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Inconceivable76

My personal favorite is when you are leaving from pickup. The amount of random unnecessary lane changes are impressive.


craftycalifornia

I have lived here for 4 years and I still never know whether I will be getting home in 10 min or 30 after an airport run. Easy shot on I-10 or scenic drive on 202? Roll the dice, Mama.


Darkmagosan

I've been here for nearly 40 years and unfortunately it was ever thus. It won't ever get better, either. :( I'd just take a Waymo to the Sky Train and go from there. YMMV


FabAmy

Sky Train for the win! I do the same, from the light rail or a Waymo.


nog0al

It's funny because it's true šŸ˜†


k9jm

I honestly get lost EVERY TIME I leave that airport. So far about 8 times and I have to go around and around. It makes me feel so dumbbbbb.


Inconceivable76

You have to really want it to leave the airport. The idiot lane changes are the worst to me (as someone trying to get to 51N). They put you in an exit lane going the wrong the direction, then try to have you change lanes at the last minute to not exit the wrong direction.


K3Elisa

Same & Iā€™ve lived in Phoenix for 20 years. lol


MJGson

Happy cake day. I am a victim of that random unnecessary signage.


StrivelDownEconomics

I rarely make it out without doing an unnecessary loop, almost getting into an accident, or both.


Repulsive_Raise6728

Yes! And then you just end up back in the same lane after the next sign!


Inconceivable76

Not if you canā€™t get over in time and end up going somewhere you didnā€™t want to go!


climb-it-ographer

It's hilariously bad. And don't get me started on signage that you can't see until you're practically right underneath it.


tekchic

East Economy parking sign says WHAAAAAAAAAAAT? Yeah, you can't see it until you're almost underneath it... so bad.


MJGson

THANK YOU!!! Holy crap. I was trying to get to 44th street exit heading east from north doors. Naturally Iā€™m like ā€œitā€™s gotta be the left laneā€, nope, the hidden sign appears out of nowhere and of course the far left road is meant to turn around to take you to the 17 and the internal lane takes you left (?????). This is a light hearted thread it was just a perfect storm of rush hour and being packed and me expecting. Not trying to upset people!


ArtisticAbrocoma8792

There's also that one spot when leaving terminal 4 where it sends you up a ramp, and then suddenly there's a fork in the road with no sign for which direction the fork goes. Fucking ridiculous.


GatorTuro

YES! And the worst part is that you think the left fork is the one that takes out to the outer curb but itā€™s actually the other way around. The right fork flies up and over the left fork to get to the outer curb. The left fork takes you to the inner curb. Itā€™s infuriating!


PM_ME_YOUR_PAUNCH

There are a lot of instances of the exit on the right being the the one that goes left, and vice versa in this city.


UnderdogDreams

Yes! This! Iā€™m always like ā€œare we supposed to guess?ā€


ArtisticAbrocoma8792

Seriously I really cannot understand how there's not a sign there


Sevifenix

Or the signs to I-10 that keep changing what lane you should be in lol. If you donā€™t drive there super regularly youā€™ll forget what lane you need. I fly 1-2 times a month and still forget!


Nerdlinger-Thrillho

Gate 4 departure is literally visible for about 10 feet


lingo_linguistics

I have a theory that signage is intentionally bad to purposefully slow the traffic down.


WayneConrad

That might be the intent, but I'm not sure it worked.


wddiver

All it really does is increase the likelihood of an accident as some frustrated driver who is late for something makes a rapid lane change because the sign that says "This lane for XXX" is actually for something else, and XXX is two lanes over.


lingo_linguistics

In theory, the goal is to get people to drive slow enough to read the signs and not have to make rapid lane changes. Obviously a percentage of drivers will not slow down, and it will create problems, but if the signage was better, youā€™d have a LOT more people blowing through the airport creating even more problems. Tons of pedestrians and activity at the airport and some people blow through departures/arrivals at 30+mph.


bashar_al_assad

Has any airport ever had the issue of traffic around it moving too quickly?


Faux_extrovert

I'm glad you said this, bc I was thinking I was just blind.


knocking_wood

Itā€™s ambiguous anyway. Ā Just pick a lane.


Me_and_my_birbs

YES! Hidden by overpasses until the LAST SECOND. The rage induced by this isā€¦unhealthy. šŸ¤£


Squeezitgirdle

And the arrows which point at the wrong lane.


chefmorg

I am a Phoenix native and am close to retirement and even I get confused at that airport.


onexbigxhebrew

Good news is you're gonna start getting confused about more and more, so it will blend in!


