John Wayne Airport (SNA)

We have always been very happy passing through John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Orange County.

Every time we have been there has been for Disneyland. I'm sure they get other business, but you will see a lot of Disney bags and mouse ears while you are there, and that's kind of fun. Given that the primary other point of air access is Los Angeles, it makes sense to compare the two.

Airfare between Portland and Los Angeles versus Santa Ana is fairly comparable. Santa Ana is closer to Anaheim, though the geographical distance is unlikely to have as much of an impact as traffic. Both airports are serviced by Super Shuttle and the Gray Line Resort Express. At LAX, there won't be that same assurance that so many of your fellow travelers are also going to Disneyland, though your odds of seeing someone famous increase. Of course, it is easy to miss famous people in that crowd.

A lot of what I like about John Wayne is how they handle the size. When you are out waiting for ground transportation it is not obvious that it is a small airport; everything is there. At the same time, when you are looking for your gate the airport seems smaller than it is. This appears to be effective design, but it makes things feel cozy.

I appreciate the seating designs. I admit the seats at the actual gates are due for reupholstering, but that is a part of regular maintenance and I am sure they will get to it. Inviting seating that feels open and airy all along the concourse, and makes good use of both natural and built-in lighting - that is not a requirement but I appreciate it.

Power outlets are available and advertised. Wifi is free and usually reliable, though I did have issues on this last trip.

Well, I don't expect them to be perfect, but I like them to be good, and they are.

At this point the biggest area for improvement is security, which tries to make things easier, but sometimes in a confusing manner. You still end up getting through much more quickly than you would at many other airports.

http://www.ocair.com/