✈️ LaGuardia, I Owe You an Apology

I already wrote about my first reaction to arriving at LaGuardia Airport after not flying through LGA for a very, very long time.

But now I found a picture of LaGuardia from the 1990s, which is much closer to the airport I remember.

Put that picture next to the photos I took this weekend and...

Are we sure this is the same airport?

Seriously.

The old LaGuardia wasn't exactly an airport you arrived at early to soak up the atmosphere.

Low ceilings.

Fluorescent lighting.

Narrow corridors.

Crowded gate areas.

People sitting wherever they could find a spot.

Limited food choices.

And yes, I remember seeing rats running around in the drop ceiling.

That old photo brought it all back.

Then look at LaGuardia today.

📸 The Before-and-After Is Ridiculous

The 1990s picture almost looks like it came from a completely different era of air travel.

Because, well...

It did.

Compare that with the pictures I took this weekend.

Huge open spaces.

High ceilings.

Natural light.

Modern architecture.

Wide walkways.

Moving walkways.

Plenty of seating.

Restaurants and food options everywhere.

The difference isn't subtle.

It's astonishing.

Walking into the American Airlines check-in area, I actually stopped to take a picture because I couldn't believe I was standing in LaGuardia.

The check-in area is huge, bright, clean, and open.

Then I made my way farther into the terminal and had essentially the same reaction.

This is LGA?!

If your last memory of LaGuardia looks anything like that picture from the 1990s, you might have the same reaction I did.

🗽 And Then There's the View

I also took a picture of the view from LGA.

That's another thing I had forgotten about flying through LaGuardia.

You're right there in Queens, with New York City surrounding you, and depending on your approach or departure, you can get some fantastic views.

On my flight into New York, I caught a great view of Lower Manhattan during our descent.

On the way home, I got another chance to appreciate where the airport sits.

But there was still one final test.

⏰ What About the Famous LGA Delays?

The physical airport may have changed, but there was one part of the old LaGuardia experience I was fully expecting to revisit:

The delay.

Before all of these improvements, delays and LGA seemed to go together like New York and pizza.

You'd get to the airport.

Find your gate.

Sit down.

And wait.

Then you'd hear:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a short delay..."

And everyone familiar with LaGuardia would collectively think:

Of course we do.

This time, I was actually expecting a delay before departure.

And then something very strange happened.

We left.

No hours sitting around.

No endless mystery delay.

No wondering if I needed to find somewhere to sleep.

We got on the plane and took off.

I even recorded video of the takeoff because after everything I remembered about LGA, departing without that expected delay almost seemed worthy of documentation.

✈️ This May Change How I Travel to New York

Over the years, I've often used Newark (EWR) or JFK, depending on where I was going.

If I needed a rental car or was heading to the northern New Jersey suburbs, Newark often made sense.

JFK was another option depending on the flight and destination.

LaGuardia?

For a long time, it wasn't necessarily my first choice.

After this trip, that may change.

For getting into Queens and New York City, LGA was incredibly convenient.

I flew nonstop from Charleston.

Landed at LaGuardia.

Got over to Astoria quickly.

And when it was time to leave, I went through a clean, modern, comfortable airport and actually departed without the delay I had been expecting.

From THIS to THIS

That's what makes the old picture so much fun to include.

Look at 1990s LaGuardia.

Then look at the pictures I took in 2026.

If you haven't flown through LGA in years, erase whatever image you have in your head.

Because that airport no longer exists.

Airports aren't usually something I get excited about. They're a means to an end.

You go through security, buy an absurdly expensive drink, find your gate, and hope the person sitting next to you understands the universally accepted laws governing airplane armrests.

But this transformation deserves recognition.

So, LaGuardia...

I owe you an apology.

I remembered you as crowded terminals, low ceilings, people sitting on the floor, rats above my head, and seemingly inevitable delays.

Instead, you gave me a beautiful modern airport, great views, tons of food choices, easy access to Queens, and an on-time departure.

And that old photo proves something else:

My memory wasn't exaggerating quite as much as you might think.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but...

I'm actually looking forward to flying through LGA again.

Nicely done, New York.

✈️ I Made It to New York—and What Happened to LaGuardia?!

I made it!

After days of watching the weather forecast go from 55% rain to 77% rain with thunderstorms and then back to almost nothing, I got on the plane in Charleston this morning and headed to New York.

It has been a very, very long time since I've flown into LaGuardia Airport, and I have one question:

What did they do with the old LGA?!?

Seriously.

The LaGuardia I remember and the LaGuardia I walked through today seem like two completely different airports.

It's new. It's clean. It's bright.

There are food options everywhere.

People aren't sitting on the floor waiting for their flights because there aren't enough seats.

And, perhaps most importantly...

I didn't see any rats running around in the drop ceiling.

If you flew through the old LaGuardia, you know I'm not necessarily exaggerating. 😂

This place has changed.

🗽 Now THAT'S a New York Welcome

As we descended into LaGuardia, I was also able to catch a picture of Lower Manhattan from the plane.

That's one of those views that immediately tells you:

Yep. I'm back in New York.

There's something about seeing Manhattan from the air that never gets old.

Then it was time to start working through today's agenda.

👻 Paranormal Activity Didn't Happen

I had hoped to score one of the same-day Rush Tickets for Paranormal Activity.

That didn't happen.

And I'm still not paying around $200 for a ticket.

I wanted to see some ghosts, but not badly enough to have one haunt my credit-card statement for the next month.

But Broadway isn't completely off the agenda.

I got a ticket to see & Juliet instead!

So tonight I'll be heading to Broadway after the party to see something I hadn't originally planned on seeing.

Sometimes those spontaneous choices end up being the most fun.

I'll post afterward and let you know what I thought of it.

🥓 Hotel Accomplishment Unlocked

Next challenge: Could I check into the hotel early?

YES.

That might actually be today's biggest victory.

I got into my room, dropped everything off, and then took care of another extremely important New York travel priority.

I grabbed a plate of bacon.

Because obviously.

So let's review:

✈️ Made it to New York.

🗽 Saw Lower Manhattan from the air.

😳 Discovered that LaGuardia apparently became a completely different airport while I wasn't looking.

🏨 Got an early hotel check-in.

🥓 Ate bacon.

👻 Failed to get a Paranormal Activity Rush Ticket.

🎭 Got an & Juliet ticket instead.

🎉 Party starts at 1:00 PM.

I'd say we're doing pretty well.

And now, after I hit publish on this...

I'm taking a nap for a few hours before the party.

Because apparently my New York itinerary also includes scheduled unconsciousness.

Stay tuned. There is still a lot of Saturday left.