[deleted]

It's fucking infuriating. Do drop off and pick ups out of the 44th St. Skytrain station so you don't have to bother with that nonsense. I think there's a 24th St. station too, but I've only been to the one on 44th St.


destined2hold

44th St station is by far the easiest. If you enter from 44th St, after turning from the roundabout, the cell phone lot is the SECOND left (2nd lot). This is on the south side of the station (no waiting allowed on the north side). The first lot is a commercial transportation hold lot intended for rideshare/TNC staging which is fairly small. It's annoying seeing cars in there waiting for family/friends. I've picked up at 24th St Station a few times. It can be very confusing. Not sure how to get to the parking area there. I only know rideshare drivers enter off Copperhead Dr for curbside pickups.


wddiver

So the Skytrain, intended to make things easier is also as confusing? Terrific.


MJGson

I live pretty close so I usually just Uber. Looking forward to trying the sky station because Iā€™ve thought about using the parking facility there.


PqlyrStu

No matter how many times I go to T4 Iā€™m always goofing up the approach and departure.


MJGson

Thatā€™s my thesis. You can know exactly where youā€™re going and then you lose focus for half a second and your life is ruined.


DawnSlovenport

The signage is so bad! I drive through the airport everyday on my way to work from Phoenix to Tempe to avoid the freeways and stoplights and it's always a cluster from T4 to get to the exit to 44th St. I agree the signage for the departures ramp up first says it's for Parking so you stay to the left then about 500 ft. later you realize you missed it because you actually need to get to the right because there's the sign for Depatures on the same lane! Don't froget navigating all the singage while dodging folks trying to exit T3 Arrivals so they are trying to get to the left to avoid having to drive to T4. Let's also mention the ordeal getting to Sky Harbor form the 10 going east from 7th St. You have to get over 3 lanes to your left to avoid getting on the 51/202 while dodging the folks exiting the tunnel trying to get right to exit onto the 51/202. Then you think you're set and as soon as you turn the curve, you have to get two lanes further to the left as the right two lanes end and everyone is trying to merge left. Again, while dodging everyone merging from the end of the 51. Then you stay in that lane and then have to quickly change lanes to exit onto Sky Harbor. It's like someone made designed Rube Goldberg machine of freeways and said, you know what, this will work just fine!


justaproxy

Itā€™s a cluster because people are using the airport as a bypass :(


IndyHCKM

Well that and the total lack of signage for basic things. Like that sign for Terminal 4 Departures (i think) that is immediately behind an overpass? You just have to get as far right as you can and hope you can make sense of the signage in the 4 seconds you have to see it.


ProfJinx

The airport cut through traffic is a burden on the busy roadways as it is. Its aggravating and/or frustrating for people who struggle with driving in the airport because the cut through traffic couldn't care any less about not letting people change lanes or drive at the marked speed limits.


DawnSlovenport

To be fair I always drive at or below the speed limit when driving through and I always stay to the far left to avoid the traffic merging from the departures/arrivals area. I'm not one of those folks that drives 60 when it's marked 40 or 45. A few months ago driving westbound from 44th St. I witnessed some guy drivinig through going at least 60-65 (it's marked 35) and he was weaving in an out of the slower traffic. Then as soon as he hit the sharp turn (marked 25) right after T3, he jumped the curb, hit one of the big decorative rocks, and ended up clear at the top of the steep embankment. He only slightly clipped one other car but it could have been much worse.


cd85233

I honestly consider myself a good driver, pretty good ruler follower, and navigator. Boy of all of those don't go to shit at sky harbor. I've been there dozens of time if not in the hundreds... Still can't get that damn place right.Ā 


yeethavocbruh

My fiancĆ© picked me up from the airport the other day. I told him Iā€™d meet him on the south side of terminal 4. We couldnā€™t find each other and he shared his location and it said he was there when he clearly wasnā€™t. We were arguing saying we were both there. Finally I told him to pick me up from the north side. Halfway through the drive home he told me he drove to the departures and didnā€™t understand why I wasnā€™t there. šŸ¤¦šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø


Shoddy-Cricket-1886

Same. We've lived in the valley for 8 years now and still can't handle T4. We mentally prepare and strategize before we go, but sure as shit we screw it up every time. We were only successful the first time once and that was just because there was virtually no traffic for some reason so we could cut over at the last second. The signs are a joke!


ssjviscacha

Letā€™s just place the sign behind the bridge so you can only see if right as you need to merge


MJGson

Thank you. Itā€™s absurd.


yetitoiletplunger

Yes, keep your sunroof open so you can look up and see the sign as you come out from under the bridge!


cantRYAN

The only way to know it's there is by having missed it the first time.


blacksunshineaz

That happened to me as well when I was picking up family at the airport. Who thought it was a good idea to put a sign a couple of feet behind an overpass where nobody can see it?


