I live in the Colorado mountains, about 30 minutes from the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE) and an hour from the Vail-Eagle County Airport (EGE), but I’ll book a flight from Eagle over Aspen any day. Here’s why I believe EGE is the best airport in Western Colorado.
Vail-Eagle County Airport embraces Colorado's cowboy culture with oversized artwork in the big baggage-claim area.
Free Parking: Name one jet-served airport in the country that lets you park for FREE, no matter if you’re leaving your car for up to 7, 15 or 30 days. The EGE 7-day lot is a stone’s throw from the terminal; it is incredibly convenient, and I’ve never found it full (thought it might be packed over the winter holidays). Aspen charges $5/day for parking, and it’s a trek from ASE’s C Lot to the terminal.
Free Wi-Fi: It’s a strong and reliable signal, and oh-so appreciated by this ColoradoGal who always travels with her laptop.
Spacious Gate Area: Once you go through Aspen’s security screening, you’re packed in a tiny gate area. It’s fine if you’ve got an early morning flight or it’s off season; but if it’s noon on a Sunday during the winter, it might be tough to find a seat. Contrast that to the wide-open, bright waiting areas at EGE. There’s always plenty of seating in Gate 1, where my United flights to Denver usually depart from.
Big Baggage Claim Area: In Denver (DEN), my other “local” airport, the baggage carousels are packed so close to one another and up against the oversized-luggage (ski & golf bag) corrals, that they are nearly always crowded with passengers eager to retrieve their luggage. At Vail-Eagle County Airport, there’s loads of room to breathe.
Friendly Staff: Maybe it’s just that they live in the laid-back Colorado mountains, but I’ve always found the ticketing staff at United super friendly at EGE.
Comfy spots to sit and wait in leather chairs at the Vail-Eagle County Airport.
Cool Chill Area: If you arrive early for your flight,or if you’re waiting to pick someone up, you an relax in oversized leather chairs in the seating area near the baggage claim.
It was smooth sailing for me as passed through EGE twice last week during my travels to and from Lake Tahoe. As I book family air travel this summer, chances are I’ll end up with flights in and out of EGE again, as fares are typically cheaper than Aspen (though not as cheap as driving the 3.5 hours to fly directly of DEN) and I am apt to find seats available for booking frequent-flyer miles (if I get my act together and book soon).
Here’s to a great airport, EGE! Thanks for never letting me down.
Two things.
First, I prefer EGE to ASE also for the main reason that ASE is in that precarious spot and it seems like every year at least one private plane overshoots the runway and rolls into either those houses or that business park.
Second, if you are going from Vail to Tahoe and back you must be taking advantage of some awesome ski conditions so I am green with envy right now.
Um, I’m with Matt: EGE sounds better than ASE. Who likes an uninvited plane in their living room?!
Now, I was going to get all “Burbank-Airport-rocks-because” on you…but who can compete with oversized leather chairs and free parking? I’m not going to lie, I just cried a little.
All I can say about BUR is that from parking lot to gate, including security, it’s a 16-minute affair. Arrival to lot, including baggage claim, is 25 minutes. Sure, 80% of my life I’m traveling out of LAX where none of this applies, but a girl can always dream that one day she’ll live…in Colorado.
We have a tropical looking airport in Orlando but this one looks like a destination!! You’ve got some great ambiance there too with that BOOT. Those chairs wouldn’t be too bad to curl up in for a spell too.
What a cute airport. Nothing like DIA which is so slick and modern.