Airports in Minnesota, Florida and South Carolina left the best impressions on travelers, according to a new JD Power report.
The 2026 North America Airport Satisfaction Study found that overall airport satisfaction increased by 14 points for mega airports on a 1,000-point scale, even amid high passenger volume. Large airports saw a 13-point increase, while medium airport satisfaction rose by an even wider 16-point margin.
"For the better part of the last decade, nearly every airport, from the largest international hubs to midsized airfields, has undertaken a significant capital improvement project aimed at streamlining passenger flow, adding attractive food and beverage options and improving overall passenger experience," Michael Taylor, JD Power’s
managing director of travel, hospitality and retail, said in a Sept. 16 news release. "On the whole, those efforts are finally starting to pay off in the form of higher overall passenger satisfaction scores."
The study measured flyer satisfaction across seven areas, including the ease of traveling through the airport, passengers’ trust level there, and facilities in the terminal, based on nearly 25,000 surveys of U.S. or Canadian residents. Here’s which ones ranked highest.
Which mega airports ranked highest?
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) came in first among mega airports, defined as those serving 33 million passengers or more each year.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) rounded out the top three.
New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) came in fourth, while Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas came in fifth.
Which large airports ranked highest?
Large airports were defined as those with between 10 and 32.9 million passengers annually, with Tampa International Airport (TPA) landing at number one, followed by Portland International Airport (PDX) and Dallas Love Field (DAL).
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) got fourth place, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) was ranked fifth.
Which medium airports ranked highest?
Among medium airports – with between 4.5 and 9.9 million passengers every year – Charleston International Airport (CHS) came in first. Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Indianapolis International Airport (IND) ranked second and third, respectively.
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) came in fourth, while Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) got fifth place.
Taylor noted that "when it comes to the individual experiences of passengers, every detail counts and the specific design and structural decisions airports make can have a significant influence on how passengers spend their time – and their money – in the terminal." The full study is available on JD Power’s website.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This Midwest airport was named America's best, according to flyers
