town and marvel at the great views of the surrounding the Teton mountain range. 

The airport itself is in the foothills of the Tetons, which according to Abbamonte, makes for an exhilarating landing. 

'It's just this stunning, beautiful airport to land in,' he said. 'And you walk out of your your plane and you're...looking at snow capped peaks behind you. It's just gorgeous.' 

Jackson Hole Airport is the busiest airport in Wyoming and had about 706,000 arriving passengers in 2023, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Jackson Hole Airport sporting a more rugged look than most airports in the country. On top of being a popular skiing and hiking destination, Jackson Hole is known for big game hunting of elk, antelope, bison and many other animals

5. Kona International Airport: Kalaoa, Hawaii

Kona is another outdoor airport and like Jackson Hole, Abbamonte said landing there is a great experience because of its proximity to the lava fields of the island of Hawaii, often called the Big Island.

'I just love Kona, flying in there is cool, you feel like you're landing in the ocean or in a lava field and then all of a sudden you're there.'

The Big Island has Volcanoes National Park, and the island has become Abbamonte's second favorite destination in Hawaii after Maui 

He added that the airport is small, efficient and far more manageable than the one in Maui.

Kona International Airport served upwards of 3.7 million passengers in 2023.

Kona is another airport with outdoor gates, like Palm Springs Airport

6. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: Arlington, Virginia

Ronald Reagan National Airport is the busiest in Washington D.C., serving slightly more passengers than Washington Dulles Airport.

Reagan is also much closer to Washington than Dulles, and is connected to the city's metro system, while Dulles is not.

BWI, the other airport that serves the D.C. area, is even further from D.C. and is actually far closer to Baltimore, Maryland.   

Abbamonte puts it more harshly. 

'Dulles sucks. BWI sucks,' he said. 'Dulles and BWI are total nightmares if you're going into D.C.'

Plus, when you fly into Reagan, he said you get great views of the National Mall and the White House. 

President Bill Clinton signed a bill in 1998 naming the airport in honor of Ronald Reagan. 

The airport is a hub for American Airlines, has 98 nonstop destinations and served 25.5 million passengers in 2023.

Passengers walk through at Reagan National Airport at the start of the Memorial Day weekend in Arlington, Virginia on May 26, 2023

7. Harry Reid International Airport: Las Vegas, Nevada

Harry Reid Airport is one of two airports in the US that has slot machines waiting for travel-weary passengers as soon as the step off the plane (with Nevada's Reno-Tahoe International Airport being the other).

Aside from immediately satiating visitors' need to gamble, the airport is one of the busiest in America and in Abbamonte's opinion, a pretty efficient one too.

It served a record-breaking 57.6 million people in 2023, which was only slightly behind the 62.5 million that flew through John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. It's also a hub for Southwest Airlines.

'I love Las Vegas, I'm a big Vegas guy, I'm there like once a month,' Abbamonte said.

He added that rideshares and taxis picking up passengers there have set prices now, which prevents you from getting ripped off by cabbies. 

Of course, most people who go through the gates of Harry Reid Airport eventually head to the Las Vegas Strip, but there are other places nearby to visit, including the Red Rock Canyon National Park and the Hoover Dam.

A plane takes off from Harry Reid International Airport near casinos along the Las Vegas Strip on Wednesday, September 29, 2021

8. Key West International Airport: Key West, Florida

Key West, an island city with the distinction of being the southernmost point in the continental US, is one of the most popular domestic vacation destinations. 

Key West is primarily known for its many beaches and vibrant nightlife, but it also has some surprising bits of history. 

For instance, the house Ernest Hemingway lived in on the island from 1931 to 1939 has since been turned into a historical site.

There's also the Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, where visitors can see the Civil War-era fort named after the 12th US president.

Key West's airport is small and has a relaxed vibe, according to Abbamonte. 

There's also sand bar at the airport, which he said he has never seen at any other airport. 

It is one of the busiest small-sized airports in the country, serving 1.2 million passengers in 2023.

Key West's airport is one of the busiest small-sized airports in the country, serving 1.2 million passengers in 2023.

9. Glacier Park International Airport: Kalispell, Montana

This airport is in the northwest of Montana, and is a heartbeat away from Glacier National Park, which Abbamonte said is 'one of the best national parks in the country.'

The town of Whitefish has also become a popular destination for people who love to fish.

He calls the area a great place for 'upper class winter fun,' though there is also stuff do to during the summer months, including golf.

The airport served roughly 790,000 passengers on domestic flights in 2023.

Interior dining area of Glacier Park International Airport

10. Gerald R. Ford International Airport: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Abbamonte said this airport is 'one of the cleanest' he has ever been to, and it's close to the city of Grand Rapids.

The airport was named after President Gerald Ford in 1999, after growing up in Grand Rapids and later serving as US Congressman from Michigan from 1949 to 1973.

Inside the airport, there is a museum dedicated to Ford and what he did for Michigan that Abbamonte found 'wholesome.' 

'I've only been there twice, so I'm hardly an expert on it,' he said. 'It was just a clean, efficient, pleasant airport.'

Abbamonte described the airport as 'wholesome' and one of the cleanest he's ever been to