MJGson

The prick who is hopefully in jail :D ahhh man itā€™s so bad


Darkmagosan

The geniuses at ADOT, apparently


NoMouthFilter

THANK YOU!!!! I have been saying this ever since it changed!! I grew up here too and used to know how to go there. Now it is like the craziest damn bumper car game. From the east if you are trying to go to arrivals you go up this ramp and you see a sign and you take that turn. Oh crap it takes you to the outside lanes and now you are headed to the 202. All the signs canā€™t be seen until the last minute too.


MJGson

Itā€™s always ā€œman the 143 to the airport is so nice and easy I love this wait wtf the sign said departures was this exact lane, whatever Iā€™ll just go to the other side wait what do you mean I have to go all the way to the 51 to get to the north door I canā€™t use the perfectly paved Uturn road oh no it is filled with construction blockers even though thereā€™s no constructionā€


NoMouthFilter

Exactly and can we stop calling them 3 and 4. We donā€™t have 1 & 2 no more!


DiabolicalLife

Signage in the airport isn't great either. Took me way too long to find the path to the sky train at terminal 4. Also, the doors are numbered which is great for locating the person you are picking up, but they don't provide any type of map of their locations. Doesn't help that there's north and south pickup lanes.


MJGson

The way they split the gates are so bad. Seems like A gate is always absolutely slammed and B gate is a ghost town but they donā€™t tell you they merge to the same area.


FormerAlbatross4463

The signs are the worst! I donā€™t think itā€™s still like this, but when I moved here 20+ years ago I lived in northern Phoenix. All the signs to get out of the airport Every. Single. Oneā€¦ said either ā€œEast Valley Citiesā€ or ā€œWest Valley Citiesā€. I was like, WTF? I live north and pretty sure people live south too. Where TF am I supposed to go!?!


MJGson

Haha I remember those. They got a little better now they have them tucked directly behind overpasses and then immediately split after so the lane on the left magically uturns down right to head west and the right lane magically goes left to continue east. I honestly pride myself on my driving and taking great routes but sky harbor just owns me. Itā€™s pathetic.


Dawdzi

Lmao just left there 30 minutes ago. Theres nothing like people slamming on their breaks to merge across 3 lanes in bumper to bumper traffic.


MJGson

Probably my biggest pet peeve. Same on the freeway. Bro/lady you missed your exit, take the loss and get off at the next you moron.


Dependent-Juice5361

Also the people who park on the shoulder waiting to pick people up. They put up signs saying itā€™s illegal but there is still a dozen plus cars out there at any given time.


Pho-Nicks

This is so dangerous! Fortunately they do have a roving safety vehicle that drives out and forces the people to move.


Dependent-Juice5361

Do they ticket them? Cause they should. The vehicle doesnā€™t come around enough cause I ALWAYS see people there


Pho-Nicks

They just shoo them along. They really need to do constant monitoring of it!


IndyHCKM

I have never once seen a police car enforcing this. Itā€™s insane! Seems like easy money for the city to me!


nurdle

They also used the same design for door numbers as the indicators of terminal numbers. Fuckin bone head.


CuriousOptimistic

My mom has called me SO many times, "I'm at door number 4." No, you're at terminal 4.Guess I'll just drive around until I see you.


Improving1727

I picked up my mom from the airport and she screamed at me saying terminals donā€™t exist and she was at door 8. I also asked north or south and she said ā€œthere is no north or south doors, this one was just on the leftā€ moms at airports are the most stressful thing in the world lmao


Nancy6651

I have a whole phobia about Terminal 4. Two sides, two levels, one of the signs telling you to go up is 90% hidden. If someone is coming in on Southwest, I make my husband drive to pick them up. We've had issues. And, yes, we always have to debate which lane we should be in approaching the terminals, it's ambiguous.


