Air travel is booming. But that has come with record-high passenger volumes, rising travel costs and airport overcrowding. So how has everything impacted the airport experience? And which airports are getting it right—and which have gone off-course?

J.D. Power just released its annual 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which ranks the best airports in the U.S. and Canada—and tracks consumer satisfaction. What sets this report apart? “We don’t seek permission from any airport nor do we construct the survey with any particular airport in mind—we are an independent voice among airports,” Michael Taylor, the managing director of Travel, Hospitality and Retail at J.D. Power, told me in an interview. “We sample from the busiest 64+ airports in North America every year so that our benchmarks are very stable.”

The new report is based on 26,290 surveys from U.S. or Canadian residents who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport between August 2023 and July 2024. The ranking of the best airports was redesigned for 2024 and is now based on seven factors, including ease of travel through the airport, level of trust with the airport, terminal facilities, airport staff, departure/to airport experience, food, beverage and retail and arrival/from airport experience. Each airport is rated on a 1,000-point scale.

The big news—airport satisfaction scores remain high. And winning airports like Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, California’s John Wayne Airport and Indianapolis International Airport are leading the way in passenger satisfaction—going to show that a great airport experience is still possible, despite the hurdles.

The Best Airports In 2024

This year’s study ranks airports in three categories: Mega, Large and Medium. Mega Airports are defined as those with 33 million or more passengers per year. Large Airports have 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year. Medium Airports have 4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year.

The winner of the Mega Airports category is Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, which scored 671 thanks to its efficient layout and passenger-friendly design. “One of the more effective ‘feels’ that an airport can provide is to give the impression that the airport is a mall with airplanes parked outside,” says Taylor. “MSP does a very good job at this, and they even call the main shopping/dining area ‘The Airport Mall.’” Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (643) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (633) follow closely behind.

Among the Large Airport contenders, John Wayne Airport in California’s Orange County ranks highest with a score of 687. “Southern California has a car culture and SNA really maxes that out with parking right next to or across from their terminals,” says Taylor, who points out that it’s “very convenient access, especially compared to its cross-town rival, which has major construction ongoing.” Once inside the terminal, it’s an easy airport to navigate, as it’s “essentially a straight line.” Another plus, according to Taylor: “Passengers trust SNA airport, and that is a tremendous asset.” Tampa International Airport (685) and Kansas City International Airport (683) round out the top three.

In the Medium Airport category, Indianapolis International takes the win with a score of 687, due in large part to its great design and passenger-friendly facilities. “Indianapolis airport’s trophy case is weighed down with all the J.D. Power awards it has received,” says Taylor. “Passengers value its convenient location at the junction of Highways 465 and I70. It has a great design with open spaces and sufficient space for TSA to do its job. Upgrades to food, beverage and retail have kept IND at the top.” Jacksonville International Airport (686) and Southwest Florida International Airport (675) round out the list of the top three performers.

The Airports That Didn’t Make The Grade

At the other end of the Mega list is Newark Liberty International Airport, which also fell into the last spot in 2023. “Access (as in road traffic) has put a damper on EWR’s newest terminal, which has outstanding design and impressive food, beverage and retail,” says Taylor. “But, if New Jersey traffic makes you late for your flight, you’re not likely to have time to enjoy what EWR offers.” Another issue, according to Taylor: “The AirTrain isn’t complete, and that makes accessing the terminals difficult.”

At the bottom of the Large Airports list: Philadelphia International Airport. “PHL’s design simply can’t handle the demand and crowding it experiences today,” says Taylor. “Departure gates in the older terminal are too small, ticketing lobbies can be overwhelmed at peak times and TSA needs more room to do the job they need to do. More investment in terminal re-design is needed.” The only bright spot for PHL, according to to Taylor—very good choices in food, beverage and retail.

Coming in last in the Medium Airport category is Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The problem here is simple. “Access to airport is its biggest issue,” says Taylor.

Traveler Satisfaction

Despite overcrowded terminals, flight cancellations and delays, the J.D. Power report shows that 60% of travelers enjoy spending time in airports, with 59% agreeing their airport actually helps alleviate travel stress.

The airports that are getting it right have invested in food, beverage and retail options (“this has allowed passengers to better enjoy the “dwell time” in an airport,” says Taylor), plus improved amenities like better Wi-Fi.

