Sorry you had a bad experience with traffic in Mobile. The terminal is located near the start of the downtown parades. Next time, consider staying downtown in one of the hotels. There are some great and historic hotels downtown all within walking distance of restaurants and entertainment. If you're looking to save a little money, staying across Mobile Bay is also an option. Spanish Fort has several hotels that are newer and the pricing would be comparable to the hotels by the airport. It's an easy 15-20 minute ride to the port from there.