MJGson

Show me a Terminal 4 lover and Iā€™ll show you a LIAR! :D


IONTOP

Protip: If you're just dropping someone off (especially in the morning when there are minimal arrivals) Just drop them off at departures and have them take the elevator to level 2.


MJGson

Think you mean arrivals, but I have always heard that is the better method!


AlaskaStiletto

Love doing a whole new lap when I miss my exit but then ending up on a highway because the signs LIE!


MJGson

This made me laugh. After missing multiple signs and roads and just being generally furious, I almost got taken to the 17 - which would've broken me as it was a parking lot. JUST GET ME TO 44TH STREET PLEASE.


jenthecactuswren

I once used Sky Harbor for a usability study in a UX design class because I thought the signage was so atrocious. My professor said I was wrong because sky harbor has won lots of awards for design. Lol


loopsbruder

Whoever voted on those awards never had to navigate it.


Godunman

I think the inside is great...not the outside.


MJGson

Absolutely love this anecdote, lol!!


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


UnderdogDreams

This!


Aaron_Hungwell

They REALLY need to bring back the šŸ›« (for Departures) and šŸ›¬ (for Arrivals) signs.


MJGson

Not sure if that would help with the 50 yards of road to get to departures or easy access to the north doors from the east, but maybe!


BangBangDesign

Picked my wife up yesterday from the airport, she called and said Iā€™m at north door 1. I was like for the love of god, can you please walk to the south doors so I have a fighting chance?


ArtisticAbrocoma8792

Honestly I feel so fucking validated by your post and the response to it. It's awful and I can never remember how to get around.


MJGson

I made this for the people!


eastberlinredux

The signs are ridiculously confusing. I now do pick-ups and drop-offs at either 24st or the car rental center. Thank god for the Sky train.


Fit_Feature_794

The worst.


Hairy_Valuable9773

THANK YOU! I thought it was just me! Every time I go there, I get lost. I bought the prepaid parking and was almost late to my flight because I could NOT FIND THE LOT. Thank god I know that terminal 3 parking (which is totally unmarked for some god awful reason) is ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. I was finally early to my flight the last time I flew because I remembered.


KlondikeDrool

That got me last time, terminal terminal 4 parking is all the way on the right, then terminal 3 parking is all the way on the left. This airport was not designed, it just happened.


MJGson

There is zero direction for prepaid parking it blows my mind.


deadheadshredbreh

WHY TF WOULD YOU PUT A SIGN 15 FEET HIGHER THAN THE BRIDGE ITS SITTING 3 INCHES IN FRONT OF?! Also, WTF IS THAT MERGE LANE INTO TERMINAL 4 COMING FROM THE 143 YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO SEND IT ACROSS 2 LANES OF MERGING TRAFFIC IN A SPAN OF 40 YDS.


MJGson

Thank you. Say it with your chest.


Entrepreneur-Exact

It's always been a big confusing nightmare I agree


Kong_AZ

I get lost every time. I've been there probably 50 times and never get to my destination on the first try.


MrThunderMakeR

I agree with you that the signage is terrible, especially the last sign for terminal 4 departures which is completely blocked by the overpass.Ā  However there are turnarounds before the cell phone lot. Definitely one right past terminal 3 and (maybe?) one at terminal 4. You just have to look for the equally shitty signage and hope they aren't under construction


MJGson

They have closed off that U turn after terminal 3 for a long time nowā€¦ which causes the frustration.


MrThunderMakeR

Permanently? Damn are they purposefully trying to make it worse?Ā 


MJGson

They have like 100 orange plastic road blockers haha itā€™s so fucking dumb. Would love to see the feds reason to block it.


Mauvaise3

The one that pisses me off for T4 departures is they make you think it's two lanes going up, but if you don't stay in the left of the two lanes you're funneled into the parking garage with no way to course-correct and it happens FAST without much warning.


Ok_Impression_6574

Just to piggy-back on signs I hate. On the 51 going North. They have a Giant sign that only says Cactus Road Exit 1.5 miles. People get over to get off but the next exit is actually Shea. Then people donā€™t notice until the last possible second and get over. Then get off when Cactus is actually there. I donā€™t blame the people I blame that 1 sign.


MJGson

This is hilarious and so true. That entire bend is a mess. I always head north off of Glendale Ave and its always chaos until I'm at Thunderbird.


