I have spent a fair amount of time transiting through airports of various shapes and sizes over the years. I think there isn’t a fair way of comparing the sort of airport to transit through – but should this be an issue?

Most of the time this choice is made for you. Airlines fly you through their hubs because that is the most efficient way of routing you (in the absence of a direct connection).
For example, Lufthansa routes passengers through Frankfurt or Munich airport.

This means that if you book a flight with a different airline, you will transit via a different airport. At first, I didn’t consider the pros and cons of any specific airport as worth considering.

But they do make a difference.

I have developed these broad rules to help me choose one option over another.

1 – Which Airline am I Connecting to?

This is a crucial question. Airports tend to cluster gates for the same airline next to one another. A Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt connecting to another Lufthansa flight, will have gates which are close to one another. I will not have to worry about running like mad to catch my flight.
Conclusion: If I’m going to connect to a flight with the same airline, then I needn’t care about my in-transit airport.

If not, then …

2 – How Large is the Airport?

If you’re connecting with a different airline, then you will need to walk. I’ve hit my 12,000 steps a day target just by progressing through airports the size of Frankfurt airport.

A quick look at the airport’s site will show you how large it is. if they don’t show which gates or zones your airline will use then assume the worst and plan for a walk. I tend to make sure that there is a 1.5 hour gap between arrival and departure to allow for the inevitable delay.

Conclusion: If I have a choice between a large airport and a small one, I will choose a small one.

Unless …

3 – How much time do I have?

If I have a layover that will last several hours then I do not need to worry, right?

Well, being stuck in a small airport for more than an hour or so can drive me mad. Last September, I was stuck in Düsseldorf airport for several hours and the only way to relieve the boredom was by moving from one cafe to (the only) other one.

And then I started talking to myself.

In this case, I would much prefer an airport where there are some options available to me. A variety of shops always helps, even if I don’t plan to buy anything. Proper dining options make a huge difference.

Heathrow’s T5 is a pleasure to transit through for this reason alone. Zürich’s airport is also quite well laid out (and I like the foie gras options on sale at the shops there)

Conclusion: If I can afford the time, I choose a larger airport to while away the time.

I’ve noticed that airlines sometimes offer better (or worse) prices just by routing you through a different hub so these broad rules can help.

As an example, Lufthansa will offer me different prices if I travel from Prague to Malta via Zürich instead of via Frankfurt.
Likewise, AirFrance/KLM offers Prague-New York tickets via Amsterdam or Paris. Being able to weigh the advantages of the airport you’re transiting through when comparing costs can help keep you sane, wherever you are going.

After all, getting there is half the fun, right?