Extra vacationers are heading into the skies than ever earlier than. On July 7, 2024, america skilled its busiest air journey day in historical past when greater than 3 million vacationers handed by Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) checkpoints. So, what does that imply for the air journey expertise? In accordance with a brand new examine launched by J.D. Energy this week, regardless of file passenger numbers and rising costs for every little thing from airport meals to flights, general air passenger satisfaction is excessive.
The survey of 26,290 vacationers from america and Canada carried out from August 2023 by July 2024 discovered that 60 % of North American fliers take pleasure in spending time in an airport. And 59 % reported that their airport helped to ease the stress of journey. Onerous to imagine?
Effectively, for the 2024 examine, airports have been judged primarily based on a number of components (so as of significance): how simple it’s to journey by the airport; the extent of belief vacationers have within the airport; terminal amenities; airport workers; what it’s like departing from the airport; meals, beverage, and retail choices; and what the arrival expertise is like.
Minneapolis–St. Paul is the highest rating airport in North America
Based mostly on these key determinants, one airport got here out on high: Minneapolis–St. Paul Worldwide Airport (MSP), which obtained a rating of 671 on a 1,000-point scale.
Not solely was Minneapolis acknowledged because the happiest metropolis in america this yr, but in addition, because it seems, the Twin Cities’ worldwide airport excels. A complete of 34.7 million passengers traveled by MSP in 2023, and one yr later, passenger numbers are trending 8 % greater. In 2023, Terminal 1 at MSP was utterly overhauled in partnership with the terminal’s resident Delta Air Traces—Delta unveiled a stupendous new Sky Membership in Terminal 1 final yr, amongst different enhancements. The renovations are half of a bigger $242 million airport modernization program (AMP) at the moment underway that can lead to design updates throughout six of the terminal’s seven concourses (A, B, C, D, F, and G) by the tip of subsequent yr.
What fliers love and don’t love about North America airports
Passenger numbers will not be the one factor that’s on the rise at airports in america and Canada. Costs for every little thing from meals and drinks to airport providers and facilities have peaked. And one factor the airport satisfaction examine discovered is that air vacationers could have reached their restrict on what they’re keen to spend.
“We’re beginning to see a breaking level in shopper spending, with common spend per particular person within the terminal declining considerably from a yr in the past,” famous Michael Taylor, managing director of journey, hospitality, and retail at J.D. Energy, which has been conducting this examine for practically 20 years.
One other level of rivalry is crowding. In accordance with the report, the typical general satisfaction rating for airport terminals plummets to 429 (on a 1,000-point scale) when they’re perceived as “severely crowded.” Fortunately, solely 5 % of passengers reported that they skilled severely crowded airport circumstances in 2024.
However general “air journey demand has not slowed down in North America, regardless of the steadily rising prices of flights, floor journey, resort rooms and just about something you should purchase in an airport,” said Taylor, including, “Most vacationers are nonetheless having fun with the expertise.”
The 30 finest airports in North America
So, how are airports excelling? The highest-performing airports from the J.D. Energy rating all deal with design particulars, shops, and eating places that showcase the encompassing area. General, 70 % of passengers imagine that their airport supplies a real sense of place.
Right here’s the complete listing of the most effective airports in North America, primarily based on the J.D. Energy 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Examine. Within the J.D. Energy 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Examine, airports have been divided into three measurement classes: mega, giant, and medium. Mega airports are outlined as these dealing with 33 million or extra passengers yearly; giant airports deal with 10 million to 32.9 million passengers yearly; and medium airports deal with between 4.5 million and 9.9 million passengers annually.
The very best mega airports in North America
- Minneapolis–St. Paul Worldwide Airport (671 factors)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (643 factors)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (633 factors)
- John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (628 factors)
- Dallas/Forth Price Worldwide Airport (623 factors)
- Harry Reid Worldwide Airport in Las Vegas (611 factors)
- San Francisco Worldwide Airport (611 factors)
- Orlando Worldwide Airport (596 factors)
- Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood Worldwide Airport (593 factors)
- Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (591 factors)
On the backside of the J.D. Energy listing for mega airports are O’Hare Worldwide Airport in Chicago, Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport, and Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport in New Jersey.
The very best giant airports in North America
- John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California (687 factors)
- Tampa Worldwide Airport (685 factors)
- Kansas Metropolis Worldwide Airport (683 factors)
- Dallas Love Discipline (675 factors)
- Nashville Worldwide Airport (668 factors)
- William P. Passion Airport in Houston (667 factors)
- Sacramento Worldwide Airport (663 factors)
- Portland Worldwide Airport (659 factors)
- Salt Lake Metropolis Worldwide Airport (659 factors)
- San Jose Worldwide Airport in California (655 factors)
The bottom-ranked giant airports on the J.D. Energy listing are St. Louis Lambert Worldwide Airport, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Worldwide Airport, and Philadelphia Worldwide Airport.
The very best medium airports in North America
- Indianapolis Worldwide Airport (687 factors)
- Jacksonville Worldwide Airport (686 factors)
- Southwest Florida Worldwide Airport (675 factors)
- Ontario Worldwide Airport (672 factors)
- Buffalo Niagara Worldwide Airport (670 factors)
- Milwaukee Mitchell Worldwide Airport (669 factors)
- Palm Seashore Worldwide Airport (669 factors)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Worldwide Airport (668 factors)
- John Glenn Colombus Worldwide Airport (658 factors)
- Bradley Worldwide Airport in Connecticut (654 factors)
The bottom-ranked medium airports are Hollywood Burbank Airport, Pittsburgh Worldwide Airport, and Cleveland Hopkins Worldwide Airport.
This story was initially revealed in September 2018 and was up to date on September 18, 2024, to incorporate present data.