Kansas City International Airport – MCI

This airport is so easy to get in and out of; however, their amenities and post security gate areas are laughable. They have insufficient restrooms for the number of gates so be prepared to wait about 10 – 15 minutes. There is insufficient seating so be prepared to stand or sit on the floor. The gate area is too small for the number of people they serve so you are shoulder to shoulder during busy times.

This airport epitomizes everything you hate about traveling. There is not a single redeeming quality to this place.

I’ve flown in and out of this airport more than couple times now, and have never had an issue with the staff, security, rental parking, shuttles, etc. This airport is small compared to Boston Logan, which is nice because it makes it much simpler to know where to go. There are three terminals… go to your terminal, check in, go through security, and find your gate all on the same floor. No need to go up, down, left, right, around town just to get to your gate.

I wanted to update this review in order to downgrade my review rating to the lowest possible because it really doesn’t get any worse than this airport!
Though it may seem easy to get in and out — that might be the only good thing, but that in itself is where things start to go bad quickly. The gates are broken into small groups with their own TSA check points — sounds good until you realize how slow those lines are and nothing for TSA Precheck!
Add to the above that good selections are extremely limited inside with basic food carts with hardly anything on them — best bet is to bring your own food as even outside security there isn’t much to pick from there either.
Car rentals are only found by taking the shuttle to the car rental location, which I believe is better and bigger than the airport!
Overall — the only reason I travel to this airport is that I have no other choice — so if you have other options is suggest you take them until or unless this place decides to upgrade and offer more!

I have flown and and out of 100+ airports around the world and sorry KC this ranks in the bottom 5%. The concept might have been good but its not very practical. 3 different terminals, dozens of TSA gates in the 3 circles of gates, no TSA PreCheck with the numerous security lines, there are only a handful of shops after security so that sucks, when you’re waiting for a rental car how fun it is get on the bus, stop in 300ft and another 300 ft and another and another…10mins just to get out of the airport, walking through the terminal there are signs all over pointing every which way. The only other airport that is as messed up as this one is Newark.

This airport is not a trendy, or food filled airport. It is very simple, with bold architecture and beautiful flooring depicting the constellations once you are outside of the gate area.
It could use a revamp but I’m always happy to arrive here.

Wow what a small airport, the Southwest area is small. Very crowded hardly anywhere to sit unless you head upstairs to the Pork and Pickle restaurant. Waiting for a connection to ABQ. Despite the small quarters they have sundry shop, massage chairs with power and a small bar. Not a bad experience.
Ok update fast forward an hour we have a tornado watch so all passengers (including those on planes) were evacuated to the parking garage. Southwest Airport staff was great telling us where to go quickly. Delay getting back in terminal via TSA but they too were stellar.
Flights delayed HOURS due to weather. Limited seating but sugar available for kids and beer flowing for adults so it’s a very large meet and greet reception atmosphere. Still 4 stars.

Get your food before the gate and use the restroom on the plane. You’ll find nothing but cheap packaged food and hellaciously disgusting single-​stall bathrooms past the gate. Seriously, just avoid this airport at all costs.

I don’t know where to begin reviewing about this place… I don’t quite frankly give airports a below-​average rating but I have to agree with my local CM as this is «uniquely» designed.
I believe the reason why the design isn’t so stellar because of the post 9/​11-​age. This was created as one of those airports where you could get dropped off and then walk up right to your gate: since ⁹⁄₁₁ these partition walls were installed so that security could be shimmied in the middle of gates.
Anyone who arrives at this airport should notice that you shouldn’t venture out too far from the gate as you’ll walk out of the «secure» area and need to re-​checkin with security. As for your choices to eat, I cannot say much as I was reading other reviews about the establishments here that are sub-​par so I stayed away (even with a 90-​minute layover to Tampa).
I am not sure about coming back here but if my ticket is cheaper for my flight to and from home. then hello again! I will know what to do in the future so that I won’t venture on out through security.

Not worthy of our city. As a lifelong area resident I am always saddened that this airport is the first introduction many people have of our wonderful city. Before we get started let me clarify that I’ve flown hundreds of times in and out of this airport, so I’m not just someone who had 1 bad experience and is complaining. I’ve experienced all this airport has to offer, good and bad, and it’s mostly bad.
Bathrooms. Most gate areas have 1 toilet to serve the hundreds of men that could be in that area. As someone with a medical condition it’s a literal nightmare. I doubt the ratio is in compliance with any city laws.
Security. Most hate areas only have 1 security lane open. If you time it right you can get in between rushes but otherwise you’re stuck in 1 huge security line.
Baggage. The baggage carousels are right by the gates. But even if yours is the only flight that’s landed and the carousel is just feet away from your plane plan to wait 20 – 30 min for bags to show up for some reason.
Parking. Terminal B parking is almost always full. When they shut down terminal A instead of combining the A & C economy lots to the B lot (B is geographically separated from the other 2) and moving C to B they left it as is. So even the huge B economy lot fills up and you have a completely empty A lot attached to the relatively empty C lot. Genius.
Shuttles. I’ve missed flights due to the time it takes the bus to take you to another terminal when I’ve had to change airlines due to cancellations. I can’t count how many times economy lot buses have just drove past me instead of stopping at the designated stop. And now that’s all outsourced so the airport doesn’t care.
Layout. In fairness this airport wasn’t designed for post ⁹⁄₁₁ security. But this added security largely is why the airport is terrible and lacks amenities. There’s more space pre-​security than there is at the gate areas. The big problem is flight delays and cancellations. If flights are delayed its standing room only and you’re packed in gate areas like sardines. This is where the 1 bathroom issue really comes into play and you’ll have to leave security if you want to kill time at a bar or restaurant. For cancellations everybody leaves security to line up in the middle of the main hall for customer service. Then you get to go through security again.

