Our Review of Philadelphia Airport

Table of contents: Our Review of Philadelphia Airport Pros and Cons of Philadelphia Airport Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Philadelphia Airport

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Pros and Cons of Philadelphia Airport

PROS

Location: Philadelphia Airport is located about 10 miles southwest of downtown Philadelphia, near to the Delaware River, making it an easy alternative for anyone traveling to or from the city. It is easily accessible by cars due to its proximity to major highways.

Hub: PHL Airport works as a hub for American Airlines and UPS Airlines and it is a focus city for Frontier Airlines.

Public Transport Connectivity: Airport Line, which connects the airport to Center City Philadelphia in around 25 minutes, is a practical choice for those without a car.

Good Accessibility: The airport is well-equipped for disabled travelers, with wheelchair assistance, accessible facilities, and priority security lines. Also, there are signage and information desks to assist you navigate.

Lost and Found: There is a lost and found service that assists passengers in locating lost things within the airport premises.

CONS

Security and Immigration Delays: During busy travel periods, security and immigration lines can get quite lengthy, causing considerable delays. This might be particularly annoying for overseas tourists.

Congestion and Overcrowding: PHL may get extremely busy, particularly during peak travel seasons, resulting in long wait times, packed gates, and a less pleasant overall experience.

Terminal Transfer: All terminals are connected via airside, however depending on your terminal you will have to walk for several minutes. This may lead to unpleasant experience and can be time consuming for connected flights passengers.

Long Walking Distances: PHL’s terminals are relatively spread out, and while they are connected, travelers may have to walk some distances to reach their gates.

Flight Delays: During the winter months, weather conditions can create significant interruptions, potentially leading to flights delays

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

There are seven terminals: Philadelphia Airport has seven terminals: A-West, A-East, B, C, D, E, and F, which offers domestic and international flights. Be aware of which terminal your flight departs from to avoid last minute confusions.

Transport to and from Philadelphia: PHL is easily accessible from the city via a variety of transportation choices, including the SEPTA Airport Line, public buses, taxis, ridesharing services, and shuttles. The SEPTA train takes around 25 minutes to reach Center City Philadelphia.

Check-in Areas:

Terminal A-West: The check-in area of terminal A-west is located in second level along with ticketing and departure level.
Terminal A-East: The check-in area of terminal A-east is located in second level along with ticketing and departure level.
Terminal B: Check-in area along with the access to gates of terminal B is located in second level.
Terminal C: Check-in area along with departure level is located in second level of terminal C.
Terminal D & E: Check-in area, security check and access to departure area is located in level 2 of terminal D. Ticketing area of Terminal E is shared with Terminal D.
Terminal F: The check-in area of terminal F is located in second level along with departure level.

Shopping and Dining: PHL has a wide range of food and shopping opportunities across its terminals, including both local favorites and well-known brands. International passengers will also find duty-free stores and eateries at Terminal A-West.

Family-Friendly Facilities: PHL is family-friendly, featuring designated children’s play spaces. There are also family restrooms and nursing rooms around the airport, making it simpler for parents traveling with little children.

Lounges: Philadelphia Airport has several lounges, including the American Airlines Admirals Clubs and the Centurion Lounge etc. These lounges provide comfortable seating, complimentary refreshments, and a quiet space to relax before your flight.

Lost and Found: The Airport’s Lost and Found, located in the Airport Operations Center, is for items found in the terminals, restrooms and concessions. The Airport Operations Center can be accessed on the Departures Roadway between Terminals C and D.

Additional Tips: During peak travel times, security lines at PHL can be long. To expedite your experience, consider enrolling in TSA PreCheck if you travel frequently. TSA PreCheck offers shorter lines and a more streamlined screening process, allowing you to keep your shoes and belt on and leave your liquids and electronics in your bag.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation