The best and worst US airports revealed: See how yours stacks up
Let’s catch flights, but preferably not at these airports.
A new study conducted by J.D. Power has revealed the best and worst airports in North America — and it’s not good news for Newark Liberty.
The New Jersey transit hub came in last place among the 20 “mega” airports ranked in the “Overall Customer Satisfaction Index.”
As part of the study, J.D. Power surveyed 26,290 US and Canadian travelers who transited through at least one of the continent’s airports between Aug. 2023 and Jul. 2024.
The survey asked the fliers about seven “core dimensions” of the airport experience, including ease of travel through the airport, terminal facilities, staff, and food options.
For fairness, J.D. Power split the airports into three separate categories based on the number of passengers who travel through them: “mega” (33 million or more per year), “large” (10- 32.9 million per year), and “medium” (4.5 – 9.9 million per year).
While Newark flopped in the “mega” category, New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport fared far better, landing in fourth place.
It was only beaten by Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Detroit Metropolitan and Phoenix Sky Harbor, which came in first, second, and third places, respectively.
Meanwhile, Queens’ LaGuardia Airport was polled in the “large” category — but fliers were hardly satisfied with their experiences there.
The transit hub came in 17th of the 27 “large” airports polled by travelers.
John Wayne Airport in California’s Orange County was named the best “large” airport by travelers, followed by Tampa International Airport and Kansas City International.
Of the “medium” airports, Indianapolis International, Jacksonville International and Southwest Florida International were ranked best by customers.
“Most travelers are still enjoying the experience,” Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. Power said, despite widespread flight cancellations and delays during the past 12 months.
Over half of the participants, 60%, they “somewhat agree” or “strongly agree” they enjoyed spending time in their airport. Meanwhile, 59% believe the airport alleviates the stress of travel.
But penny-pinching passengers are pulling back on their spending at airports.
“We are starting to see a breaking point in consumer spending, with the average spend per person in the terminal declining significantly from a year ago,” said Taylor.
Passengers this year spent $3.53 per person less on food, beverages, and other terminal items than they did in 2023. In large airports, passengers have decreased their spending by an average of $6.31.
However, Taylor confessed that “huge air travel demand has not slowed down in North America, despite the steadily rising costs of flights, ground travel, hotel rooms and pretty much anything you can buy in an airport.
Mega airports (33 million or more passengers per year)
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport
- Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas
- San Francisco International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
- Boston Logan International Airport
- Miami International Airport
- Denver International Airport
- Los Angeles International Airport
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- Seattle Tacoma International Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Newark Liberty International Airport
Large airports (10 to 32.9 million passengers per year)
- John Wayne Airport, Orange County
- Tampa International Airport
- Kansas City International Airport
- Dallas Love Field
- Nashville International Airport
- William P. Hobby Airport Louis
- Sacramento International Airport
- Portland International Airport
- Salt Lake City International Airport
- San Jose International Airport
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport
- Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
- Vancouver International Airport
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- LaGuardia Airport
- San Antonio International Airport
- Oakland International Airport
- Washington Dulles International Airport
- San Diego International Airport
- Calgary International Airport
- Chicago Midway International Airport
- Honolulu International Airport
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport
- Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
- Philadelphia International Airport
Medium airports (4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year)
- Indianapolis International Airport
- Jacksonville International Airport
- Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers
- Ontario International Airport in California
- Buffalo Niagara International Airport
- Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport
- Palm Beach International Airport
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio
- Bradley International Airport in Connecticut
- Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska
- Albuquerque International Sunport
- Hollywood Burbank Airport in California
- Pittsburgh International Airport
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