I can’t even with this place. When I landed in the evening, I thought the airport was shut down. There were barely in lights turned on! Okay, no big deal, except it took me 40 minutes to get my bag and take a shuttle to the car rental place. Not the best experience going out, but what about coming in?
Well this place has 1 good thing that earns it a second star and that’s a fast TSA security line. I guess that’s because there is no one here. The gates are all sectioned off so you literally can’t leave to go to other gates. There are hardly any restaurants and just snack stands with no coffee.
I just can’t here.

I’ve never had a panic attack but if I did, it would be in this airport. I’ve felt close multiple times for no reason. While not busy, it’s crowded. It’s always incredibly hot. There are two stalls in each bathroom which are already sparse. When it does get really busy, they don’t have the staff to support it. Like the other reviews say, eat and use the bathroom before security. And pack your patience!

I usually only write reviews about food or drink, but I read some funny reviews about this airport, and I thought I would give my 10 cents.
I’ve probably flown in or out of this airport 80 times in the 4 years that I have lived in KC. I use this airport frequently for work and pleasure. For a major airport, it’s basically the worst one I’ve ever been to.
Now. One could say that O’hare is worse, or Newark, with their endless lines and crowds. But let’s put that aside for a moment.
MCI is a dump. Dining and shopping is virtually inexistent inside the terminals. The Southwest Airlines area is the only portion that seems to have had a facelift in the last few years. At many airports, such as: SFO, ATL, SEA, EWR, DEN, LAX, BOS, MSP and some smaller ones, like my hometown airport of PDX have great dining and shopping. Kansas City airport is amazingly horribly in every way, and when you walk in the front doors it brings you right back to the early 70’s. Sure, the local folk think it’s great, cause you don’t have to walk very far, and there are few lines or hassles. Also, the TSA (who are not really TSA but a local security contracting company) are more friendly than most. The BBQ up at Pork and Pickle does not do the BBQ scene in KC any justice, and there are no shopping options at all, other than local tourist junk.
Once behind security, the bathrooms are small and crowded, with few stalls/​urinals, the dining is abysmal, you’re lucky to be able to get a coffee in some of the gate areas.
Kansas City: please for the love of God, vote to rebuild your airport terminals. Everyone knows you are a hub for no airline, and you offer nearly no international service, with no over seas flights and no demand for airline lounges or duty free or high end shopping/​dinning like you see in many places, but Jesus knows, you can do bette than what you have been doing. Please, consider upgrading to a place that you can be proud of.
Thanks.

Mid-​Continent International – I mean, Kansas City International – gets a lot of flack for its lack of amenities and overall lack of flair, especially given that it’s an international airport within a fairly large city.
I agree with these claims. Once you are past security screening, you’re left with a Starbucks and dinky convenience stop, for the most part (and all the on-​site Starbuckses here suck). The airport feels very dated, as well. Shuttle service is comprised of irritable drivers who require you to shout where you need to be and who your airline is so you’re dropped off in the right place. My last visit was a fiasco because my departure and return were with different airlines, so I ended up on a shuttle that took me to a different lot than where I had parked for pickup. I was hatefully told I was supposed to tell (someone?) that I needed a transfer shuttle. This is a fine example of the one-​terminal ordeal being more complicated than it needs to be, and it’s a reminder of KCI being relatively antiquated.
Some people rave about the customer service here. Who actually deals with airport personnel? There’s TSA and the airlines people, but that’s not KCI. I refer to my previous statement regarding the shuttle staff, though.
What is convenient about it here, though, is it is a pretty speedy process to get through security. Since it’s a smaller airport stretched out over one long terminal, any given TSA line isn’t too unbearable. If you’re checking bags (like a sucka!), the usual anger-​inducement can be expected here.
It’s rated lowly for a reason. I have to say it’s below average. The most depressing airport I have ever been to was Tallahassee (it’s basically one long warehouse where you walk on the tarmac to board), and KCI isn’t much more than that. Except it’s a curvy warehouse.
Despite my or your opinion, however, it does in fact function properly as a gateway to boarding an airplane.
Modernness: 1.5÷5
Efficiency: ⁴⁄₅
Being an actual airport: ⁵⁄₅

