There’s something so calming about an airport where the loudspeakers are off and the only sounds are engines, footsteps, and the quiet din of voices. I wish more airports would adopt “quiet” polices.
Why I Love Quiet Airports (And Why Loud Ones Drive Me Nuts)
I remember the first time I experienced a major airport that was quiet. It was in 2008 in Oslo (OSL). That airport was so quiet you could hear a pin drop…it was jarring, but in a very good way.
To me, a quiet airport is the mark of civilized travel. No droning canned music. No constant gate announcements screaming above the hum. When the PA system falls silent and people actually speak in hushed tones, I breathe easier, even in terminals bustling with people.
San Francisco (SFO) is a perfect example of an airport that gets it right. One reason it is one of my favorite airports is because it is quiet…airport-wide announcements are forbidden.
Recently, I saw news that Southwest prevented Denver International Airport (DEN) from implementing a “quiet zone” initiative for travelers seeking a respite from announcements. The airport intended to limit non-essential gate announcements for quiet travelers, but Southwest was reportedly opposed. The outcome: even designated quiet zones can’t fully escape the barrage of airline calls, boarding cues, and general terminal chatter.
That news only reinforced what I already believe: airports that try to slash the noise stand out as oases. Compare that with major hubs where there is a constant barrage of “final call” announcements, repeated three times, over static music, echoing through every gate ring. It’s exhausting, and it chips away at the travel experience.
Airports like Portland (PDX), Helsinki (HEL), and many smaller regional airports get it right. The PA is used sparingly, primarily for essential calls. People speak softly even in gates. That kind of environment says: we respect your time, your space, and your sanity.
Meanwhile, big airports with nonstop announcements and muzak force travelers into constant switching between noise-canceling headphones or yelling into their phones, exacerbating the problem. It’s a stress additive that should be unnecessary in 2025.
CONCLUSION
I’ll always favor quieter airports: less invasive announcements, less canned audio, more mental breathing room. Airlines and airports should aim to reduce ambient noise, not add to it. After all, traveling is stressful enough without punishing your ears, too.
Do you prefer quiet airports or do frequent announcements and music not bother you?
There is, of course, a matter of personal opinion on how quiet airports should be. I personally have a simple three-step plan to make our airports quiet and peaceful again: 1) Ban children. 2) Ban ULCCs. 3) Ban women. I want my airports to be Carthusian monasteries.
Sensible policies all-round. Bring it on.
The more desired behavior is imposed the more people figure ways to rebel.
My experience in SFO is that there are frequent announcements, and there’s some kind of backroom contest to find the person with the most unintelligible English to make the announcements
I agree with you, but I also adore the chime sounds in places like LHR and CDG. In fact, I kind of love the voice of the speaker at LHR.
I’ve been writing about the scourge of airport noise for years on my site…
https://askthepilot.com/airport-noise-scourge/
Most of the time, the PA systems are so bad and the airport so loud I cannot understand any of the announcements.
Flying out of Bole (ADD) tonight. It’s anything but quiet, including the lounges. Just part of the African travel experience.
To me, a quiet airport is the mark of civilized travel. No droning canned music. No constant gate announcements.” I agree totally; also, health clubs need to be quiet for the same reasons.
Great article. More noise causes more stress and anxiety.
Just think loud chaotic places vs peace of ocean, jungle, mountain.
Quiet airports are woke! Make Airports Noisy! Make Airports Great Again! MANMAGA
Noise is worthless, silence is golden!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Agreed 100%. The worst is when you have to hear an announcement in 2 languages because of a foreigner.
Like a lot of things, it seems like the US is often very hesistant to use things that were invented abroad.
An example would be automated announcement systems (e.g. Aviavox, which is very soothing and is used at Heathrow and many other airports around the world) which are much less annoying than live announcements.
Airport noises are part of the reminder I am now traveling places. People bothered by all the noise . . . first world problem.
At one time DFW had TV screens in all waiting areas tuned to CNN with sound. Fortunately, that is no longer the case. Quiet Reigns.
Not even sure how an article about quiet airports gets any space. If you want quiet, stay at home. SFO is not my idea of a great airport. I don’t jammed down my throat about who founded the airport (Gay), I don’t like that I purchased something there and got charged 9 months later (really) and the unnecessary walk to show pride parade and art work unnecessary.
Do you job; competent TSA who shows up on time, if you want a long walk, give me walk ways and who cares about your lifestyle. This is what things fail; focus on the important things
PDX is the worst for noise and cleanliness. PDX actively recruits local “talent” to belt out their tunes at high volumes along the already noisy and crowded concourses along with Starbucks shouting out order pickups and dueling gates shouting out their many “final” calls. I never understood why sheeple think PDX is that great. I find it to be the worst in the USA
+1 for quiet airports.