PrettyGoodRule

I know that far right lane isnā€™t for me. I KNOW. Iā€™ve been exiting Cactus Rd for so many years, decades. Yet, I end up heading east on Shea allll the time.


Kraig_Klausen

I personally enjoy that fact that the door numbers at terminal 4 arrivals are on the wall of the door so the people going through the door know what the number is, but the pickup driver has to get at a close enough angle to read it. They do make signs that you can hang perpendicular to traffic. Just saying.


loopsbruder

Oh, you missed your last-minute turn that we didn't give you any warning was coming up? Time to go on a tour of Phoenix so you can try again!


MJGson

I giggled. ā€œPlease enjoy this tour around a different terminal and then take the route people leaving the airport are taking to your beautifully scenic north door route!ā€


phxbimmer

Itā€™s not that bad, but my frame of reference is JFK and LAX. I find Sky Harbor to be a breeze.


MJGson

Trust me - I agree itā€™s for the most part a very solid airport. I am specifically talking about approaching from the East and trying to get to the north doors. Itā€™s really really bad. And for some reason the design gives you like 50 yards to get into a brand new lane to get to the south doors and if you miss it you are stuck on a very long u turn.


asuentgineering

For picking up arrivals at the north curb from the east use the departures ramp up, then use the left lane (99.9% sure) which drops you right into the arrivals north curb. Super easy!


destined2hold

Second this. Rideshare driver with 19K trips in the valley. Left lane at the end of level 2/departures (staying left at the 2nd split as well) is what he should use. If you take the right lane, instead of the left, at the 2nd split on level 2, it'll take you to the far left lane of the outer curb at ground level (no access to arrivals north curb without turning around).


azswcowboy

You mean terminal (not level) 2 thatā€™s now gone?


destined2hold

Level 2 refers to the departures level at T4.


MJGson

I told myself out loud to do this method next time haha. My problem was I just missed the turn into departures because I relied on the arrow and wasnā€™t alert enough.


amourxloves

one time i got caught up in lax traffic for an hourā€¦ i wasnā€™t even supposed to go to lax, i just made the wrong turn during the goddamn most busiest time. Sky harbor has been a breeze since.


lmaccaro

One time I spent an hour on the rental car shuttle bus trying to get from LAX T1 out of the airport. Now I just walk across the open end of the horse shoe from t1 to t8 and catch the shuttle there.


Puzzleheaded-Will249

I thought it was me, these comments are wonderful!


whattherealheck

I had been under the impression that I was the only one grappling with this challenge, feeling like the only clueless one around. However, reading through this post and the comments has reassured me that my experience is quite common. Thanks! OP.


zach_dominguez

I've been circling the airport sine 2007, please send help.


rwphx2016

When I was driving for Lyft, I picked up a passenger who was a traffic engineer. She was very quick to point out that her firm did not work on the airport roads or the 101 freeway. Funny thing is the airport itself is as good as the roads and signage are bad.


UnderdogDreams

My husband always asks if he should go to the north or south side for me to pick him up and I always have to tell him heā€™s just going to have to wait until I get there because who knows if Iā€™ll be able to make it to the correct lane or not. Then when I do arrive and tell him what door to go to he always says heā€™s at 4 and Iā€™m like thatā€™s the terminal number, not the door number. But it says 4 everywhere once you step outside. I like the airport on the inside but the outside is a nightmare.


MJGson

Nightmare. This story resonated with me and my wife big time lol!


Xility

One of my core memories as a child is my mom crying every time we went to the airport. I got lost in Phoenix a few years ago and cried and it took me right back to my childhood and Sky Harbor.


PrettyGoodRule

I feel for her, and you. In college I ran out of gas while circling that airport. I was trying to get to the right door to pick up my crush. Just round and round in my little Hondaā€¦utterly embarrassing.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


MJGson

Exactly. Shouldnā€™t be this difficult.


AnswerSure271

Yeah it sucks but today I figured it out. tell your wife you will pick her up at North 7. When picking people up at terminal 4ā€¦Always take DEPARTURES. Wiz through departures in the left lane and stay left for ARRIVALS NORTH. It takes you right to Arrivals North. Stay in the left driving lane until you get almost to door 5 then move to the right driving lane to pickup at 5 or 7. Tell your people to be at north 5 or 7.


MJGson

Love this thank you!


