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These are North America’s greatest airports, in response to J.D. Energy’s 2024 rankings


It’s been a busy and expensive year for travel, with record-breaking crowds and rising prices across the board. But according to a new report from J.D. Power, that hasn’t stopped travelers from enjoying the journey — especially if they’re traveling through some of the country’s best airports.

This year, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California, and Indianapolis International Airport (IND) ranked at the top of their respective categories in the market research firm’s 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

In the “mega” airport category — which J.D. Power defines as airports with 33 million or more passengers per year — MSP took the top spot with a score of 671 on a 1,000-point scale.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) was the runner-up in the mega category with 643 points, while Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) came in third with 633 points.

At the other end of the spectrum in the mega list, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) finished in last place for the third year in a row, with a score of 552.

The “large” airport category, which includes airports that see 10 million to 32.9 million passengers each year, was led by SNA, with Tampa International Airport (TPA) coming in second, followed by Kansas City International Airport (MCI) in third.

IND was the top-rated “medium” airport, which J.D. Power defines as those with 4.5 million to 9.9 million passengers annually.

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J.D. Power’s methodoly determines a scoring system out of a possible total of 1,000 points. The scores are based on surveys from 26,290 U.S. and Canadian travelers completed between August 2023 and July 2024, with questions across seven key factors: ease of travel through the airport, level of trust with the airport, terminal facilities, airport staff, experience departing from the airport on the ground, food and retail experience, and the experience arriving at or traveling to the airport.

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Even with various headaches this year, J.D. Power found that airports had generally fared well despite the record crowds; 60% of passengers surveyed said that they had positive experiences at the airport and enjoyed spending time there, while another 59% said that the airport had helped “alleviate the stress of travel.”

Notably, however, passengers are spending less money, on average, in the terminals, suggesting that rising prices are taking a toll even as more people spend on vacations.

“Huge air travel demand has not slowed down in North America, despite the steadily rising costs of flights, ground travel, hotel rooms and pretty much anything you can buy in an airport,” said Michael Taylor, J.D. Power’s managing director of travel, hospitality and retail. “Most travelers are still enjoying the experience. However, we are starting to see a breaking point in consumer spending, with average spend per person in the terminal declining significantly from a year ago.”

Here is the full list of airport ratings, divided into J.D. Power’s mega, large and medium categories:

Mega Airports

1. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport – 671

2. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport – 643

3. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – 633

4. John F. Kennedy International Airport – 628

5. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – 623

6. Harry Reid International Airport – 611 (tie)

6. San Francisco International Airport – 611 (tie)

8. Orlando International Airport – 596

Segment average: 595

9. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport – 593

10. Boston Logan International Airport – 591 (tie)

10. Miami International Airport – 591 (tie)

12. Denver International Airport – 588 (tie)

12. Los Angeles International Airport – 588 (tie)

14. George Bush Intercontinental Airport – 586

15. Charlotte Douglas International Airport – 585

16. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport – 575

17. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – 574

18. O’Hare International Airport – 569

19. Toronto Pearson International Airport – 559

20. Newark Liberty International Airport – 552

Large Airports

1. John Wayne Airport, Orange County – 687

2. Tampa International Airport – 685

3. Kansas City International Airport – 683

4. Dallas Love Field – 675

5. Nashville International Airport – 668

6. William P. Hobby Airport – 667

7. Sacramento International Airport – 663

8. Portland International Airport – 659 (tie)

8. Salt Lake City International Airport – 659 (tie)

10. San Jose International Airport – 655

11. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport – 650

12. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport – 647

13. Raleigh-Durham International Airport – 644

14. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport – 641

15. Vancouver International Airport – 634

16. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport – 633

17. LaGuardia Airport – 631

Segment average: 629

18. San Antonio International Airport – 614

19. Oakland International Airport – 612

20. Washington Dulles International Airport – 611

21. San Diego International Airport – 610

22. Calgary International Airport – 599

23. Chicago Midway International Airport – 598

24. Honolulu International Airport – 593

25. St. Louis Lambert International Airport – 583

26. Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport – 576

27. Philadelphia International Airport – 541

Medium Airports

1. Indianapolis International Airport – 687

2. Jacksonville International Airport – 686

3. Southwest Florida International Airport – 675

4. Ontario International Airport – 672

5. Buffalo Niagara International Airport – 670

6. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport – 669 (tie)

6. Palm Beach International Airport – 669 (tie)

8. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport – 668

9. John Glenn Columbus International Airport – 658

10. Bradley International Airport – 654

11. Eppley Airfield – 653

12. Albuquerque International Sunport – 646

Segment average: 646

13. Hollywood Burbank Airport – 626

14. Pittsburgh International Airport – 625

15. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport – 580

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