“Traveler stress is relieved by having something to do in an airport,” says Taylor. “Other services that airports have expanded include meditation and sensory rooms, private lounges to get away from the madding crowd as well as (in some cases) better noise management in the airport. Baffled ceilings and carpeting help reduce crowd noise and lower stress. MSY New Orleans is an excellent example of these features.”

According to Taylor, there has been a strong correlation between outstanding food, beverage and retail programs at airports that win their categories. This year, two of the three winners this year are number one in their respective categories for food, beverage and retail. Unique offerings that speak to the local vibe make a huge difference. “Winning airports from this year and in years past like MSY New Orleans, IND Indianapolis, TPA Tampa and DTW Detroit Metro all have significant ‘local’ presence on the airport,” says Taylor.

Overcrowding is a big issue and “not something that can be quickly remedied,” says Taylor. But some airports are figuring out solutions. “Most airports that have seen a persistent increase in passenger volumes are either a) expanding the square footage of existing terminals (BOS and MSP, for example), b) extending terminal buildings (JFK, for example) and c) planning to build entirely new facilities (LAS has plans to build an entire new airport near the city to relieve congestion at LAS),” he says.

Read on to see J.D. Power’s rankings of the best airports in America.

Best Mega Airports Ranked

Here is J.D. Power’s ranking of Mega Airports. Mega Airports are defined as those with 33 million or more passengers per year.

1. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (671/1,000)

2. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (643/1,000)

3. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (633/1,000)

4. John F. Kennedy International Airport (628/1,000)

5. Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport (623/1,000)

6. (tie) Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (611/1,000)

6. (tie) San Francisco International Airport (611/1,000)

8. Orlando International Airport (596/1,000)

9. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (593/1,000)

10. (tie) Boston Logan International Airport (591/1,000)

10. (tie) Miami International Airport (591/1,000)

12. (tie) Denver International Airport (588/1,000)

12. (tie) Los Angeles International Airport (588/1,000)

14. George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (586/1,000)

15. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (585/1,000)

16. Seattle Tacoma International Airport (575/1,000)

17. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (574/1,000)

18. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (569/1,000)

19. Toronto Pearson International Airport (559/1,000)

20. Newark Liberty International Airport (552/1,000)

Best Large Airports Ranked

J.D. Power’s list of Large Airports considers facilities that have 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year.

1. John Wayne Airport, Orange County (687/1,000)

2. Tampa International Airport (685/1,000)

3. Kansas City International Airport (683/1,000)

4 . Dallas Love Field (675/1,000)

5. Nashville International Airport (668/1,000)

6. William P. Hobby Airport Louis (667/1,000)

7. Sacramento International Airport (663/1,000)

8. (tie) Portland International Airport (659/1,000)

8. (tie) Salt Lake City International Airport (659/1,000)

10. San Jose International Airport (655/1,000)

11. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (650/1,000)

12. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (647/1,000)

13. Raleigh-Durham International Airport (644/1,000)

14. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (641/1,000)

15. Vancouver International Airport (634/1,000)

16. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (633/1,000)

17. LaGuardia Airport (631/1,000)

18. San Antonio International Airport (614/1,000)

19. Oakland International Airport (612/1,000)

20. Washington Dulles International Airport (611/1,000)

21. San Diego International Airport (610/1,000)

22. Calgary International Airport (599/1,000)

23. Chicago Midway International Airport (598/1,000)

24. Honolulu International Airport (593/1,000)

25. St. Louis Lambert International Airport (583/1,000)

26. Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (576/1,000)

27. Philadelphia International Airport (541/1,000)

Bets Medium Airports Ranked

J.D. Power’s ranking of Medium Airports includes operations that handle 4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year.

1. Indianapolis International Airport (687/1,000)

2. Jacksonville International Airport (686/1,000)

3. Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers (675/1,000)

4. Ontario International Airport in California (672/1,000)

5. Buffalo Niagara International Airport (670/1,000)

6. (tie) Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (669/1,000)

6. (tie) Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport (669/1,000)

8. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (668/1,000)

9. John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio (658/1,000)

10. Bradley International Airport in Connecticut (654/1,000)

11. Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska (653/1,000)

12. Albuquerque International Sunport (646/1,000)

13. Hollywood Burbank Airport in California (626/1,000)

14. Pittsburgh International Airport (625/1,000)

15. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (580/1,000)

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