This Midwest airport was named America’s best, according to flyers

Minneapolis-Saint Paul Tops Airport Satisfaction Rankings for 2026

Cybersecarmor.com – Travelers gave Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport the strongest marks among North America’s busiest airports in the 2026 JD Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study. The Minnesota hub led the mega-airport category, a group reserved for facilities handling at least 33 million passengers each year.

The results point to improving passenger sentiment across airports of every size, even as terminals continue to manage substantial crowds. On JD Power’s 1,000-point scale, satisfaction at mega airports rose 14 points. Large airports gained 13 points, while medium-sized airports posted the largest improvement, increasing by 16 points.

For passengers, the findings offer a useful reminder that an airport experience extends beyond getting through security or reaching a gate on time. Terminal layouts, dining choices, amenities, signage, comfort and the ease of moving through a facility can all shape how a trip begins or ends.

Minnesota Hub Leads Mega Airports

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, commonly known as MSP, claimed first place among mega airports. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport ranked second, followed by Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in third.

New York’s LaGuardia Airport took the fourth position in the category. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas completed the top five.

Mega airports face a distinctive challenge: they must serve enormous volumes of people while keeping the journey through the terminal understandable and manageable. A favorable ranking in this group reflects the experience of passengers navigating one of the most complex types of travel facilities.

Tampa Leads the Large-Airport Category

Airports serving from 10 million to 32.9 million annual passengers were classified as large airports in the study. Tampa International Airport earned the top spot in that segment.

Portland International Airport placed second, and Dallas Love Field followed in third. Kansas City International Airport came in fourth, while Raleigh-Durham International Airport ranked fifth.

Large airports often serve a mix of leisure and business travelers, with passenger expectations shaped by everything from check-in and security procedures to gate seating, food options and terminal conditions. The category’s overall gain suggests that improvement projects are becoming more visible to people using these facilities.

Charleston Receives Top Marks Among Medium Airports

Charleston International Airport led the medium-airport rankings. This category includes airports handling between 4.5 million and 9.9 million passengers per year.

Ontario International Airport in California secured second place, followed by Indianapolis International Airport in third. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport ranked fourth, and Hollywood Burbank Airport finished fifth.

Medium-sized airports can offer a different type of travel experience from the country’s largest hubs, but passengers still weigh many of the same practical details. Clear navigation, reliable services and pleasant terminal spaces matter whether a traveler is passing through a global gateway or a smaller regional facility.

Capital Projects Begin to Show Results

JD Power based its findings on nearly 25,000 surveys completed by residents of the United States and Canada. The research considered seven elements of the airport experience, including how easily people can move through the airport, the level of trust they feel there and the quality of terminal facilities.

Michael Taylor, JD Power’s managing director of travel, hospitality and retail, said the higher scores follow years of spending on airport upgrades.

“For the better part of the last decade, nearly every airport, from the largest international hubs to midsized airfields, has undertaken a significant capital improvement project aimed at streamlining passenger flow, adding attractive food and beverage options and improving overall passenger experience,” Michael Taylor said in a Sept. 16 news release. “On the whole, those efforts are finally starting to pay off in the form of higher overall passenger satisfaction scores.”

Airport modernization can affect travelers in immediate, everyday ways. Better circulation through a terminal may reduce uncertainty at busy moments, while more appealing food and beverage choices can make long waits feel less burdensome. Improvements do not eliminate the unpredictability of air travel, but they can make the airport portion of a journey more comfortable and easier to manage.

Taylor emphasized that small choices in airport design can have an outsized effect on passengers’ time in a terminal and on their spending there.

“When it comes to the individual experiences of passengers, every detail counts and the specific design and structural decisions airports make can have a significant influence on how passengers spend their time – and their money – in the terminal.”

The 2026 rankings show Minnesota, Florida and South Carolina airports standing out at the top of their respective groups, while the broader results suggest that long-running investments in terminals and passenger services are translating into stronger traveler satisfaction.