Airport dread might finally be fading. J.D. Power's 2026 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, released this week, shows customer scores rising for the third year running — and a handful of US airports are setting the pace.
The survey, based on responses from 24,710 US and Canadian travellers who'd passed through a North American airport within the previous 30 days (fielded July 2025 to July 2026), scores airports out of 1,000 across three size brackets. Average scores climbed in every category: mega airports (33 million-plus passengers a year) gained 14 points year over year, large airports (10–32.9 million) rose 13 points, and medium airports (4.5–9.9 million) jumped 16.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International (MSP) took the mega crown for the third straight year with 684 points, ahead of Detroit Metropolitan (DTW, 663) and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX, 642). In the large category, Tampa International (TPA) led with 715, followed by Portland International (PDX, 708) and Dallas Love Field (DAL, 698). Charleston International (CHS) topped the medium bracket at 712, with Ontario International in California (ONT, 705) second and Indianapolis (IND, 695) third — notable because Indianapolis had won the category four years running.
The scores are calculated from seven factors: ease of getting through the airport, trust in the airport, terminal facilities, staff, food and retail, the flight experience itself, and ground transport to and from the terminal.
So what's driving the improvement? Money, mostly. J.D. Power says nearly every airport on the list has recently completed — or is wrapping up — a major capital improvement programme, from brand-new terminals to runway work that cuts delays. Michael Taylor, the firm's managing director of travel, hospitality and retail, noted that a decade of investment in smoother passenger flow and better dining is finally showing up in the numbers. Interestingly, the top performers balance local flavour with familiar national chains rather than going all-local; MSP's凭着 extensive dining overhaul and Tampa's people-moving design are textbook examples.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: where you have a choice of departure airport, the rankings are genuinely useful. Connecting through or flying from MSP, TPA, CHS or PDX tends to mean shorter walks, better food and fewer frustrations than the pack — and with mega hubs like New York JFK (a $19 billion rebuild underway) and Chicago O'Hare mid-transformation, the gap between good and grim terminals should keep widening.