Study Finds Travelers More Satisfied at U.S. Airports This Year

What was your airport experience like the last time you flew? If you’re like most travelers in North America, you might have been pleasantly surprised to find your closest major airport offered a better experience than you remembered.

According to the recently released J.D. Power 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, airport satisfaction across North America is rising. The reason? The study cited improvements airports have made in three key areas: baggage handling; terminal facilities; and food, beverage and retail offerings.

“It has not been an easy year for North American airports, but major capital improvements they’ve made over the last several years and new investments in getting food, beverage and retail operations back up and running at full capacity have helped them manage the crush of passengers,” said Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail, J.D. Power.

The study also pointed out, for those airports on the fence about investing in terminal facilities or food and retail offerings, it’s been shown satisfied travelers spend more at the airport — an average of $44 in the terminal versus $29 for those unsatisfied with their airport experience.

So which airports ranked highest according to the study? Among “mega” airports, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport came out on top as the airport with the most satisfied passengers, with Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport coming second, followed by Harry Reid International Airport. Among “large” airports, Tampa International Airport ranked highest. Among “medium” airports, Indianapolis International Airport took the top spot.