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Port Columbus International Airport
Rating Details »
4600 International Gateway
Columbus, OH 43219
(614) 239-4000
Columbus, OH 43219
(614) 239-4000
35 reviews for Port Columbus International Airport
Several years ago, Columbus International Airport did a renovation, and it gave the airport a lot more character and provided a much needed update to the restaurants/eateries. It is still a pretty small airport, which makes it easy to get around. The security gate is usually quick to get through (but occasionally a long line will form).
Getting baggage is not that bad either. One of the advantages that Columbus International Airport has is that they have shops and restaurants in the pre-security area. If you get to the terminal a little early, you can spend time with friends and family before going through security and onto your gate. Since the restaurants and shops are located next to the security check, it is easy to tell if a long line is forming (therefore, no need to worry about missing that flight). In addition, the gates are nearby...so going from security check to boarding is a breeze.
In the pre-security area, you will find a sit-down place (Max & Erma's that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner) as well as a few fast food spots (Charley's, Wendy's). The shops include a Brooks Brothers as well as an Ohio State Buckeye store (just in case you didn't get enough of it while staying in Columbus).
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Port Columbus is pretty small as far as airports go. Quite possibly the smallest I've ever flown to/from. Pretty limited food choices with Chili's too being the only real restaurant in the terminal areas...
The security line was pretty short and they moved things along at a pretty good pace, so no complaints there.
Bottom Line: Port Columbus is basically a no-frills airport with all the good and bad qualities that go along with that designation. At least you don't have to worry about which carousel your bag will come off of Southwest, because there's only one...
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OK so this is a solid airport. It is easy to maneuver through, and it offers a number of places to eat, and relax. Plus they offer Wifi, for free... That is win.
The only downside of this location is that there are not many direct flights to other major airports... But it is in Columbus, which is a midsized city... So what do you expect to have a direct flight daily to every city in the U.S. 4 times a day?
As an airport itself it is a very good one.
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This is one of the best airports I have ever been to. It is so simple and easy to get around. The lines at security have never been too long, and the employees are usually very nice. I always look forward to flying into Columbus!
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I was just here yesterday so I wanted to review Port Columbus while it is still fresh in my mind. I've done a lot of flying in my life, and I've been in and out of this airport many times. Maybe it's because I'm so used to it or because at the end of a long trip it means I'm home, but I really like this airport.
The main reason why? It's so uncomplicated. There is one place where you can get dropped off, and one place where you can get picked up. I'm never even needing to look at a map or ask someone where to go or walking around confused. I can definitely not say that for a couple other airports that I've been to.
It's a pretty small airports as far as airports go, and I think that's why it's so easy to navigate. That and the fact that the signs are helpful and everything is marked well. When you start driving to the airport (which is easy to find if you take 270 or 670 because the street signs lead you right to the airport) you will have to choose your lane - whether it be for long-term parking, drop-offs or pick-ups. It's really easy to navigate outside the airport, which is important. Let's say you're dropping off - you'll get into a lane which will take you to a level where it's all drop offs, just categorized by which airline you're flying on. Super easy. There will be people directing the traffic and when you're ready to drop off you pull right up to the curb.
Once you get inside, you'll see that check-in is right there. You can get in line, and they'll usually have some automated check-in machines there as well as the assistants at the counter. The lines here usually aren't too long and when they are, they tend to move quickly.
Once you're done, you can take your luggage over to the security checked baggage area and they will make sure your luggage is unlocked and take your bag. Then you're off to security.
This security moves quickly. Most airports aren't so bad, but I've never had to wait longer than 20 minutes to get through security here. And the staff has always been pretty helpful as far as airport staff goes. While you're waiting in the security line you'll see a little video telling you the restricted items and what to do with liquids in your carry-ons. Once you're through security, you're good. Just find your gate and wait. The gates are all easy to find and since the airport isn't too big it doesn't take you very long. I always try to give myself about 2 hours before my flight leaves to get to the airport. This time, on my way to D.C., I was through everything in about 15 minutes.
When I landed, I just left the gate and went straight to baggage claim. Once you grab your suitcase, the pick up area is down a ramp right behind baggage claim. Whoever is picking you up can pull right up to the curb and you're done! It's so easy here.
