Repeat destination? 🏝️ Traveling for merch? Lost, damaged? Tell us What you're owed ✈️
TRAVEL
George W. Bush

Take a hike: Airports with the longest walks between gates

Harriet Baskas
Special for USA TODAY

Call it Murphy's Law, poor scheduling or just bad luck, but the shortest connecting times at some airports seem to require the longest race between gates.

A bulky carry-on, tight shoes and dawdlers in the walkways can make the trek seem even longer. So USA TODAY set out to find the longest potential gate-to-gate walks passengers might have to make at U.S. airports, excluding segments where the only way to keep going is by train, shuttle, cart or bus.

Many airports have those measurements handy and are happy to share them. A hearty staffer at LAX actually joined me – and my measuring wheel – for a hike through the terminals. And most every airport that responded wants to reassure passengers that, in most cases, motorized carts, wheelchairs, moving walkways and other assistance is available for those dreading the distances.

Here is a round-up of longest walking distances you might encounter – by choice or by chance – between gates at some major U.S. airports.

It's about a 1/2-mile from the south pier of Terminal E to the west pier of Terminal C at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport. "Having to make that walk would entail different types of flights," said Bill Begley, IAH spokesperson, "but passengers do it regularly."

The longest walkable concourse at Denver International Airport is Concourse B, which is 3,300 feet long. Heading from there to other concourses requires hopping on a train.

At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, a walk from the far end of the A Concourse, across the central terminal and out to the end of the D Concourse tallies to 3,885 feet, or about .7 miles.

The longest walk between gates at San Francisco International Airport would be from the end of Terminal 2 (Gate 55) to the end of the International Terminal, Boarding Area G (Gate 101).

"This walk would be 4,031 feet (about .76 miles)," SFO spokesman Doug Yakel said. "But I should note that this route doesn't have to be walked. There's the AirTrain light rail system connecting the terminals and moving walkways along the way."

It's slightly more than 3/4 of a mile – 4,068 feet – between the farthest point of the A gates (Gate A-12) to the farthest points of the C gates (Gate C-8) at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

"That's a worst-case scenario figure," said McCarran spokesman Chris Jones, noting that few travelers would actually make that walk because LAS is not a major connecting airport. "Also, that path of travel between A to C includes no less than four moving walkways that cover a sizable portion of that stretch, as well as a tram ride for another portion, if so inclined."

At Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, a passenger could walk 5,536 feet (about 1.04 miles) by taking a long stroll from Concourse C in Terminal 1, through the 745-foot underground pedestrian tunnel, past all the gates in Concourse B and back out to the end of the L Concourse in Terminal 3

At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the furthest walkable distance between gates is in Terminal 1 and is approximately 5,700 feet, or about 1.08 miles. But thanks to moving walkways and trams "no one has to walk that entire distance unless they choose to," airport spokesman Patrick Hogan said.

According to the brochure for the PHX Fitness Trail at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, it is almost a mile (5,222 feet) between Gate A30 and Gate D8 in Terminal 4, the airport's largest terminal.

At Los Angeles International Airport, public relations director Nancy Castles not only identified the longest gate-to-gate walk a passenger might make, she walked with me from the southernmost gate (Gate 159) in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) to Gate 88 in United Airlines Terminal 8, a distance my measuring wheel clocked at 6,433 feet, or about 1.2 miles.

"Our walk involved going from one end of a terminal to the end of another terminal five terminals away," Castles said. "But why would anyone walk that distance – or even two terminals away – when LAX offers free, convenient and frequent shuttle bus service 24/7 to help our guests reach connecting flights in other terminals?"

At Philadelphia International Airport, the longest route on the secure side is between Gate A26 in Terminal A-West to E12 in Terminal E, a distance of 5,838 feet, or about 1.1 miles. For those who don't take the shuttle bus between Terminals A and F, the walk from Gate A-26 to Gate F-39 in Terminal F is 7.072 feet, or 1.34 miles, and requires rescreening at the security checkpoint.

The longest interior walking distance at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport goes from Gate D6 (Terminal D) to Gate A8 (Terminal A), a distance DFW officials measured at 1.45 miles, using Google Maps.

And at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the walking distance from the beginning of the domestic terminal to the international terminal gates is about 10,600 feet, just a smidge over 2 miles.

"But of course, we've got moving sidewalks, the automated people mover and many other options for getting around," said ATL spokesman Reese McCranie. "You could walk and get a good cardio workout, but there are plenty of other options for those who don't want to walk."

Harriet Baskas is a Seattle-based airports and aviation writer and USA TODAY Travel's "At the Airport" columnist. Follow her at twitter.com/hbaskas.

Featured Weekly Ad