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Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Rating Details »
4200 Genesee Street
Cheektowaga, NY 14225
(716) 630-6000
Cheektowaga, NY 14225
(716) 630-6000
12 reviews for Buffalo Niagara International Airport
This is really a beautiful building hidden by highways. Spacious, clean but not too big so you don't get lost.
It's not really a small airport, people. I've been to small airports. They have something like 10 gates. This is a medium sized affair. It's international!
There are a couple shops to waste some time in before a flight. Security lines usually go quickly and the people are nice.
Basic restrooms, usually clean. I think there is still a play area for children at a couple of the gates. Sadly, they frown upon people my age playing on the plastic planes.
In regards to Jennifer W's review, I have to honestly say that I've never heard the Goo Goo Dolls playing in the terminal. I HAVE seen Robby Takac reading magazines in the one gift shop, though. And also, I'm always in the left-side terminal (US Air) where you never hear music, all you hear are people weeping over their missed flights due to bad weather and US Air's incompetence. Oops, did I just say that out loud?
I fly out of BUF every Monday, and back to BUF every Thursday. It's torture, but I do it. They have just opened a few new bars/eating establishments (I read that there's a new Anchor Bar in the right-side terminal - is that true?) and they've been working on redoing the security checkpoint for about two years now. I do have to say that some Monday mornings are really really bad with long-ass lines for the security screening, and then other Monday mornings there is NO WAIT AT ALL. There is really no explanation for it, in my opinion.
I can't really comment on the waiting areas of the airport, because I bought myself a fancy-pants US Air Club membership so I can wait for my delayed flights in cushy comfort away from the masses of angry travelers.
Great for flying out and flying home- it's small so you don't have to walk for miles, the security lines are never long, baggage claim is quick, and you don't have to get there 3 hours early to make your flight.
Would be horrible to have a layover here (I can't imagine anyone would have a layover in B-lo anyway...) or be stuck with a delayed flight- there isn't much to do except sit in the restaurant and browse the only gift shop.
I fly out of this airport a lot...
Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) uses its small size to its advantage: unless you're flying a blatantly irresponsible airline like Northwest, you won't have to wait for your gate to open up when you land, and since the distance from curbside to gate is only a few hundred feet at most, recovering your bags at the baggage claim and getting to your plane are pretty quick.
They do a good job keeping the airport open even in pretty bad weather. When I've been delayed while flying out of BUF, it has usually been due to bad weather at the destination airport.
Airports are essentially glorified waiting rooms meant to keep people distracted enough that they don't go crazy while waiting to cram themselves into small metal tubes. BUF is actually a fairly pleasant place to wait since the noise level is low, the bar to passenger ration is high, and the terminal gently lit by natural light.
And if for nothing else, it's got to be the only project ever built in Western New York that finished on time and on budget.
Footnote: they actually don't just loop Goo Goo Doll's "Slide." It is interspersed with Grover Washington Jr.'s magnum opus, "Just the Two of Us," and they have been playing those songs non-stop since the terminal opened in 1998. That must be some sort of record.
This airport has a few things going for it.
Thre good:
-Southwest flys out of here, so no matter what the conditions are like they keep on flying. Plus you can get just about anywhere in the country with them and fast.
-Usair still has a club lounge there..... Why, I don't know and I ask them all the time but I would rather have it open than not.
-The ground crews at buffalo are the best and other airports look to them as a what to do in case of a snow storm.
The bad:
-Like most small airports the security lines are bad in the mornings and holidays but otherwise no big deal.
- You're in Buffalo
Oh Buffalo Airport, how I loathe thee.
Well...in all fairness, the airport itself is fine for it's small size...it's hard to believe it's an international airport with how tiny it is...but their security is fast and effective and they have a few cute shops with a coffee place. Nothing spectacular but nothing to sneeze at either.
However...closing the airport when there is supposedly freezing rain is not cool. Neither is us having to be turned around mid-air because of said closed airport. Especially when we just got right onto another flight 5 minutes after landing because oh..look the airport is open again even though there was still freezing rain.
And then later to find that planes landed at the same time (and 10 min, 20 min etc later) that we were getting turned around midair and sent back to where we came from...TOTALLY not cool. Was the airport not really closed or what?
Also, seriously...what is up with not having any staff around at the counters or baggage claim when you actually need them? Who closes a ticket counter and leaves no representation for your airline (coughAmericancough) and no one in the baggage claim office...how is anyone supposed to get actual information around here?
Not to mention the whole 'pulling the wrong bag' and throwing it onto the baggage carousel when we had to change our flight to the next day...betcha the poor people with the name and bag that slightly resembled ours wouln't have been as cool about not finding their bag at their final destination.
Wow I sound so bitter about Buffalo! We did have a fabulous visit with friends, though the trip part was pretty sucky. We did actually make it home, albeit a day late and a dollar short...so the airport gets 2 stars for 'eventual effectiveness'. But seriously...I'm so over flying...especially into states with actual weather!!
Last year when I went back to visit family in Buffalo, I noticed that in the East wing on the moving walkway I heard Goo Goo Dolls "Slide." Yay, Buffalo is celebrating our hometown talent.
I flew in last week and noticed the same song playing in that area. Wow, what a coinkydink.
I flew out today and heard the SAME SONG when I walked to my gate, then again when I walked back to the Landmark, then AGAIN when I headed back to my gate.
There are multiple music acts from Buffalo that made it to the point of national recognition, why-Why-WHY must you choose a lame song from only one band to continuously loop?
And yes, the airport is small, although bigger than the old terminal, but is it at all possible to have a decent restaurant in this place? I went to the restaurant at the far end of the east wing to have a Blue. They ran out. Grrrrrr! Then I went to the Landmark and was happy to see a Beef on Weck. But then I tasted it and it was gross and overpriced.
The building is much prettier now, the design and cleanliness of a new building is pretty fab, but everything else needs a lot of improvement.
This airport is small but tiny. Only one store--but it's a good one for souvenirs, but three bars. Typical Buffalo. I've usually only come in and out of here to go to Bills games and visit the grandparents. All I can say is just pray your flight isn't delayed because of that lake effect weather.
A basic airport.... nothing that struck my fancy. It was weird though, the security separated my husband and I for some weird questions. Searched and searched our stuff. I guess they found out that we're just an average, boring couple that travels with waaaaayy too much stuff.
Whatever
This isn't the best airport, but it isn't the worst either. There's only one store in here, so if you have a layover in Buffalo, good luck keeping yourself entertained! There's a really yummy smoothie place I always find myself going to when I'm here!
EDIT: Ok so now the smoothie place is gone. Definitely -1 star!
One thing that I used to love about the Buffalo airport was its teeny-tiny size. After landing this past weekend, I now abhor the teeny-tiny size, teeming with hoardes of travelers, all walking slower than a snails pace. Get a move on, people! It used to be fun to sit at the bar and wait for friends to come in, but the damn terrorists have ruined all that, and the used-to-be-pretty entrance hall.
Basic, clean airport. Not much to do or look at in the airport, much like Buffalo itself. But if you wanna an alternative to flying direct to Toronto, there's always flying into Buffalo, I suggest Southwest, and taking the drive across the border.
