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.
CVG8.0
SDF8.4+0.4
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
CVG7.5+0.3
SDF7.2
Food & retail
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
CVG7.4+0.4
SDF7.0
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
CVG6.6+0.2
SDF6.4
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
CVG7.2
SDF7.2
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
CVG7.5+4.7
SDF2.8
Best for
CVG
Delta connections on Concourse BPriority Pass / Escape Lounges usersTravelers who want Skyline Chili or Graeter’s before boardingDriving or rideshare trips to Greater Cincinnati
SDF
Kentucky / Southern Indiana trips that should skip CVG or IND connectionsDrivers who want official $9 Express parking 10 minutes from downtownTravelers who will actually sit down at Book & Bourbon before securityCLEAR / PreCheck members who just need a short walk to the gate
Watch out for
CVG
People-mover time after security on tight connectionsNo rail—only TANK bus, rideshare, taxi, or carDelta Sky Club often closed by ~19:00Located in Hebron, KY—not downtown Cincinnati
SDF
Priority Pass has no SDF pin — there is no Escape, Sky Club, or Admirals ClubTARC dropped the passenger terminal on 2 Aug 2026; flylouisville.com still mentions the busNo rail, and Derby weekend turns the single checkpoint into a hub queueCheckpoint expansion is under construction through early 2027
Amenities and tips
CVG
Local Cincinnati foodEscape Lounges + The Club + Sky ClubDropWater refill stationsFree Wi-FiFamily play areasTANK 2X + rideshare curb
Clear security, then add tram time
Arrive ~2 hours domestic / 3 international; peak banks are early morning and late afternoon. PreCheck/CLEAR help, but build 8–12 minutes to your gate after screening.
One terminal, two island concourses
Check A vs B on your boarding pass before security so you ride the correct tram spur; A and B are connected airside via the tunnel.
Eat local—Skyline, Graeter’s, Braxton
Skip generic chains when you can: Skyline Coneys on B and Graeter’s on A are the Cincinnati signatures most travelers actually want.
SDF
Book & BourbonUSO Louisville Metro LoungeComplimentary Wi-FiCLEAR + PreCheckMother’s Room on Concourse A
Pad Derby weekend — weekday mornings are the real queue
Official TSA opens about 90 minutes before the first departure and closes about 30 minutes before the last — this is not a 24-hour passenger hall.
One checkpoint, then pick A or B
Every airline shares one Level 2 checkpoint. After screening you walk a rotunda into Concourse A or Concourse B — there is no airside train and no second security.
Eat Book & Bourbon before security if you have time
Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen (landside, daily 07:00–20:30) is the first stop on Louisville’s Urban Bourbon Trail — Hot Brown plus a real bourbon list.
CVG · Straightforward midsize Kentucky-side Cincinnati airport with one security checkpoint, an underground tram to island Concourses A/B, solid local food, and three lounges—offset by no rail link and a Sky Club that often closes mid-evening.
SDF · Compact two-concourse Kentucky field with a real bourbon kitchen, CLEAR, and a $9 shuttle lot — traded against no Priority Pass chair, no rail, and no TARC bus to the terminal after 2 Aug 2026.