I looked just to make sure I wasn’t exaggerating the size of the Kansas City MSA. It’s even larger than I thought at more than 2.4 million people. Yet the airport has even a more smaller town attitude and feel than actual small town airports.
I’m here 3 – 4 times per year and I know better than to get here too early. Occasionally I’ll connect through here. Today is one of those days. The way the terminal is set up, I’ll have to leave one tiny boarding area to go through security at another tiny boarding area. No true pre-​check here but I do get to leave my shoes on. Whoopie!
As mentioned by others, the boarding areas can be really tight when more than one flight is nearing boarding time.
Not the brightest of employees here either. Last trip, at the snack bar inside security, I asked for a muffin and a banana. Logical order. Instead she rings me up for two muffins including one banana muffin. There were bananas on the counter within her line of sight so I’m not sure how that confused her. She said I could take three bananas because that was about equal to the price of a muffin. I didn’t because who needs three bananas.
Second example of cluelessness from someone who should know better is the person at the American counter. I suppose that not that many people connect through here but AA offers it as a fare and bag scanning is electronic. Yet my bag missed the connecting flight because the bag guys assumed everyone was staying here. The next time I had to go through security again since AA has several sections. I decided I better check for my bag just in case. Sure enough it was in baggage claim. When I asked the American rep about it, she said that yes, you always need to claim your bag and recheck it. Really? So everyone who connects through hubs like Chicago, Miami and DFW all leave security, claim their bags, recheck and go back through security? Of course not. Guess the rep doesn’t use her flight benefits because how could she not know that’s not how it’s really done?
Bottom line: prepare for a crowded waiting area, limited amenities, clueless staff and one of the dreariest terminals out there. Oh, but the rental car center is nice.

A very small airport with gates very close to each other so it gives you a very crowded feel. There are a few small restaurants to choose from while at the airport. Thank goodness it wasn’t busy as the line for security was extremely time-​consuming. An agitated, cursing customer was taken care of pretty quickly without too much drama. A no-​frills very basic airport.

I flown through MCI a few times in the past year on Southwest, but never been allowed off the plane (DCA — MCI — OAK).
I’d love to check out the airport — my fellow Unilocalers have posted some really cool retro-​looking photos of the terminals… is it really outdated and stuck in a bygone era?
Nonetheless, I’ve taken some really awesome photos out the window of the airplane.
3 stars until I can get on the ground and add/​deduct stars.

Quite small, very clean, friendly to the point staff. Just what an airport needs to be.
Got off of my connecting flight, and would’ve had a 2 hour layover, but they put my mother and I on an earlier flight, which was boarding 10 after we got off our flight. It was perfect timing and music to my ears!

I’m sorry, Kansas City.
I mean, I bet you’re a really, really cool city. I would love to try some of your BBQ. I’ve heard great things about you. I haven’t yet been, but I bet I’d have a lot of fun visiting you.
That said, your airport is a dump. A dee-​you-​em-​pee dump.
I’ve never seen such spatial-​logistical failing in all my life. I literally spent an hour layover here and I wandered back and forth, end to end, at least four times. On that wander, I ended up in the TSA line at one point, since there was no wall or demarcation between the laid over and the vetted and those waiting in line to be screened.
Food options are scarce, bev options more so.
Restrooms were packed, always a line no matter the time.
It’s a long and narrow mess, really. A city with so many alleged secret cool points should probably have a better airport.

All airports are not created equal. Yes it’s has all the signs and symptoms of a real airport. But the signs and symptoms of a inefficient one at that. I get it, the design and the concept was probably great and awesome on paper, but I take it when they built it, it was already too late.
If you asked me what is the biggest thing that’s wrong with this airport? The first thing that pops in my head would be that it’s a waste of TSA man power. Stationing 3 or 4 agents every 2, 3 or 4 gates is a bit wasteful. It’s just plain unnecessary to be exact.
Efficient airports have one central terminal that funnels passengers though one big security operation and that’s all folks. To the concourses you go.
Maybe because when we arrived, we got the worst of it. They were boarding a full flight on the gate we were arriving in and the gate right next to us. More than 300 passengers crammed into one corner, it gets extremely crowded. To the point where you can barely maneuver your rollaboard around passengers.
Anyways, it’s still an airport, so please do come fairly early. Early enough to cover all the bases that could happen the day of your flight. I know I did, why shouldn’t you?

First flight of the morning… gate 87 Terminal C… no restaurant, no coffee stand, no vending machines… nothing, except a slew of TSA folks spouting the same message over and over… you’ve heard it before I am sure… it goes something like… you’re stupid, empty your pockets, take off your coat & shoes, remove your belt, take out liquids, remove your laptop… yes you are stupid and I know what is best, after all… our priority is for your safety…
yay, yak, yak … give it a rest knucklehead!!!