The bathrooms are always clean here, which is great. Sometimes airport bathrooms can be a nightmare. And airports in general can seem like a mess. When I was returning from Columbus I had just come from Dulles Airport near Washington D.C., and Columbus was much more pleasant.
I also like the options you have at this airport. Before you get through security there are many places to do some shopping or grab a bite to eat. There's a Max and Erma's, a food court, Ohio State stores, a book store, a chocolates shop, and a Bath and Body works. There's more but I can't remember them all. I've never actually gone shopping at any of the stores here, but it's nice to see for some reason.
Here's what I love about this airport. After you get through security, there is a Starbucks at every concourse. So no matter where your gate is, you can grab some coffee, which is exactly what I did when I was waiting for my flight when I was leaving for this last trip. Keep in mind, however, that since it is an airport, this Starbucks was definitely more expensive that what you're used to. But it was great inside the Starbucks and they even had some cushioned chairs and couches to sit on inside the Starbucks so you could relax and enjoy your coffee without having to wait by your gate.
Other places I've seen inside some of the concourses after security, a Columbus Brewing Co. bar (very cool!), a Johnny Rockets, a Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe, a Quiznos. Lots of choices to eat once you're through security.
This last time I flew, I flew United Airlines and had a very small plane - One seat on the left side and only two seats on the right. Very small, and that didn't help my claustrophobia. But I release that's not the fault of Port Columbus. But when we boarded this plane we had to walk outside and onto the tarmac and up the plane stairs. Not a fan. But at Columbus it was easy to figure out where to go and what was going on. At Dulles on the way home I had to do the same thing and once you got outside on a tarmac it wasn't clear which place you had to get on. I had to ask someone. At least Columbus made it easy to figure out. A pretty simple and easy airport overall.
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After coming from PHL (Philadelphia International) anyplace is better, but Columbus International is a real treat.
My daughter and I flew in for a family wedding and I was surprised to find the airport to be rather small. (I had assumed Columbus was a big city.)
The concourse is small, but well lit, The signs were clear in their directions.
By the time we made it to the baggage claim (after the mandatory bathroom break), the luggage was already out and circling.
Not knowing much about their departure procedures, my daughter and I arrived at the airport 2 hours before the flight took off. If it was anything like Philly, most of that time would be taken up waiting at the ticket counter and security. Imagine my sup rise when we walked right up to the ticket counter, got our boarding passes and checked the bags, all in 10 minutes. Only then did we realize how small the airport was, because there was, basically, nothing to do for the remaining hour and 50 minutes.
We looked through Brooks Brothers in the concourse. (Who actually buys a suit in an airport?) Checked out he motorcycles on display (!?) , and grabbed a bite at the small food court. My daughter was happy to find the WiFi set up and played with her IPod for most of the wait.
About 50 minutes before the flight we headed to the security checkpoint and breezed through that, despite the fact that I had my CPAP machine as a carry on. The boarding areas were small, but clean, and the Southwest side of the airport only had about 7 gates. Still, we walked up the hall way, looking out the windows, and eventually boarded and took off with no problems.
I'd love to visit Columbus again, just for the airport.
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I'm a definite fan. I'd fly out of Columbus over Cleveland ANY day.. wellll except maybe if I had to ride in one of those leetle commuter planes again. Oh goodness, my minor claustrophobia really got the best of me. But as for the airport, it's simple and easily maneuverable. I mean it has one terminal! No getting lost for pick up or drop off.. and surprisingly no back up of cars the couple times I've passed through!
OH! ANNDDDD free wi-fi. Gotta love free wi-fi. And tons of outlets everywhere. For some reason it was a little slower when using Yelp and I had to force quit my browser (Firefox) twice or thrice.. but it entertained me for the 3-4 hours I had to burn (I was one of multiple drop offs and the others were flying out of Cincy). And weird enough.. their Starbucks made me the best frappaccino and chocolate chip scone evarrr. Seriously.. the scone tasted like it was homemade. haha
Although, I have no idea why my airliner scheduled me to fly from Columbus to Cleveland when there was a direct flight but oh well.. it took me seeing the Cleveland airport to appreciate how awesome the Columbus airport was.
