One map, pinned from each airport’s published coordinates.
Category scores
Overall is the published weighted sum. A highlighted score is ahead; a tie stays plain.
Ease of use
25% · Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
AZA8.6+0.6
PHX8.0
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
AZA7.2
PHX7.5+0.3
Food & retail
Best for
AZA
Allegiant leisure trips that skip Sky HarborTravelers who will park and walk a small terminalPreCheck members using Gateside to walk someone to the gate
Watch out for
AZA
TSA opens two hours before the bank — not a standing 4:00 a.m. checkpointNo passenger lounge and no rail; downtown Phoenix is a long driveOfficial FAQ leftover still denies gate visitors even though Gateside is live
Amenities and tips
AZA
Macayo's, Panera, and O.H.S.O. after TSAFree Wi-Fi and two Mother's RoomsNo passenger loungeValley Metro Route 184 at the curb
AZA · A 24-hour one-terminal Allegiant field in southeast Mesa: two-hour clock, no lounge, $10 economy parking, and a Valley Metro stop at the curb — far from downtown Phoenix and not Sky Harbor.
PHX · PHX is a top-tier U.S. mega-airport for ease (free Sky Train, PHX RESERVE, strong local food) whose main tradeoff is summer monsoon/heat disruption risk and Terminal 4’s long, crowded walks.
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
AZA7.4
PHX8.2+0.8
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
AZA7.0
PHX8.5+1.5
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
AZA7.4+0.6
PHX6.8
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
AZA2.0
PHX7.9+5.9
PHX
Domestic hub connections on American or SouthwestCheap downtown access via Sky Train + light railLocal-restaurant food without leaving the airportTravelers who pre-book free security slots
PHX
Terminal 4 end-to-end walks and thin food on some A/B/C stretchesMonsoon dust/storms and extreme heat delays in summerPriority Pass limited to Escape T3 onlySky Train overnight slowdowns and re-screen when changing terminals
ADA building and airline wheelchair assist
Arrive 2 hours — TSA opens with the bank
Official travel-resources and FAQ cards both say two hours before scheduled departure; the checkpoint opens two hours prior to scheduled departures, not on a printed 4:00 a.m. clock.
One 24-hour building, 11 gates, outdoor courtyards
Charles L. Williams Terminal is a single sterile walk after one TSA. Official FAQ prints 11 gates; outdoor courtyards sit on the west side near Gates 7–8 and the South Concourse.
Eat after TSA — Macayo’s, Panera, O.H.S.O.
Official restaurants card names Macayo’s Mexican Food at Gate 5, Panera between Gates 6 and 7, and O.H.S.O. Brewery between Gates 7 and 8, plus First Jet Market at Gate 2.
