Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport ranks highest among mega airports in North America

In a recent study conducted by J.D. Power, passenger experiences across North America’s airports were evaluated, showcasing the satisfaction levels and rankings of various airports. The analysis particularly highlighted Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport in Minnesota, which emerged as the top-rated mega airport for the second consecutive year with a score of 660 points. This category includes airports handling over 33 million annual passengers. The study reported a significant 10-point increase in overall passenger satisfaction from the previous year, driven primarily by enhancements in food, beverage, and retail offerings, alongside the ease of travel through these facilities. Furthermore, John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, highlighted as the best large airport, scored 730 points, maintaining its top position for the second year in a row. This category encompasses airports serving between 10 and 32.9 million passengers annually. Other noteworthy mentions include Calgary International Airport and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport in Canada, which received scores of 610 and 571, respectively, landing them within the top ranks for large airports. The medium airport segment revealed that Indianapolis International Airport in Indiana held onto its top ranking for the fourth consecutive year with a satisfaction score of 713. The methodology of the study involved measuring passenger experiences across seven dimensions, including ease of travel, terminal facilities, airport staff performance, and the quality of food, beverage, and retail services available. As a result of various construction projects that concluded in 2024, airports saw significant improvement in their facilities and overall passenger satisfaction. Many other projects are expected to continue rolling out over the next couple of decades, indicating a long-term commitment to enhancing customer experiences. Interestingly, despite improvements, passengers at mega airports reported a higher likelihood of longer wait times in security checks. Specifically, 23 percent of passengers at mega airports experienced wait times of 21 minutes or more, in comparison to 56 percent at medium airports and 50 percent at large airports who cleared security within 10 minutes or less. This variance in security wait times emphasizes the challenges faced by larger airports in managing passenger flow despite enhancements made across various sectors within the airports themselves.