It’s never impossible to navigate airports, what with on-site maps, information desk signage and the like directing passengers to the appropriate terminal, concourse and gate. However, some airports (especially those listed below) are more baffling than others. Wrong turns at oddly laid-out venues are a common problem and the stress level of latecomers rises as departure time approaches. Luckily there are numerous online tools, smart-phone applications and hard copy resources that can alleviate said stress and give you the knowledge to have an enjoyable time navigating your way from ticketing to the gate.

The obvious place to start your research is an airport’s website. Some of these are great resources, while others are as difficult to navigate as the airport itself. The cyber versions of Chicago O’Hare and Philadelphia International are particular head-scratchers. But, there are plenty of other sites to find insider info about major airports.

The gold standard when it comes to airport reviews is the highly-regarded Skytrax survey company. They publish well-researched reviews of all major airports in the world as well as provide a yearly ranking based on user surveys. A visit to the Skytrax site can give you the ins-and-outs of airports you will be passing through and help you foresee any potential headaches.

If you want to find that perfectly quiet corner to pass your layover without dealing with the noise, hustle and bustle of a major airport, you can use alternative sources, like the half-humorous, all-practical site Sleeping in Airports. Even if you don’t plan to get any shut-eye, the peer-generated list of quiet spots at most large airports in the world is useful for anyone who prefers the volume of a library to the sounds of a fully-operating crowded concourse.

The iPhone Airport Maps Application is a useful and cheap ($2.99) way to carry an easily accessible map with you when you enter the terminal. In addition to plotting your route from ticketing to gate, the maps feature icons that allow you to locate airport amenities such restaurants and lounges.

iFly Pro, priced at $6.99, is an application that has maps and information as well as the ability to relay up-to-date flight information so that you can keep up with any sudden gate changes or delays. Most airlines offer a text message service that will send flight updates and any scheduled changes to your phone, even if you aren’t toting a Blackberry or iPhone.

And now, some of the planet’s most difficult to navigate airports:

Frankfurt International features unclear signage, a notoriously unhelpful staff and lots of bottlenecks along the concourses. This is somewhat of a surprise, considering the fact that German airports like Munich always rate highly when it comes to usability.

LAX is a sprawling complex and arguably the US airport with the least helpful staff. It is not easy to get between terminals and the security checkpoints are notorious for their long lines. More than any other airport, this is one to do your research on before landing, or one to avoid altogether.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is an extraordinarily busy airport. With 90 million passengers annually, it is the world’s busiest, by far. It boasts a reasonable layout, as long as you don’t plan on parking. But the size and ever-present crush of people make it necessary to have a plan before you enter.

O’Hare is Chicago’s super-busy airport. The crowds are always thick. A major plus, compared to LAX, is that it is easy to get between terminals on a train rather than by foot. The customs agents at ORD are notorious for hassling people unnecessarily at the international arrivals terminal. Chicago Midway, on the other side of the city, offers a much less stressful alternative for domestic fliers.

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JFK Terminal 1: Doug Letterman