While sunny beaches and energetic cities are frequently associated with California, the state is also home to a little-known aviation jewel.
One state airport has been commended time and time again for its smooth operations, happy customers, and all-around stress-free experience.
Come along as we investigate this hidden hero of California’s airports, learning the secrets behind its stellar reputation and what makes it stand out from the rest of the busy aviation hub landscape.
Sacramento International Airport (SMF): California’s Top Stress-Free Airport
Consider the lengthy security lines that could cause delays that ruin your trip before it even starts, especially around the holidays. However, some airports truly try to make your life easier, and SMF, or Sacramento International Airport, is one of those.
Do you know the overachievers in your class who consistently receive perfect scores from their teachers? SMF is the one who frequently appears on “best-of” lists.
According to The Sacramento Bee, it was named the top “stress-free” airport in the United States in January 2024 by the travel compensation company Airhelp, with an outstanding 82.30% score for flight punctuality.”
SMF, which is one of the country’s busiest airports, was able to deliver passengers with exceptional reliability,” Airhelp stated.
The northern California airport was placed sixth in J.D. Power’s 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which evaluated large airports based on aspects such as baggage claim experience, food and beverage offerings, and terminal facility quality.
Not only do statistics support this, but actual travelers are also contributing to SMF with flowers, demonstrating that it is possible to get through airport security without losing your mind.
SMF features a program to ease apprehensive travelers and very few flight delays
While some airports brag about their gleaming, cutting-edge amenities, Sacramento International Airport (SMF) understands that all of that jazz isn’t necessary to satisfy travelers.
As frequent travelers will attest, SMF gets the fundamentals right and offers a surprisingly enjoyable travel experience.” SMF offers two options for coffee in the morning, free wifi, a water bottle filling station, and a good assortment of beers in the evenings.
Plus, it’s a relatively affordable Uber to Midtown,” one Reddit user commented. Another praised how easy and quick it is to pass security, even if you’re running out of time.
All of this is expected, though, since SMF’s goal is to ensure a seamless and stress-free experience from the beginning. Their “Easy as SMF” marketing was introduced back in 2013, positioning them as the airport that offers the “most flyer-friendly experience imaginable.”
As promised, it has even launched programs to help reduce travel anxiety, such as the Boarding Area Relaxation Corps (BARC) program, which lets passengers pet dogs to help them relax before boarding a plane.
SMF is expected to get even better
The airport launched a $1.3 billion expansion project in 2023, dubbed “SMForward,” with the intention of implementing significant upgrades until 2028.
It consists of seven significant improvements, such as thousands more parking spaces, a car rental center, new gates in Terminal B, and a new pedestrian promenade.
“The airport experience is the first impression many people see when they arrive in Northern California — and the last as they leave,” Cindy Nichol said in a press release.
SMF guarantees that these large-scale initiatives won’t impede ongoing business operations. They appear committed to maintaining the flawless operation of their premium service throughout the concurrent updates. It’s all about the long game for them.
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