These are North America’s best airports, according to JD Power's 2022 rankings
Flying to Minneapolis? Tampa? Indianapolis? If so, then you're in luck — airports in these cities ranked the highest for customer satisfaction.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Indianapolis International Airport (IND) received the highest ratings for customer satisfaction in their respective categories, according to market research firm J.D. Power.
In the "mega" category, Minneapolis ranked first with 800 points on a 1,000-point scale. Last year's winner, Miami International Airport (MIA), dropped to ninth with a score of 770. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ranked second, while Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) tied for third.
At the bottom of the list for "mega" airports was Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), finishing in 19th place with a score of 719.
Among the "large" airports, Tampa ranked first, followed by John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California, and Dallas Love Field (DAL). Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) — 2021's winner in the "large" category — ranked fourth.
Indianapolis finished first for customer satisfaction in the "medium" category, followed by Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) tied for third place.
Related: 10 lessons summer 2022 air travel meltdowns taught us
J.D. Power's methodology for ranking airports relied on six factors: terminal facilities, airport arrival and departure, baggage claim, security check, check-in/baggage check, and food, beverage and retail options.
The firm defined "mega" airports as those that see 33 million or more passengers a year. "Large" airports have 10 to 32.9 million passengers a year and "medium" airports have 4.5 to 9.9 million a year, according to the firm. The rankings were based on 26,529 completed surveys from U.S. and Canadian residents who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport within the past 30 days.
However, this past year for travel was not all rosy.
In a year marred by flight cancellations and delays as travel surged, customer satisfaction with airports across the nation sank overall, J.D. Power found.
"In some ways, this is a return to normal as larger crowds at airports tend to make travelers more frazzled," J.D. Power's travel intelligence lead Michael Taylor said in a statement. "But in cases where parking lots are over capacity, gates are standing room only and restaurants and bars are not even open to offer some reprieve, it is clear that increased capacity in airports can't come soon enough."
On top of limited flight options and crowded airports, other issues like inflation and limited parking space at airports negatively affected travelers. Nearly one-quarter (24%) of customers surveyed said they did not buy food at the airport because it was too expensive, J.D. Power found.
Related: Which airports and airlines use TSA PreCheck?
For parking, 14% of surveyed travelers said they found prices to be too expensive. Satisfaction with parking also fell by 45 points in 2022 due to limited availability.
Here is the full list of airport ratings, divided into J.D. Power's "mega," "large" and "medium" categories:
'Mega' airports
1. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) — 800.
2. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) — 796.
3. (tie) Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) — 791.
3. (tie) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) — 791.
5. Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) — 790.
6. Orlando International Airport (MCO) — 786.
7. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) — 782.
8. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) — 778.
9. Miami International Airport (MIA) — 770.
Segment average: 769.
10. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) — 768.
11. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) — 765.
12. (tie) Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) —764.
12. (tie) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) — 764.
13. Denver International Airport (DEN) — 759.
14. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) — 758.
15. Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) — 755.
16. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) — 754.
17. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) — 753.
18. O'Hare International Airport (ORD) — 751.
19. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) — 719.
'Large' airports
1. Tampa International Airport (TPA) — 846.
2. John Wayne Airport (SNA) — 826.
3. Dallas Love Field (DAL) — 825.
4. (tie) Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) — 813.
4. (tie) Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) — 813.
6. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) — 804.
7. (tie) Portland International Airport (PDX) — 803.
7. (tie) William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) — 803.
9. San Antonio International Airport (SAT) — 802.
10. Sacramento International Airport (SMF) — 798.
11. Vancouver International Airport (YVR) — 794.
12. Nashville International Airport (BNA) — 790.
13. Dulles International Airport (IAD) — 789.
14. San Diego International Airport (SAN) — 787.
15. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) — 785.
16. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) — 784.
Segment average: 784.
17. Calgary International Airport (YYC) — 780.
18. Oakland International Airport (OAK) — 773.
19. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) — 771.
20. Midway International Airport (MDW) — 770.
21. San Jose International Airport (SJC) — 768.
22. Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) — 766.
23. St. Louis Lambert International Airport (BLV) — 765.
24. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) — 761.
25. Kansas City International Airport (MCI) — 760.
26. Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) — 758.
27. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) — 729.
'Medium' airports
1. Indianapolis International Airport (IND) — 842.
2. Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) — 839.
3. (tie) Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) — 826.
3. (tie) Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) — 826.
5. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) — 824.
6. Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) — 819.
7. Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) — 816.
8. Ontario International Airport (ONT) — 813.
9. Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) — 809.
Segment average: 807.
10. Ottawa International Airport (YOW) — 806.
11. John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) — 803.
12. Edmonton International Airport (YEG) — 799.
13. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) — 793.
14. Eppley Airfield (OMA) — 791.
15. Bradley International Airport (BDL) — 789.
15. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) — 780.
16. Kahului Airport (OGG) — 767.
17. Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) — 763.
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