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New York LaGuardia Is North America’s Least Favorite Airport

  • Skift Take
    North America’s airports will never match some of the best in Europe or Asia, where nations are more likely to invest in infrastructure. But airports in North America are slowly improving, and that’s good news for passengers.

    America’s most-hated big-city airport is New York LaGuardia — and it’s not even close.

    That’s the verdict from J.D. Power, which on Thursday released its 2016 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Travelers hated LaGuardia even more this year than last.

    The reason? The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, is spending $8 billion to construct a new, modern facility. Travelers will begin to see benefits by 2018, though it will take at least four more years before the project is substantially completed. For now, though, LaGuardia is not a pleasant experience for anyone. Travelers are not just complaining about the usual issues — like overcrowded terminals and underwhelming concessions — but they also gripe about construction-related woes.

    The top four larger airports on J.D. Power’s remain the same as in 2015, with travelers preferring Portland, Oregon, Tampa, Las Vegas, and Orlando. But the fifth airport, Miami International, made a major jump, up from 18th last year. It’s not fully clear why Miami jumped so many spots, but J.D. Power credited Miami for improving its concessions.

    The J.D. Power study, now in its 11th year, asked travelers for their opinions on six factors, including terminal facilities, security screening, baggage claim, food and retail. The company conducted its survey from January-October and received 36,465 usable responses.

    While travelers are losing patience with LaGuardia, and nearby Newark Liberty International, which finished second-to-last, they are being increasing satisfied by U.S. airports, according to the study.

    J.D. Power ranks airports on a 1,000 point scale, and this year’s average of 731 was a six-point increase from 2015. Travelers seem most happy about improved food, beverage, and shopping options at airports, according to the study.

    The survey also ranked medium-sized airports. In the medium category, travelers preferred Indianapolis, Buffalo, and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, while they disliked airports in Maui, Hartford, and Cleveland.

    Here is the full list.

    Large Airports Score
    Portland (Ore.) International Airport 786
    Tampa International Airport 775
    Las Vegas McCarran Airport 759
    Orlando International Airport 751
    Miami International Airport 750
    San Diego International Airport 748
    Salt Lake City International Airport 747
    Toronto Pearson Airport 745
    Washington Reagan National Airport 742
    Chicago Midway Airport 741
    Denver International Airport 738
    Charlotte Douglas Airport 738
    Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 737
    Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport 735
    Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport 734
    Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 734
    Baltimore Washington International Airport 734
    Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 733
    Honolulu International Airport 727
    Washington Dulles Airport 726
    San Francisco International Airport 725
    Large Airport Average 724
    Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 721
    Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport 720
    John F. Kennedy International Airport 713
    Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport 709
    Los Angeles International Airport 702
    Chicago O’Hare Airport 689
    Boston Logan Airport 689
    Philadelphia International Airport 688
    Newark Liberty International Airport 669
    New York LaGuardia Airport 649
    Medium Airports Score
    Indianapolis International Airport 794
    Buffalo Niagara International Airport 791
    Fort Myers/Southwest Florida International Airport 790
    Jacksonville International Airport 789
    Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport 783
    Ontario International Airport Airport 781
    Palm Beach International Airport Airport 780
    Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport 779
    Raleigh-Durham International Airport 779
    Eppley Airfield Airport 779
    Nashville International Airport 777
    Albuquerque International Sunport 777
    Vancouver International Airport 776
    Dallas Love Field Airport 775
    Pittsburgh International Airport 772
    Milwaukee – General Mitchell International Airport 772
    San Antonio International Airport 767
    Sacramento International Airport 767
    John Wayne Orange County Airport 765
    Hollywood Burbank Airport 764
    San Jose International Airport 761
    Austin-Bergstrom International Airport 761
    Medium Airport Average 760
    Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport 757
    John Glenn Columbus International Airport 756
    Calgary International Airport 756
    Kansas City International Airport 744
    Houston Hobby Airport 737
    Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 730
    Lambert-St. Louis Airport 728
    Oakland International Airport 726
    Kahului Airport 724
    Bradley International Hartford/Springfield Airport 724
    Cleveland Hopkins Airport 704
    Photo Credit: During snow storms, like this one in 2014, travelers have few places to wait comfortably at New York LaGuardia. Zoran Milich / Reuters
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