This U.S. Airport Was Just Named the Best in North America for ‘Overall Passenger Satisfaction,’ New Study Reveals
This U.S. Airport Was Just Named the Best in North America for ‘Overall Passenger Satisfaction,’ New Study Reveals
Natalia SenanayakeWed, September 16, 2026 at 5:08 PM UTC
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Travelers pass through Minneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportCredit: Stephen Maturen/Getty -
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport ranked first among mega airports for passenger satisfaction for the third consecutive year, according to a new study
Tampa International Airport and Charleston International Airport topped the large and medium airport categories, respectively
JD Power attributes rising satisfaction in airports to completed airport improvement projects despite record-high passenger volumes
One Midwest airport came out on top for leaving plane passengers the most satisfied during their travels, a new study has revealed.
JD Power, an American data analytics and consumer intelligence company, released its annual North America Airport Satisfaction Study for the 21st year in a row on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The study narrows down the best mega, large and medium airports in North America based on “overall passenger satisfaction,” according to a press release.
In order to identify which hub is the best, the company factors in “seven core dimensions,” with the most important one being “ease of travel through airport,” followed by “level of trust with airport; terminal facilities; airport staff; departure/to airport experience; food, beverage and retail; and arrival/from airport experience.”
Passengers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Terminal 1Credit: Stephen Maturen/Getty
This year, the mega airport that came in first place was Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) in Minnesota, earning a score of 684 based on a 1,000-point scale. It has earned this title for the third consecutive year, per the release.
Second place went to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) in Michigan with a score of 663, followed by Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) in Arizona, which came in third with a score of 642.
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Per JD Power, airport sizes are defined by the number of travelers each destination gets per year. Thus, mega airports are those with 33 million passengers or more per year, while large airports are any hubs that see 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year. Lastly, medium airports are those that have 4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year.
The winner in the large airport category was Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida, which earned a score of 715, while South Carolina’s Charleston International Airport (CHS) came out on top for medium airports with a score of 712.
JD Power adds that there has been an increase in overall passenger satisfaction in North American airports “despite passenger volume continuing to run at or near the record levels set in 2025.” According to the company, this increase is a result of “dozens of major airport capital improvement projects finally reaching completion.”
Stock image of travelers with their suitcasesCredit: Getty
In order to collect the data for its 2026 study, JD Power examined 24,710 completed surveys from U.S. or Canadian residents who visited at least one Canadian or U.S. airport, with the study being fielded from July 2025 through July 2026. These surveys collected feedback from passengers who “evaluated either a departing or arriving airport from their round-trip experience,” per JD Power.
The full JD Power 2026 North America Airport Satisfaction Study is available on jdpower.com.
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Source: “AOL Breaking”
