This story was originally published in 2018 and most recently updated on September 17, 2026, with current information.
The United States was the world’s biggest air passenger market in 2025, reports the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with a cool 890.1 million passengers recorded last year. More people than ever are flying in and out of U.S. airports, so what does that mean for the air travel experience? According to a study released on September 16, 2026, by consumer insights, data, and analytics firm J.D. Power, overall air passenger satisfaction remains high despite soaring traveler numbers. That is thanks largely to improvements in the food scene at airports—mostly driven by bringing in more local culinary talent—and increased ease in navigating the airport.
The survey of 24,710 travelers from the United States and Canada conducted from July 2025 through July 2026 found that “for the better part of the last decade, nearly every airport has undertaken a significant capital improvement project aimed at streamlining passenger flow, adding attractive food and beverage options and improving overall passenger experience,” according to a statement from Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality, and retail at J.D. Power.
Taylor added that passengers are also benefiting from massive airport improvement projects that have finally come to fruition.
For the 2026 study, airports were judged based on several factors: how easy it is to travel through the airport; the level of trust travelers have in the airport; terminal facilities; airport staff; what the airport departure experience is like; food, beverage, and retail offerings; and what the arrival experience is like.
Based on those key determinants, one airport came out on top for the third year running: Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP), which received a score of 684 on a 1,000-point scale. The Twin Cities excels not only in international travel, but also in happiness, as Minneapolis was recognized as among the 10 happiest cities in the United States last year.
More than 36 million passengers traveled through MSP in 2025, and the airport has several new transatlantic routes, among them nonstop service to Rome and Copenhagen with Delta, to Amsterdam with KLM, and a forthcoming direct flight to Maui, which Delta will start in December 2026. A new round of construction in the airport’s $305 million upgrade is under way, expanding Terminal G’s 10 arrival gates to 13, while an additional $501 million plan includes improvements to parking, roadways, and ground service equipment.
So, what other airports are travelers impressed with? The top-performing airports from the J.D. Power ranking all focus on design details, stores, and restaurants that showcase the surrounding region.
Here’s the full list of the best airports in North America, based on the J.D. Power 2026 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Airports were divided into three size categories: mega, large, and medium. Mega airports are defined as those handling 33 million or more passengers annually; large airports handle 10 million to 32.9 million passengers annually; and medium airports handle between 4.5 million and 9.9 million passengers each year.
The best mega airports in North America
- Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (684 points)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (663 points)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (642 points)
- LaGuardia Airport (638 points)
- Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (634 points)
- San Francisco International Airport (630 points)
- Miami International Airport (628 points)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (626 points)
- Boston Logan International Airport (622 points)
- Orlando International Airport (621 points)
At the bottom of the J.D. Power list for mega airports are Denver International Airport (602 points), Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey (585), and O’Hare International Airport in Chicago (585 points).
The best large airports in North America
- Tampa International Airport (715 points)
- Portland International Airport (708 points)
- Dallas Love Field (698 points)
- Kansas City International Airport (692 points)
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport (685 points)
- Nashville International Airport (683 points)
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (682 points)
- Southwest Florida International Airport (680 points)
- John Wayne Airport, Orange County (677 points)
- Sacramento International Airport (672 points)
The lowest-ranked large airports on the J.D. Power list are St. Louis Lambert International Airport (605 points), Honolulu International Airport (604 points), and Philadelphia International Airport (596 points).
The best medium airports in North America
- Charleston International Airport (712 points)
- Ontario International Airport (705 points)
- Indianapolis International Airport (695 points)
- Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (694 points)
- Hollywood Burbank Airport (688 points)
- Palm Beach International Airport (682 points)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (675 points)
- Pittsburgh International Airport (672 points)
- Albuquerque International Sunport tied with Jacksonville International Airport (both 671 points)
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport (666 points)