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I took a flight out of 'Port" Columbus a few years ago, to save money on a direct flight into Baltimore. The only bad thing was the airport was on the upper eastern side of Columbus which was an added drive from the Dayton area. The parking, even though it was abundant and ways from the main terminal, the shuttle service was quick and dropped you off exactly at your Airline of choice. The terminal set up was not confusing as some places I have been to, and the over all lay out of shops and dining was nice (though I do not like wasting money at any of these places)
I like this airport because:
-I've been in & out quickly every time.
-It's smallish, clean and the folks have always been pleasant.
-Just northwest of the airport is a new shopping center with lots of food options and a Trader Joe's.
-security is always quick here.
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International? Really? Do flights to Canada really count?
But seriously, I'm glad that Port Columbus is less international than its name may suggest. Any more international and it would be super busy all the time, right? As it is Port Columbus isn't all that busy, or never has been when I've used it- which, actually, has been during times that you'd expect to be overcrowded- winter holidays, mostly.
This airport has one of the quickest security checkpoints I've yet encountered in air travel. And it's hard to find fault with an airport that has a full-fledged Max and Erma's inside.
I despise air travel but Port Columbus is usually a bright spot in a darker world. Still, it's just an airport- a place to spend too much time while you wait for a chance to go somewhere else.
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The best part about Port Columbus is that it's tiny.
After a half-mile trek to reach the United Airlines arrival gate at LAX it was quite a relief to:
-spend about a minute taxiing to my CMH gate
-spend less than 5 minutes at the baggage claim
-call my friend to pick me up at said baggage claim and wait for less than 10 minutes to see her Camry hybrid
-arrive at my downtown apartment in less than 15 minutes after leaving the terminal
If you're keeping score back home in Los Angeles, admit it... you're still on the 405 freeway.
Coming from L.A. it's easy to find a comparison for CMH... it's essentially a glorified Burbank airport. Recent construction would lead me to believe that it will soon be a little more glorified, but the convenience of Port Columbus is its greatest asset. Trust me... if we throw in a neon CMH statue on the side of Steltzer road, it won't be long until we are taking three freeways to escape its shadow.
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Port Columbus is actually a really great airport. Small and uncrowded, there's little to worry about in terms of lines and delays - makes arrival time fairly flexible.
Best thing though - free WiFi. Now that's only mildly useful since chances are if you have a long layover it's /not/ through Port Columbus, but regardless, three cheers.
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I really like our little airport, but not because it is that great and certainly not because I like flying. I like it 'cause it's so little. Awww.... cute little airport.
We have all gotten used to the "2 hours before your flight" rule since 9-11, but you can throw all that out the window at Port Columbus and go back to the glory days of occasionally walking through in 20 mins from check in to gate. Sure there are times when this quite frankly is not possible, but that is the way that flying always worked in the past.
There are some bad things about having a tiny airport. Only having 3 or 4 restaurant choices is one con i can think of, but is easily offset by the free Wi-Fi.
Recently i apparently became the official Airport Taxi for every friend and family member I have, and I noticed something else that I really like about Port C-bus. I is DAMN easy to get in there to either pick someone up or drop them off. The construction on the main road is a minor hassle right now, but between the 6 minute drive from downtown to the airport and the EASY passenger pick-up and drop-off, it's a trip I really don't mind making.
I have been to many airports around the world, complete with bum peeing his pants while he slept next to me in the boarding area.CMH by far is one of the better airports I have experienced.
Complaining about wifi at CMH is a bit silly; unless you get delayed there is no reason to have enough time to even try out the wifi. I usually show up to the airport about 45 mins before my departure and I have never had to run to my gate. I arrive, check-in by kiosk, get through the quick security and at my gate within about 5 - 10 mins of boarding time, every single time I have traveled out of CMH, which is alot.
Now I just hope my positive review doesn't jinx me the next time I travel.
