Michcella T.
Yelp
I found myself venturing to the Midwest to see a friend, and lo and behold, Cincinnati Airport (CVG) was the closest port of travel. Who would have thought that the Cincinnati Airport is in Kentucky? (For those of you wondering, Ohio boarders five states. The Midwest is a fascinating place.)
So...I am an East Coast girl through and through. I'm used to Newark/New York (EWR), so of course I will be comparing them. (But if you're an East Coaster like me, you'll get a good feel for this place after this review.) Obviously, they are two very different airports. EWR is a massive international hub, while CVG is definitely more regional. Sure, it has international flights, but the amenities speak more regional. It's got about 80 or so gates spread out between two concourses - meanwhile. EWR's Terminal C has 80 gates alone. So yes, compared to where I am from, CVG is a cute little (but not TOO little) airport that's got some nice character.
Everything is clean, and the people are friendly. TSA had short, calm lines and polite security. (Meanwhile, in EWR, you get screamed at for not taking your shoes off fast enough. IYKYK.)
This airport is LONG. It's a long walk to and from security to the concourses, it's a long walk to the baggage claim, it is a long walk from concourse to concourse. Yes, they have trams and moving walkways to help, but even with that assistance, it is LONG. I nearly got all my steps walking back and forth between concourses a few times. Even the concourses themselves are long - if you wanted to take a stroll all the way down the concourse to see food options, you will be walking.
But I think that is important - you CAN walk from concourse A to concourse B, it's just a few minutes. Keep that in mind if you have a connecting flight.
I got to experience both concourses because my cousin flew out of B and I flew out of A. They have distinct differences. Concourse A is narrower, and has more sit-down restaurants from breweries to Mexican and bourbon bars, with less fast options - although they did have Blaze Pizza and Smashburger, but I wasn't feeling any of those options. Some of these options are right up the escalator - for the majority of the food options, you will have to walk the length of the concourse to get to them, which can potentially be a long walk from your gate. Concourse B is wider and has more fast-food options, like Chik-fil-A, Earl of Sandwich, and soon-to-be Skyline Chili and Wendy's. (Both terminals have Starbucks.) These options are all within the center of the hub, with a few more branching out on either side of Concourse B. I would like to see some healthier options for the future -like a Jamba Juice or a froyo place, as everything seems meat-and-carb heavy or deep fried (but we are, after all, in the Midwest.) You can hop back and forth between the terminals if you want, however, just keep in mind you would be walking - don't miss your flight!
And! Terminal A (at least, I am not sure for B) has a robot that you can order food and get it delivered to your gate. Is that crazy or what?
I was dropped off and picked up both times, so I can't speak to parking - however, the drop off and pick up was easy peasy. Baggage claim was easy enough too - all my bags got to one place very quickly after my flight landed.
Overall, a pleasant experience at CVG. While it's not the largest airport, it gets the job done.