This month, J.D. Power released its annual 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, ranking the mega airports across North America.
Mega airports are defined as those with 33 million or more passengers per year. The study measured overall passenger satisfaction by examining their experience across seven core dimensions in order of importance:
- Ease of travel through the airport
- Level of trust with the airport
- Terminal facilities
- Airport staff
- Departure/to airport experience
- Food, beverage and retail
- Arrival/from airport experience
The 2024 study is based on 26,290 completed surveys from U.S. or Canadian residents who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport and covers both departure and arrival experiences during the past 30 days. The study was fielded from August 2023 through July 2024 and airports were measured based on a 1,000-point scale of overall customer satisfaction.
Michael Taylor, Sr. Managing Director of Travel, Hospitality, Retail and Customer Service, tells CNBC Make It this year's study found that airports are swamped with travelers and that most airports have regained their passenger volumes from before the covid-19 pandemic.
"There seems to be no slack in demand and airports are, in general, doing a little bit of a better job of making people satisfied, mostly with food and beverage," he says.
No. 1 best mega airport: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International
Money Report
The Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport ranked No. 1 on the list, scoring 671 out of 1,000.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International is ideally located between the two major cities of Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
"One of the feelings people get about an airport that's positive is that it feels like a mall," Taylor says. "The Minneapolis Airport calls it an airport mall, so you go through the middle of it, and you have no idea you're in an airport. It just happens to be a mall that has planes parked outside."
The airport served more than 31 million travelers in 2022, making it the 19th busiest in North America in terms of the number of passengers served annually, according to MSP's website.
In 2023, the airport ranked as the world's most punctual, according to a report from the travel data analytics firm Cirium.
The top 10 'mega airports' in North America
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- Harry Reid International Airport
- San Francisco International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
- Boston Logan International Airport
The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport took the No. 2 spot this year with a score of 643 out of 1,000.
"It still hasn't recovered all of its passenger volume pre covid-19 levels, so it makes it an easier airport to navigate," Taylor says. "They've improved their food, beverage, and retail over the past couple of years, and that's done well for it."
Earlier this year, it was announced the airport would be adding new shops, restaurants and video game lounges for passengers to enjoy.
According to the FAA, the Detroit airport is the busiest in the state. It serves as a major hub for Delta Air Lines and Spirit Airlines.
Want to master your money this fall? Sign up for CNBC's new online course. We'll teach you practical strategies to hack your budget, reduce your debt, and grow your wealth. Start today to feel more confident and successful. Use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off, now extended through September 30, 2024, for the back-to-school season.
Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.
