There’s a satisfaction shake-up for airports across North America.
The latest J.D. Power 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study ranks the airports overcoming high crowds to deliver a positive experience for travelers and compares them with those that aren't able to keep up the pace of demand.
The top five ranked "mega" airports are: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The top-ranking for Minneapolis-Saint Paul is new for 2024, as Detroit previously held the top spot in 2023.
At the opposite end of the list, travelers reported less satisfaction at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport which was rated lowest, followed by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and O'Hare International Airport. It’s notable that Atlanta, Seattle, and Chicago O’Hare are some of the busiest airports in the world.
In addition to the mega airports, J.D. Power also ranked airports that operate with less daily passengers as measured by TSA screenings.
For example, John Wayne Airport, Orange County Tampa International Airport Kansas City International Airport were the top three “large” airports, and Indianapolis International Airport, Jacksonville International Airport, and Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL) were the top “medium” airports.
Airports that have invested in their amenities and experiences were seen as favorably and helpful for passengers to pass time when arriving early, or for unexpected delays. The report spotlights how 60% of respondents agreed they enjoy spending time in their airport.
“Most travelers are still enjoying the experience. However, we are starting to see a breaking point in consumer spending, with average spend per person in the terminal declining significantly from a year ago,” J.D. Power’s Managing Director of Travel, Hospitality, and Retail Michael Taylor said in a release shared with Travel + Leisure.