Official taxis and rideshares · About 10 miles to downtown Columbus
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.
CMH6.8
LCK8.5+1.7
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
CMH6.5
LCK7.5+1.0
Food & retail
Best for
CMH
Quick domestic hops with Southwest, American, United or DeltaTravelers who value local food and craft beerRideshare or short-drive access to downtown Columbus
Watch out for
CMH
Unconnected concourses forcing re-security for lounge or gate changesMorning peak security lines (especially Southwest banks)Ongoing CMH Next construction curb and parking disruptions
Amenities and tips
CMH
Local dining & craft beerEscape LoungeRideshare & parking optionsFree Wi-Fi & power
CMH · CMH is a straightforward mid-size airport with good local food and easy ground access, but separate concourses, aging facilities under construction, and limited lounge options create clear friction for multi-airline or lounge-seeking travelers.
LCK · A one-terminal Columbus, Ohio passenger hall with official Allegiant-only scheduled service, official leftover city pairs to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando-Sanford, Punta Gorda, Sarasota/Bradenton, Savannah, Tampa/St. Petersburg, and leftover seasonal Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Key West, and Myrtle Beach, official $4 / $1 / $12 parking plus a leftover free cell-phone lot, leftover taxis and rideshares at curbside, leftover Enterprise by reservation, Aviation Café leftover two hours before departure, leftover free Wi-Fi, leftover nursing rooms, leftover Aira, and no ticketed lounge — easy when you hit the leftover two-hour café window, thin if you need a club, a printed city bus, or a published TSA clock.
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
CMH7.5+0.5
LCK7.0
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
CMH7.4+0.1
LCK7.3
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
CMH6.5
LCK6.8+0.3
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
CMH7.0+5.0
LCK2.0
Military families using the USO
LCK
Allegiant leisure hops from 2241 John Circle Drive without driving to CMHDrivers who want printed $12 / 24-hour parking and a leftover free cell-phone lot at the curbTravelers who want a one-airline, one-checkpoint hall with leftover Aviation Café two hours before departure
Limited lounge options and small Escape Lounge with no bathrooms
LCK
No ticketed lounge and no official TSA clock, PreCheck cell, CLEAR Plus cell, mapped filler, or live wait widgetOfficial leftover 18 Nov 2025 press leftover-prints 10 destinations; official Nonstop flights leftover-prints nine Allegiant city pairsOfficial pages print no COTA passenger-terminal route; leftover Mobility Center at 6675 Shook Road is a workforce hubDo not merge CMH / OSU / TZR / FFO / DAY, leftover 121st ARW, or invent a KLCK slug
Nursing rooms & family
Accessibility basics
Arrive 90 minutes early, earlier for peaks
Hit the airport 90 minutes before domestic departures; add buffer for 6–9am Southwest banks when lines spike.
Know your concourse before security
Confirm your airline’s concourse (A Southwest, B AA/UA, C Delta) and go straight to that checkpoint—concourses do not connect airside.
Hit local spots over chains
Prioritize Donatos (A/C), Land-Grant Brewing or Eddie George’s (B), and Jeni’s ice cream machines for Columbus flavor.
LCK
Aviation Café two hours before departureVendMobility and pharmacy vendingFree Wi-Fi and seat chargersTicketed loungeOfficial $12 / 24-hour lot and free cell-phone lotNursing rooms and Aira
Budget the leftover café two-hour open against an unpublished TSA clock
Official leftover-prints Aviation Café opens two hours prior to scheduled flight departures. Official LCK traveler pages print no arrive window, no TSA clock, and no live wait widget.
Pin 2241 John Circle Drive - do not invent KLCK
Official pin is 2241 John Circle Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43217. One scheduled-passenger terminal. Do not create /airports/klck.
Aviation Café two hours before departure - not an airline club
Official leftover-prints Aviation Café for snacks and drinks, leftover opening two hours prior to scheduled departures. Live Priority Pass columbus-lck is 404.
