Long lines, delays and record passenger numbers may not scream “satisfaction,” but these remain frequent features of North American air travel, but new research reveals that flyers are increasingly pleased with the local airport experience.
The overall passenger satisfaction score has increased slightly since last year, according to a 2025 North American Airport Satisfaction Survey from data analyst JD Power. On the 1,000-point scale, the overall facility rose 10 points from 609 to 619.
The rise as a TSA revealed that over 10 million travelers were screened by US airport security over the recent Labor Day weekend, but the research team attributed it to “food, drinks, retail and ease of travelling through the airport.”
Airports are rated and ranked in three categories of surveys. This is a “mega” that handles over 33 million passengers a year. “Large scale,” sees 1,000-32.9 million people. “Medium” houses 45-9.9 million travelers.
The vast Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport in Minnesota was a mega-category satisfaction winner and held the position he achieved last year.
“MSP has excellent access, well thought out signs, friendly staff, excellent terminal facilities, excellent food, drinks and retail programs,” Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at JD Power, told CNN Travel. “What do you not like?”
In the larger category, John Wayne Airport in Orange County was the top. Taylor noted that many airports in this category have improved, with a score of 21 out of 27 being higher than the 2024 rating. reason? Taylor said numerous long-term airport improvement projects are finally paying off.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise given the ongoing efforts that many airports have made, but it’s still a huge change in the data,” he said.
Meanwhile, the “middle” rankings are top of the rankings at Indianapolis International Airport, which established its position last year.
The JD Power survey is now in its 20th year, and Taylor noted that while the basics of air travel have not actually changed, traveller priorities have a priority for today’s flyer, “one of the most important aspects of determining what makes a ‘good’ airport “good’ airport “good’ airports “great””.
Research shows that the airport, which employs local food trends and flavors and creates a “true sense of place,” is a huge hit with travelers, improving its overall satisfaction score by an average of 190 points.
An exciting food and drink selection is not enough to guarantee satisfaction. Other indicators include ease of travel through the airport, level of trust with the airport, terminal facilities, airport staff, retail stores, and experiences of departure and arrival. This year’s results are based on 30,439 traveler surveys collected between July 2024 and July 2025.
Although the survey suggests a satisfactory increase overall, some major airports have seen scores fall from last year. Minneapolis Saint Paul dropped 11 points to 660, but Hub is the top of the charts and the industry leader.
And while Newar Liberty International Airport, the last in Mega Airport rankings, maintained its bottom in 2024, its overall score improved, up 13 points to 565.
Taylor said Newark’s performance is “still hampered by a drop in access scores,” and “traffic around the airport really reduced the significant improvements to the airport itself.”
“There are still major construction targets at that airport,” Taylor adds, referring to the unfinished overhaul of Terminal B and the recovery of inter-terminal trains. “Like most airport projects, it takes years to complete.”
Taylor added that the overall increase in satisfaction scores shows that airport improvement projects, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars, make a huge difference for travelers, even if it takes them a while to bear fruit. He said the score will likely continue to improve.
“It’s going to take a while, but the industry is really moving in a positive direction.”
Top 5 scorers in the mega category for 2025, 1,000 points scale:
Minneapolis – Paralysis Paul International Airport (MSP)-660
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)-649
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)-634
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)-620
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – 619
The bottom 5 scorers of mega categories for 2025 (in descending order):
O’Hare International Airport (ORD)-586
Seattle Tacoma International Airport (Sea)-583
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)-567
Newer Liberty International Airport (EWR)-565
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)-581
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