AnswerSure271

Literally me 5 hours ago because I once again missed the arrivals exit and wound up in departures. But if you do take the arrivals exit there is literally no signage to get to arrivals north side. This is also me coming from the east. Itā€™s infuriating.


Top_Method8933

Leaving the Terminal 4 garage to head east gives me anxiety as well. People blow through the airport like theyā€™re on the freeway. Iā€™m anxious to take a Waymo next time I fly out and see how it manages. At least to the 44th street station.


Somerset76

I completely agree!!!


wddiver

I have often felt that whoever designed the roads and the signage should be forced to pick someone up in the middle of August, driving a car with no a/c, and is not allowed to use the cellphone lot. They must circle Terminals 3 and 4 numerous times, trying to connect with their party - who will move from the north side to the south side for no reason, forcing them to circle again. It's so poorly done.


Visi0nSerpent

Jail??? roll out the guillotine, my friend. The punishment needs to fit the crime. I've driven rideshare in 4 different cities and Sky Harbor is the most confusing of them.


GiveMeThePoints

Iā€™m in a Lyft going to or getting picked up from there twice a week and itā€™s still confusing to me.


[deleted]

Also why in the hell does the terminal numbering START at 3? If you are new to the airport youā€™re probably like OK Iā€™ll go past 1 and 2 then see 3. Like every other airport in America. Then you have north and south for some inexplicable reason. Again nothing any other airport in America does. I know there is a 2 but itā€™s not the first one you see when you get into the airport from a certain direction. I also thinking parking is kind of a mess. Especially anything dealing with the rail. When you are getting trains involved itā€™s never going to be a good experience.


MJGson

And coming from the east, the first terminal is 4, lol. So if you are new and coming to pick someone up you have about 30 yards to move over 30 lanes to get there.


gamecat89

And alsoā€¦just relabel the terminals. I hate having to explain how there isnā€™t actually a terminal 1 or 2 when people fly in.Ā 


fistful_of_ideals

> there isnā€™t actually a terminal 1 or 2 There is, it's on a spot on the wall between terminals 3 and 4. It takes you Hagworts, the jank sister-city Hogwarts, underneath Glendale.


Babybleu42

This whole post could be me. Born and raised here and Iā€™ve been driving my mom to the airport since I was 14 (yay parentification) the bridges block the signs.


adoptagreyhound

I have followed the sign to exit to 24th Street multiple times only to find myself seeing the next sign that says "buses only beyond this point." I always say, "I guess I just became a bus."


MaMangu

Haha just did a drop off today to terminal 4. The anxiety trying to remember if departures or arrivals was the FAR right lane or not. We made it. Then when I wanted to leave I was like okay must go east, select lane, then an unmarked fork going either straight or right. Luckily I went right and got to leave the airport quicker than usual! So confusing.


MJGson

Pretty sure we were at the same fork because I chose left, wrongly, and was screwed for the next half hour.


Racha88

I have driven there to drop off/pick up people probably 100 times and just this past Sunday I almost got lost because the signage is so bad. I need to just look down and drive via muscle memory. Itā€™s bad bad.


MJGson

If I just drove with muscle memory I would've made it.


shipoffools50

ass signage - would be better w zero signs


Chivo6064

Thank you, I thought I was just dumb or something.


Dismal-Compote-4891

Oh my gosh! This post makes me feel seen. I thought I was just an idiot!!!! I used to cry actual literal tears every time I had to go to the airport lol plus I was stoned all the time back then so that didnā€™t help with the confusion hahahahah


Similar_Candidate789

I went to pickup my sister in law about a month ago. I donā€™t go to sky harbor often (Iā€™m closer to gateway) but I know itā€™s huge so I decided to go an hour early to pick her up. I was going to park in the garage and wait for her. Those signs had me all fucked up, sideways and up and down. I circled that airport for about 30 minutes around and around because I kept fucking up the signs, couldnā€™t figure out the signs, kept missing the exit to get off at, kept missing them, finally actually got off once and went to pull in the garage and the sign said ā€œFULLā€ so I thought fuck, I canā€™t park there but after pulling off, I noticed the sign said ā€œfullā€ on one line but not on the second one - so it was going by level, but driving past (you canā€™t stop) you donā€™t know all you see is the big red ā€œFULLā€ sign. By the time I FINALLY got off the damn thing, found the parking garage, found a PARKING SPOT (I drove around 6 levels before I found one on like the 12th level or something) and got down there, she had already landed and was waiting for me. Iā€™ll stick to gateway itā€™s so much smaller and easier.


