The Eastern Iowa Airport

Redeeming factors — WIFI! Also, this is a really efficient airport with friendly staff. Car pickup/​drop off was slightly confusing — they didn’t tell me where the cars were and I had to ask (also, the return was just a parking lot — I’m not used to that!!!).
Security was not too busy, and they were really really friendly (especially to the family in front of us who hadn’t traveled before). Food options aren’t great, so I recommend eating prior to visiting the airport, but for efficiency, the airport definitely fits the bill.

I’m a huge fan of musubi and onigiri. Happened to be at The Observatory… hangry. Then we found this place for a quick pick me up. Been a long time since I’ve had this kind of Japanese snack food and the new twist is delightful. Reasonable prices and the accompanying sauces are unreal.

I go to school at the University of Iowa and usually when I fly it’s out of ORD which is about a 4 hour drive. For convenience sake, I’ve flown out of CID a few times as well. It’s a pretty small airport, but not bad.
It has always been pretty quick and easy for me to get through check-​in and security (no more than maybe 20 minutes), meaning I can show up 30 minutes before a flight boards versus 2 hours for a bigger airport like ORD or LAX. The airport is currently undergoing renovations, but it’s still nice and easy to navigate. They have a bar and a snack shop/​newsstand with all the basics you need.
Also! If you do have time to kill here, they have FREE WIFI which is a huge plus!

Takes longer to get your checked bags than it takes to fly from Chicago Illinois.

Love this little airport! Seamless! Friendly staff all around. Quick tips — you must take your liquids out of your bag — for sure! They do a modified Pre-​Check, shoes on but still take your comp and liquids out. They are renovating — should be even nicer in a couple months!

Its a Regional Airport so expect it to be small. But it well put together and about 8 min from downtown.

What a cool little airport! It’s bigger than Waterloo Iowa but smaller than, say, Midway Chicago.
Last time I was there the downstairs B gates were getting rennovated, along with the central atium.
The 5-​ish upstairs C gates have been around for over 30 years and are still good.
It’s fun to have 2 beers at a bar while your flight crew is eating sandwiches and drinking iced tea, and then you both walk 50 feet over to the plane.

Clean terminal, friendly staff! Like options that American Airlines offers Regional Service to DFW and ORD, several flights daily! Good opportunity to check out Taste Of Chicago in the summer!

Easy in and out of this Airport. They are remolding, so some areas are closed. The only problem I had is when we landed here we were 25 minutes early and had to wait for a gate to open up. American Airlines. It took 45 minutes for a gate to open up. Otherwise no problems with rental cars, luggage, or anything else.

Actually not a bad place. The airport is relatively small, but it’s easy to get in and out of, parking is $ 5 per day in the long term parking and you can show up for your flight 45 minutes ahead of time (assuming you carry on) and you’ve got 40 minutes to wait after getting through security.
They’ve got a number of flights to good places each day and a direct flight to Mesa, AZ if you’re looking to visit my grandparents along with the rest of the retired world.
For those that don’t like it, try rolling up less than an hour before your flight at LAX, ORD or ATL. Not a lot of gourmet food in the terminal, but the clientele are generally not looking for anything other than a bagel and something to drink.
This airport is like a slightly smaller version of RDU in North Carolina. It makes you glad you live near an airport where you can go a number of destinations and it’s easy to get around at.

Bummer. I thought they won me over with the clean gates, easy-​to-​navigate rental car system and the smell of fresh cedar beams as soon as you exit the building… unfortunately, the «free and easy to use wifi» claim disappointed big time. Internet. No internet. Internet. No internet. Just about every two minutes it would kick off. Even one of the airport employees admitted it was less-​than-​hot. I understand that it’s a small airport but I can’t seem to grasp why the service would be that shaky in 2015? Here’s to hoping it improves down the road.

It’s a small airport and you cannot expect much you know. People in this are quiet nice! I come from a city with a small airport and I know there shouldn’t be a lot of expectation. I love this airport bc the rental is so convenient!!!

Now it’s time to say goodbye, to all our company…
I — O — W, we wish you well!
A — A — I, I’m really sad to leave
R — P — O — R — T!
Ok enough of that. It’s a really small but good airport both in the way of walking distances, counter people and the awesome security checkpoint. Sure they took things way too seriously at the checkpoint whereas not as seriously at a bigger airport (not sure how that works) but if they weren’t the nicest TSA agents I’ve ever met! Of course they also took a shining to the DN but who wouldn’t?
Their restaurant options are non-​existent however they have a pretty decent gift shop/​kiosk serving up the absolute essentials and must have items like Iowa Hawkeye hats and psychadelic tie-​dyed bears both of which DN’s daddy bought for her. Our flight out was a bit of a wait but I really didn’t care because of how pleasant everyone was.
I wouldn’t mind flying in and out again if there were a direct flight but I highly doubt that’ll happen in a long while.

It’s a small airport though for Iowa it might be considered one of the larger airports. It’s really fast to get around and through security at least. Also, the rental car companies are all located by baggage claim with their cars just outside. Unfortunately there aren’t that many restaurant choices.

Best customer service and attitude of people in an airport. The TSA are friendly, efficient and polite.
The airlines reps seem to cover more than one airline but my experience has been great every time. They go out of their way to reebok you if missing connections or flight delays.
If only they could replicate this airport environment at other airports.

I love small airports. I wish the future could be in tiny airports. Imagine being dropped off at the curb and knowing that within a short 3 minute walk was the ticketing counter, security, food, a restroom, checkin, and your gate. Airport utopia, I tell you.
The last airport I loved like this was Kalamazoo. And the people are friendlier too. I’ve found a pretty direct correlation — albeit anecdotal — to kindness and size of airport.
In any case, it’s an airport. If you have to go to Eastern Iowa, and you want to fly, you’ll go here. Good thing it isn’t awful.

On my last excursion, I was in 4 different airports. This one by far had the nicest, most considerate staff of all. I’d say «it must be the Midwest» but I was also in Chicago, Minneapolis and Kansas City — and none of the others could even touch how pleasant the experience was made. You see, we were on a whirlwind trip — out one day and back the next. And it stormed in Chicago. It upset the whole nation and threw everyone into a tizzy. The staff here was patient, informative and empathetic through the whole mess — and got us boarded faster than any other airport, even though we were late.
As for the rest of it — the airport was clean, we didn’t have to wait in lines forever, and the flow from plane to parking lot and then check-​in to plane was logical. The airport is small, but well managed… even in the middle of chaos.

Why not a 5 star rating?
You drive up on no traffic from the highway and then no traffic on their road.
Ticketing is fast, since it is the Eastern Iowa airport.
TSA is quick, they look bored actually. Nothing to worry about in the EIA.
The Gates are all pretty much there, not a huge place.
There is one reasonable price restaurant too.
For the lack of life hassle here, this place gets 5 stars. Sure it looks a little 80s but hey, it flys to big cities with some good prices. You go little airport!

I’ve been in a lot of airports, and this one leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, it is a «small, regional airport, but it seems to be like a training ground for airline employees and TSA stiffs. They really don’t seem to know what they are doing. For instance, the jetway and planeside checked bags take forever. The TSA agents blah blah BLAH about what not to leave in your bag or pockets but rarely notice if you «forget» to take it out. On the other hand, they will obsess over patting down your bare left wrist?
Also, it is nearly always more expensive than MLI or DSM so if you have the option, go elsewhere

Came here for interview and it’s a nice, clean, small airport. Not much food wise though. There’s a small deli outside of TSA Check-​Up. Bar and a small convenience shop after TSA.
No stress at all.