With a transportation infrastructure rivaling that of Boston's Big Dig (in modern advancement, not the ability to kill people) this has to be one of the easiest airports to navigate in the nation. A single large terminal ensures accuracy in drop-off/pick-up, a lack of urban sprawl prevents death by runaway rental car shuttle bus or taxicab, and the simplicity of the road system will guarantee a stroke free adventure.
Inside the single building structure, all ticket counters are found within an arms reach before branching out into 3 separate concourses with their respective gates. If you get lost, don't worry, you're just a moron and I'll be ready and willing to smack you upside the head. Or worse, drag you to Logan International with me and leave you to survive what is Boston's international airport.
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This is my favorite airport period.
Free WIFI, easy and cheap parking, rare delays, fast moving lines, easy food access ... and most importantly, they have Southwest.
Pros: Small, uncrowded, fast moving lines (mostly because there's seldom a line at all), free Wi-Fi (it's free no matter how crappy it is), easy to get in and out, cheap long-term parking.
Cons: No direct flight ANYWHERE (or it seems that way), small selection of mostly crappy food, stupid "improvements" (neon-accented road underpasses) that demonstrate tax dollar at work (or gone to waste).
Conclusion: This is a small airport that's easy to navigate. You can literally get to the airport 45 minutes before your schedule departure time and still get to your flight comfortable. Unfortunately, most of the time you save will be more than wiped out when you inevitably have to connect to your final destination at a different city.
Free wifi is nice to have, but theirs is not as reliable is it could be. I am in this airport twice a month. The bandwidth is quite low, and at least once it was completely saturated.
I also was kicked off the network once while purchasing a track on iTunes...I had to change my wireless MAC address to get back on the network. For shame!
The airport terminal is very spacious and clean, with outlets in the waiting areas. The line at security is always very short.
I've found the restrooms to be poorly cleaned and in bad repair. In particular, there is one restroom that went two months with a urinal marked "Out of order". Last time I was in the same restroom, an additional urinal had a sign. When I used a stall, the toilet was dripping water all over the floor and the hook was broken off of the door.
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Crappy, slow, inconsistent internet. Security waits typically aren't too long, but there have been times.
Recently lost Skybus (no biggie...they sucked) and JetBlue. VERY few non-stop flights to any place you'd actually want to go. The introduction (and later demise) of Skybus totally screwed with the airlines flying out of CMH, to the airports detriment. :(
CMH is small enough to navigate, big enough to have most major airlines. Easy to get in and out of. It has been kept up fairly well over the years and has some decent shops and food before security. However - after security your choices are more limited.
The challenge with CMH is finding direct flights from the West Coast.
Be prepared to feel like you flew into an abandoned half opened half closed building... if you fly in on the 4th of july...
It's easy to get around... bleh....
Not as bad as that crappy St. Louis flythrough though.
I have been through a few airports in my lifetime. I admit I'm only 24, but having traveled for most of my life that makes about 20 years of experience! Port Columbus is a decent airport because it's well designed and so is easy to maneuver. I remember going through the Cincinnati airport and having a heck of a time just trying to find the baggage claim. This airport is also on the small side, so it's easy to go from one side to the other in a very short amount of time. Despite Port Columbus being a small airport in a fairly large city, it's not usually that crowded. There are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat within its walls and for a reasonable price. The feel is clean and pleasant. Granted, compared to the airports that are more on the extravagant end when it comes to their décor and scenery, Columbus seems blasé and a little plain.
The staff are pretty cordial and helpful enough, lines are never ridiculously out of hand, and the waiting area is usually kept quite clean. The updates about flights from attendants is usually very up-to-date, especially when delays are involved, and I love that.
Only been to a restroom here once, and I have to say it was standard clean and pretty--but this was early day, so by night it could be a mess and I wouldn't know.
This should be a great airport. Small enough to be easily manageable; large enough to have airplanes. Free internet should be the kicker. But free internet with the power of a hamster wheel is just a tease and ultimately worse than no internet at all. I'm not adult enough to just close my browser and read. I try and try and try to get the internet to speed up. Just won't do it.
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No-frills, small, and uncrowded... Our three day trip time was not dampened by the airport. However, our appetites were denied by pre-modern consumer era closing times. All of the stores were shuttered by 20:00 hours on Sunday. Not that we really wanted airport food, but we had no time to grab something on the way.
