Airports

Had to take a friend to the airport recently. Wasn't as bad as I had expected. Getting in and out of Philadelphia International is actually quite easy. The access roads from I-95 are clearly marked and there are enough lanes to keep traffic moving. Parking is easy as well. There are the terminal parking decks, the "cell phone lot", where you can park until your party calls you to come get them and the long term parking if you want to leave your car there and drive home after your trip. While there's no more curbside check-in (thanks Al-Queda) it's still fairly convenient during off-peak hours. I always try to schedule my flights after the peak morning or mid-day hours as well as avoiding early evening flights when everyone is coming back from their business trips. It's all in the timing. Choosing your flight time wisely can avoid a lot of aggravation. It's still a good idea to get there at least two hours ahead of time for domestic flights and at least three hours ahead of time for international flights. I'm a bit of an airplane fan so I don't mind sitting around the airport for a few hours watching the planes come and go. An airport is also, at least to me, the best place in the world to people watch. It's a great mental exercise to try and figure out or at least guess at what each person's story is. Where they're coming from or going to, are they on vacation, business or both and are they meeting someone or do they have to get an airport shuttle, taxi or a rental car. It's a fun way to pass the time. But then again, so is having a drink in one of the airport restaurants or bars. Either way, it's fun.