A-1 Deluxe / American Taxi / Royal Taxi / 1st Class Taxi · About 15–20 min to downtown (unpublished official drive-time; AirNav 7 miles SW)
Where they are
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.
AZO8.6+0.1
FWA8.5
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
AZO7.4
FWA7.8+0.4
Food & retail
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
AZO6.8
FWA7.3+0.5
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
AZO7.6+0.4
FWA7.2
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
AZO6.6
FWA8.0+1.4
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
AZO2.0
FWA4.5+2.5
Best for
AZO
ORD and DTW connections without driving to GRR or DTWTravelers who want a one-checkpoint 2011 hall$12 long-term parking next to I-94 Exit 78
FWA
Northeast Indiana trips that should not be forced onto IND or SBNOne-building Allegiant, American, Delta, and United connectionsTravelers who will park Long-Term at $11/day or pay $30 for the Gateway Lounge
Watch out for
AZO
Commercial pause 12–18 Sep 2026 (official Runway 17-35 closure 12–19 Sep)No passenger lounge and a Priority Pass 404Metro Duke is weekday-only with a midday gapDo not merge BTL, GRR, LAN, DTW, or the Air Zoo
FWA
No Citilink stop and no rail — official FWA pages do not print Uber or LyftFAQ leftover still prints Economy parking and a relocated curb / cell lotGateway Lounge hours unpublished; day passes leftover capacity-limitedBottled-water prices unpublished; official pages do not map a named filler
Amenities and tips
AZO
$12 long-term lotTailwind after TSAComplimentary Wi-FiNo loungeFamily restrooms and indoor pet relief
This week there is no airline to catch
Official groundbreaking prints commercial air service suspended during the 12–19 Sep Runway 17-35 closure. WKZO prints the commercial cutoff at 12:00 a.m. on 12 Sep and a 19 Sep restart.
Stay in the 2011 Portage Road hall
Official maps print one parking sheet plus first-floor and second-floor terminal sheets. Official services print Gate 2 and Gate 4. Wikipedia prints five gates. Those gate-count cells do not match.
Eat at Tailwind after TSA if you want a published plate
Official services and FAQ print a post-security restaurant, bar, coffee shop, and gift shop run by Tailwind. Official Tailwind page prints breakfast and lunch and no hours and no menu prices.
FWA
Hop River BrewingGateway Lounge Presented by STAR BankBon Bon's Coffee + Tailwind MarketplaceFree terminal Wi-FiLong-Term parking $11Play area, sensory room, nursing rooms, SARA
Budget 90 minutes; Allegiant 120
Official leftover: arrive 90 minutes early. Allegiant leftover 120. Counters leftover close 45 minutes prior.
One TSA, then the second-floor hall
One civil hall. Dining, Marketplace, and the Gateway Lounge leftover sit post-security on the second floor.
Hop River, Bon Bon's, Marketplace
Trust the dedicated dining card, not FAQ leftover 5:00 a.m. hours. Everything named leftover is post-security.
AZO · A one-hall Portage Road county field with American to O'Hare and Delta to Detroit — easy when the airlines are turning, dark this week for the Runway 17-35 extension, and empty of lounges.
FWA · A compact one-hall with four U.S. airlines, a real $11 Long-Term lot, and a paid STAR Bank Gateway Lounge — no city bus, no Priority Pass, and no Hertz on the live rental card.