Overall CMH is a reasonably good airport. The lines are short and the free WIFI has handy when delayed. I've not had the problems getting kicked off that others have had though the sign in page doesn't always work with Firefox.
I'd like CMH more if they had better Airside food (more local restaurants please! think PDX or SFO). Landside Cup-O-Joe is great, and I do like having a Max&Ermas here.
Another minor quibble is the lack of any lounges here.. This usually isn't a problem, but again it would be nice for delays.
I fly a lot, and while CMH is not PDX or DTW A terminal, overall I'd say that it's better than average.
Gotta give some love to my hometown airport. Free wifi, easy to get around, friendly workers, cup o joe, wendy's, lots of Columbus home town favorites. I've got to tell you, flying from Columbus to Portland isn't so bad when 2/3rds of the airports have free wifi (and the exact same layout). Playing the slots in Vegas during the layover doesn't hurt either!
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Gets five stars because I am able to yelp them while waiting for my flight thanks to their FREE wireless service. That's right COLUMBUS OHIO offers free wireless...shame on you SFO.
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i'm also giving five stars for free wireless! i don't care if it's slow, at least it's there, and not a teaser that asks you to pay $9.95 when you try to log on. it is a bit ironic, however, since CMH is not the place that i associate with the mind-numbing boredom of delayed flights (for that, stay tuned for upcoming reviews of 'Philadelphia International Airport' and 'LaGuardia') where wifi would be a godsend.
oh, and another very random perk of flying in/out of CMH is that there is a large lichtenstein sculpture 'Brushstrokes' as you enter the security checkpoint for terminal B. not sure why the lovely city decided to plop it there, but at least they brought 'er in from daily parking lot (where it used to reside back in the day...)
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I agree with Lula Mae W, it is nice to be able to Yelp while waiting for my flight And Robin D, I was also kicked off the wireless several times including while posting my last review (and this review also). Yes, that was annoying until I gave up and started to read my book. Short security lines. But when you are here for an extended period of time, one must plan it out. Most of the "shopping" (read distractors from the wait) and better food shops are outside the security area. Not a big deal for me, because my plan was to be on the Internet or reading, but for those that don't like to sit in one place for long, it can be tedious. The airport cops use Segways during their rounds. Just wish there was news to watch in the terminal (I was in C). Overall very easy to navigate, not crowded and clean.
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In my quest to identify great wireless hotspots in the Columbus area, I want to give a big Shout Out to CMH for their easy to use FREE wifi! Thanks Columbus. I am hoping to see more wifi accessibility around town (like this) so we can be the Technology Center that we say we want to be!
Seriously? The best commercial airport in the country. I've left my apartment an hour before my departure time and made the flight, although I was only 10 miles away. Also has the best airport bar ever, a Columbus Brewing Company outlet.
went to school nearby and flew in and out a lot. free wifi, short security lines, a Max and Erma's in the terminal (great place to catch breakfast if you have an early flight). altho having onsite car rental places is nice they could have put them in the main terminal...instead you have to go down, walk across a long hallway and then go back up. it's stupid.
on the whole, not bad.
Convienient location, but a bit confusing. The fam & I always manage to get lost, despite flying in and out of here for years...
I miss Port Columbus. I could show up about 40 minutes before a flight and still be sitting at the gate with 30 minutes to spare. Sure, it lacks a ton of restaurants and food courts that most major airports possess, but the ease to check bags, go through security, and drop off/pick up people to and from the airport earns Port Columbus five stars in my book. I also like how it's one major terminal with three seperate concourses, although with the addition of JetBlue and Skybus, they switched where some of the airlines fly in and out of, so I still get a tad confused. I really want to go to Concourse C for Southwest even though it now flys out of Concourse A. Trickery aside, I dig the ease of Port Columbus and how user-friendly it is. Plus, the shuttles that run from the Red, Blue and Green lots run very frequently, so parking and grabbing a shuttle to the airport is no problem. To be safe, I typically add 15 minutes for this, but have never needed them.