Skyharbor is one of my favorite airports. Not so much that I love spending a lot of time here, but in the fact that it gets me to where I want to go with less hassle than other places. In fact, in 2009, it ranked 3rd in the nation in on-time arrivals and 11th in on-time departures (out of the 31 major US airports).
I tend to fly through Skyharbor a lot for someone who lives in the Northwest corner of the country. Some of this is due to my strategy of only connecting through warm-weather airports during the winter. This tends to avoid the episodes of being out on the tarmac and having the captain announce: "We're going to wait here a few minutes because I think we could use a second coat of de-icer." Or being delayed by freak snowstorms. Or icestorms. I've got a second correlary to this which reads about not connecting through coastal airports during hurricane season, but that's not really relevant for this review...
Anyways, I'm going with four stars since this is the first time I've dealt with the check-in routine at Skyharbor. I have two minor complaints: the first is the actual check-in and the second was security.
As for the check-in, it could just be an airline thing, but I saw this at several counters. They have the echeck-in booths, but were having people with luggage and carry-on both using these things with only a few counter people. What this does is make everyone wait while the (overworked) counter person tries to run around and check everyones' luggage in. I guess I'm used to having separate lines for those of us with carry-on only. Waiting in line behind the guys and girls with eight suitcases sort of defeats the purpose of travelling light (at least in this sense).
The second complaint is security. Hardly a new complaint, but it seems a bit tighter here than at most other airports I've been through. In the x-ray line, the person working the machine was very slow and was calling for a bag check on every other person. I considered even jumping into another line to see if it improved, but figured that might be considered suspicious behavoir and get pulled out for some sort of horrific interrogation (*light shining in my face as a person in the shadows asks questions* "Doug C., I couldn't help but notice that you had a receipt from Taco Bell in your luggage." *slams fists on counter* "ARE YOU A MEXICAN SPY? DO YOU WORK FOR THE FEDERALES?")
As it turns out, staying in line didn't really work much better. Despite not setting off the alarm on the walk through, I got pulled aside for a pat-down. (And, yes, I have been working out. Thanks for noticing buddy.) Then the x-ray watcher stopped my bags to have them inspect the fluids that were clearly dangerous*. But after listening to a lecture and promising to floss three times a day, I was finally allowed to leave and exit for my flight.
I only have one experience with this, but I guess I could sum it up with: nice airport, but arrive early.
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*As shown in the equation: 1/2 sample tube crest + 1 oz. Pert shampoo = Pl-239