The Best Airports In America In 2023, According To J.D. Power

Between record-high passenger volumes, a pilot shortage and weather-related disruptions, it’s been a rough year for air travel. So what does that mean for the airport experience?

J.D. Power—which also ranks airports, car rental companies, hotels and more—has just released its 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, the 18th annual ranking of the best airports in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The rankings are based on six factors including terminal facilities, airport arrival/departure, baggage claim, security check, check-in/baggage check and food/beverage/retail. Each airport is rated on a 1,000-point scale.

The study also looks at the state of passenger satisfaction. Despite all the headline-making challenges in air travel in 2023, there’s been a surprising twist: Overall passenger satisfaction has actually improved.

What has made the difference? “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, the managing director of Travel, Hospitality, and Retail at J.D. Power, said in a statement.

When it comes to ranking the airports, the study breaks the list into three areas: Mega Airports (which handle more than 33 million passengers a year), Large Airports (10 to 32.9 million passengers) and Medium Airports (4.5 to 9.9 million passengers).

This year, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport ranks highest among Mega Airports with a score of 800. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (796) comes in second and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (787) ranks third. Compare these results to the 2022 ranking when Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport was in first place.

For Large Airports in 2023, Tampa International Airport ranks highest for the second year in a row, with a score of 832. John Wayne Airport in Orange County (829) ranks second and Salt Lake City International Airport (825) ranks third.

In the Medium Airports category, Indianapolis International Airport ranks tops for the second year in a row, with a score of 843. Southwest Florida International Airport (839) ranks second and Ontario International Airport (834) ranks third.

Read on to see the lists of the best airports in America; you can also get more details on J.D. Power’s survey here.

Airports Ranked in America: Mega

Here is J.D. Power’s list of Mega airports—from best to worst. Mega airports are defined as those with 33 million or more passengers per year.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (800/1,000)
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (796/1,000)
Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (787/1,000)
Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport (783/1,000)
Miami International Airport (783/1,000)
San Francisco International Airport (781/1,000)
Denver International Airport (777/1,000)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (777/1,000)
Orlando International Airport (777/1,000)
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (776/1,000)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (773/1,000)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (772/1,000)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (769/1,000)
Los Angeles International Airport (765/1,000)
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (763/1,000)
Boston Logan International Airport (762/1,000)
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (762/1,000)
Seattle Tacoma International Airport (754/1,000)
Toronto Pearson International Airport (749/1,000)
Newark Liberty International Airport (732/1,000)

Airports Ranked in America: Large

J.D. Power’s list of Large airports considers facilities that have 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year. Here are the 2023 results, ranked from best to worst.

Tampa International Airport (832/1,000)
John Wayne Airport, Orange County (829/1,000)
Salt Lake City International Airport (825/1,000)
Dallas Love Field (820/1,000)
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (813/1,000)
Sacramento International Airport (806/1,000)
William P. Hobby Airport Louis (806/1,000)
Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (804/1,000)
San Antonio International Airport (802/1,000)
Calgary International Airport (801/1,000)
Nashville International Airport (799/1,000)
Portland International Airport (797/1,000)
Kansas City International Airport (788/1,000)
LaGuardia Airport (788/1,000)
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (787/1,000)
Vancouver International Airport (787/1,000)
Washington Dulles International Airport (784/1,000)
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (783/1,000)
Chicago Midway International Airport (780/1,000)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (779/1,000)
San Jose International Airport (776/1,000)
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (775/1,000)
San Diego International Airport (772/1,000)
Oakland International Airport (768/1,000)
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (759/1,000)
Honolulu International Airport (753/1,000)
Philadelphia International Airport (750/1,000)

Airports Ranked in America: Medium

J.D. Power’s list of Medium airports includes operations that handle 4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year. This list ranks Medium airports from best to worst.