These are the top 3 airports in North America — and the worst

It might be time to book a trip.

J.D. Power revealed its rankings for the best and worst North American airports and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport was named the best in the mega airport category.

The rankings took the size of hubs into account and Tampa International Airport ranked the highest in the large airport segment. In the class of medium airports, Indianapolis International Airport flew high at number one.

John F. Kennedy International Airport came in at number 11 in the mega category, while Newark Liberty International Airport was named the worst, ranking last in the same category.

Last year, New York’s LaGuardia Airport ranked dead last, but thanks to improvements in terminal facilities, J.D. Power’s study ranked it number 15 in the large airport segment.

Along with Newark, the other worst airports in America were Philadelphia International Airport in the large segment and Kahului Airport on the Hawaiian island of Maui in the medium category.

The 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study took into account six factors to determine the rankings: terminal facilities, arrivals and departures, baggage claim, security check, check-in and baggage check, and shopping for food, beverage and retail.

Conducted from August 2022 through July 2023, the study collected surveys from 27,147 U.S. or Canadian residents flying through American airports.

The data was collected during a time of chaos at U.S. airports, as the travel industry struggled with a pilot shortage, which led to canceled and delayed flights across the country, not to mention “record high passenger volumes” and “countless weather delays and cancellations.” The findings were collected before the deadly Maui wildfires.

In July, transportation experts said the influx of flight delays and cancellations could persist for over a decade due to ongoing staffing issues.

However, J.D. Powers said that “despite record passenger volume, crowded terminals and a barrage of delays and cancellations,” the survey found that “overall customer satisfaction” with airports in North America actually increased three points, taking into account terminal facilities, food and beverage and retail service and baggage claim.

“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,” Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. Power, said in a statement.

Taylor said that “airports are doing a good job coping with the current issues” but admitted there is “more they could do to improve passenger experience.”

Plus, as Taylor noted, “happy passengers spend a lot more money at the airport.” The study found that those who ranked an airport a perfect 10 score spent $44 on average, compared to those who were disappointed with their hub and spent $29.

However, the results from J.D. Power’s survey differ from Travel and Leisure Magazine, which polled readers for their preferred airports last month. The publication ranked Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire as number one.

Mega airports (33 million or more passengers per year)

1. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
2. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
3. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas
4. Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport
5. Miami International Airport
6. San Francisco International Airport
7. Denver International Airport
8. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
9. Orlando International Airport
10. George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston
11. John F. Kennedy International Airport
12. Charlotte Douglas International Airport
13. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
14. Los Angeles International Airport
15. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport
16. Boston Logan International Airport
17. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
18. Seattle Tacoma International Airport
19. Toronto Pearson International Airport
20. Newark Liberty International Airport

Large airports (10 to 32.9 million passengers per year)

1. Tampa International Airport
2. John Wayne Airport, Orange County
3. Salt Lake City International Airport
4. Dallas Love Field
5. Raleigh-Durham International Airport
6. Sacramento International Airport
7. William P. Hobby Airport Louis
8. Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
9. San Antonio International Airport
10. Calgary International Airport
11. Nashville International Airport
12. Portland International Airport
13. Kansas City International Airport
14. LaGuardia Airport
15. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
16. Vancouver International Airport
17. Washington Dulles International Airport
18. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
19. Chicago Midway International Airport
20. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
21. San Jose International Airport
22. St. Louis Lambert International Airport
23. San Diego International Airport
24. Oakland International Airport
25. Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
26. Honolulu International Airport
27. Philadelphia International Airport

Medium airports (4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year)

1. Indianapolis International Airport
2. Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers
3. Ontario International Airport in California
4. Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport
5. Albuquerque International Sunport
6. Jacksonville International Airport
7. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
8. Buffalo Niagara International Airport
9. General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
10. Pittsburgh International Airport
11. Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio
12. Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska
13. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
14. Bradley International Airport in Connecticut
15. Hollywood Burbank Airport in California
16. Kahului Airport in Hawaii