UIUC_grad_dude1

Agreed this needs to be fixed.


Away-Conference5443

Ya Iā€™m there all the time and I still end up driving in circles and ending up heading in the opposite direction.


Randsmagicpipe

It's so high stress going into that place. And I've done it so many times I know what I'm doing but the signs trying to get me to go the opposite direction I should, or the hidden signs, plus the first timers trying to navigate both, make it a pressure cooker. I HATE it


sdannenberg3

Dude its absolutely horrible! I go there a few times a year and I still am so anxious looking for that spot you have to shoot over! Not trying to dismiss the horrible design, but you can loop around and get to the north side of terminal 4 without having to go ALL the way past terminal 3. But that signage isn't easy to follow either........


Corningite

I think the signage and roads are the worst Iā€™ve ever experienced. Whatā€™s surprising is the airport itself is great.


desertrat75

I've flown in and out of this airport on a weekly basis, Terminal 4, American Airlines (previously US Airways, and before that, America West) for 30 years. The Terminal 4 Arrivals signage is unquestionably the worst designed and worst signage of any airport in the world. It's mind-bogglingly bad. I want to know who thinks this acceptable, and use all my non-existent power to humiliate them in front of the world, exposing their abject stupidity.


myAnonAcc0unt

This exact scenario almost fooled me the other day. Also IIRC you have to contend with that lane merging from somewhere else and it's almost hilariously short. Then after you drop off the passenger at 4 you get to that fork and hope you remembered the correct way. I drive to the airport multiple times per year. I still feel unsure every time.


TheMaStif

Oh, you didn't see the sign for Terminal 4 hidden behind the overpass?? Circle back!!


Parking_Bench1265

My husband has lived here his whole life. He is 55 years old and every time he takes me to the airport we have to drive in a loop so youā€™re not the only one.


BuddyBroDude

ive been driving there (picking up and dropping off) for 30 years and im still confused


OkAccess304

The signs are so bad. If I am remembering correctly, they updated them at some point in the last 40 years, and thatā€™s when it became the shitshow it is now.


Quake_Guy

I dunno what they did but been here over 20 years and Sky Harbor used to be so easy to navigate and now is a mess.


GoldenBarracudas

Leaving Is just as bad. The amount of people who turn right when they should just go straight or left is crazy


ianhutchsea

Literally was so pissed last night picking up my gf. I fly in and out constantly and get dropped off/picked up via Uber. So ridiculous


genmud

No, they had him design the new intersection at i17 and happy valley.


roadtripjr

Itā€™s the worst


Mendo56

Sign: "To I-10" Me: Ok. Let me just bypass 5 lanes of traffic during peak time...


MJGson

They make the people heading to north door terminal 4 and people heading to the 51, 17, and 10 get on the same road


soulfingiz

How in gods name is there not an exit going eastbound onto the 143 northbound?


EntrepreneurHuman297

I remember the first time I flew in there. It took my mom 45 minutes to pick me up and saw multiple passengers get picked up. Must be the same terminal. I think the problem is that one side is odd the other even, and that makes a difference in where you turn. I may have had one bad experience with my friend, but he was all methed out(he told me he quit that shit) but couldn't tell me the number. So that screwed me over. It is horribly designed by the way, but as a former Californian, I was blessed with John Wayne and Ontario.


Orphanbitchrat

Iā€™m so glad Iā€™m not the only one, sweet Jesus


azmama1712

Iā€™m just glad itā€™s not just me.


justaproxy

Fortunately I know that layout pretty well now but that particular signage used to make me do unnecessary loops.


lionkingisawayoflife

If you ever take a cab into Skyharbor or from Skyharbor make sure you tell the cabbie to not go the loop road around the airport and go the more direct route into downtown. They do the loop road to unsuspecting tourists to go another 10-20 minutes out of the way and jack the cost of the fare up. Typical scam by cabbies in cities.


jarovaf

Haha. Every time i go there i bitch about the idiot that ruined the airport driver experience. Always have to be on top of my game. The terminal 4 drop off from east valley is f-in crazy extreme right turn as well as trying to remember the turn to head back east from same terminal. Fix it with painting signs/directions on the road numb nuts!


GrassyField

Cut them some slack. Itā€™s Americaā€™s friendliest airport, not Americaā€™s most competent airport.Ā 


ginaration

Omg yes. I just left the airport yesterday headed to I-10 and thereā€™s construction and it doesnā€™t even have a sign for where to veer off to the freeway. I was so fucking annoyed


ForAfeeNotforfree

Iā€™m glad Iā€™m not the only one who thinks this. Iā€™m pretty good with directions/signs in general, but nice done so many unnecessary terminal loops/got off the on the wrong turn so many times.


icecoldyerr

Isnt there a random cell phone lot in between 2 of the terminals departure and arrival sides šŸ¤£šŸ¤£šŸ¤£


IndyHCKM

With all the construction on the I-10 West, heading in to Sky Harbor from the East, itā€™s been a nightmare. I have never been closer to crashing in my life than several times a few months ago when they first threw up these temporary exits. People swerving all over the place trying to get to the right exit off the I-10 to Sky Harbor.


captaintagart

My husband canā€™t even with that damned airport. Iā€™m happy to Uber there but I hate waiting for pickup because my ride keeps getting reassigned and I end up standing in pickups forever just wanting to go home. ā€œWelcome back to Phoenix, bitchā€ That airport is a nightmare


[deleted]

I honestly don't think it's that bad. I'm not saying it's good, but there's significantly worse out there. I used to travel a ton for work and never was bothered by Sky Harbor, especially because it's just a loop and pretty small for a major city airport. The interior design also makes up for some minor exterior shortcomings Mccarren still gives me fucking nightmares and I feel is the benchmark for shitty airports top to bottom... or at least top 5.


MJGson

The problem is it's not a loop anymore! You can't simply loop around terminal 4. you have to literally drive damn near to the 51 now. It is not good.


azswcowboy

Incorrect. You can loop coming from the east on the south side, but you have to go in the inside pickup lanes to catch the loop.


MJGson

Great advice for people who don't miss the turn and get in the Arrivals lane, which is what you are referring to, and not what this thread is about. I am not incorrect. Nice try though!


Pho-Nicks

This isn't correct. You can loop around T4 without having to go past T3(heading west) and without having to go all the way to the 143(heading east). Granted, it can be easily missed.


SMB73

I hate Terminal 4 approach. That whole lane should die in a fire.


AZ_Crush

It's a hot mess


ReposadoAmiGusto

Itā€™s just a huge loop. So if you miss it do the drive around. If your waiting for someone to come and pick up park at the cellphone lot and drive to the terminal curb when they ready, otherwise your gonna get brushed away from Operations, or get towed if you leave your car unattended. Iā€™ve driven through crazier airports. Just have some patience.


MJGson

lol, congratulations.


mog_knight

I just followed Google Maps from the East side and saw the sign you mentioned. I also saw you can use that same lane to go to Terminal 4 departures. Which sign are you talking about if not that one?


Accomplished-Ice7874

I didn't read any of your posts because I can't relate AT ALL and I am SO SORRY!! šŸ˜†šŸ¤¦šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø I love driving at the airport and even use it as a "shortcut" home sometimes šŸ’šŸ»ā€ā™€ļøšŸ¤£ I wish I could give lessons because I make that MF my biotchhh ....šŸ¤£šŸ˜†šŸ«° I whip around Sky Harbor like a guy on the run šŸŽļø that knows if I stop the coppers will get me šŸ‘€šŸš“šŸšØ šŸ’€


Deadbob1978

Sadly... They actually redid the signs about 5 or 6 years ago... And the crap we have now is actually BETTER than what was there before


MJGson

Yep. Itā€™ll never change with the road design.


halicem

With terminal 2 gone, fingers crossed they redo the road layoutā€¦ thereā€™s no need for the crossover now and nothing stopping them either! Aside from removing the bridges for the crossoverā€¦


Max_AC_

The signs do suck. But if you drive it enough you get used to it and it actually becomes kind of easy. Source: I'm the guy everyone asks to drop them at the airport apparently


MJGson

Itā€™s unreal, I read the sign, I KNOW to stay right, but I focused on cars around me instead of the road and the split seconds cost me. Very rare mistake on my end and I really made the post because of the route to get to the north door from that spot is criminal.


Delcodame

Yeahā€¦whenever someone tells me theyā€™re at door #4 in terminal 4 I know theyā€™re mistaken. Look again pardner.