Detroit, Tampa and Indianapolis are the best U.S. airports, according to J.D. Power 2023 rankings

What do Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Indianapolis International Airport (IND) all have in not unusual?

Each of those airports gained the very best score in its respective class for buyer delight, according to a find out about from marketplace analysis company J.D. Power that was once launched Wednesday.

In the “mega” class — outlined as airports with a minimum of 33 million passengers a 12 months — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) earned the very best ranking of 800 on a 1,000-point scale. Last 12 months’s winner, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), got here in 2nd for the 2023 rankings, with a ranking of 796. Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) gained 787 issues, score 3rd on J.D. Power’s record.

Want extra airport-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s unfastened biweekly Aviation publication.

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) was once in final position once more, score sixteenth with a ranking of 732. The airport opened its brand-new Terminal A in January. Still, it kind of feels that no longer sufficient passengers skilled the multibillion-dollar renovations in time for the survey.

For the “large” airports class — airports that obtain any place from 10 to 32.9 million passengers a 12 months — Tampa International Airport (TPA) held the most sensible spot for a 2nd consecutive 12 months, incomes 832 issues. Orange County’s John Wayne Airport (SNA) in California and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) completed in 2nd (829 issues) and 3rd (825 issues) position, respectively.

LaGuardia Airport (LGA), which has passed through main terminal renovations in recent times, climbed up from final position in the “large” airport class in 2019 to 14th position, attaining the find out about’s section moderate of 788 issues.

Maximize your issues: The best airline credit playing cards of 2023

Like Tampa, Indianapolis International Airport (IND) additionally held onto first position in the “medium” airports class — airports that see 4.5 to 9.9 million passengers a 12 months — at 843 issues. It was once adopted through Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) close to Fort Myers in 2nd position (839 issues) and California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) in 3rd (834 issues).

J.D. Power derives the rankings from six components, so as of significance: terminal amenities, airport arrival and departure, luggage declare, safety verify, check-in and luggage check-in, and meals, beverage and retail choices.

While hiccups with flight cancellations and delays outlined a lot of go back and forth in 2022, issues in the end appear to be having a look up in 2023.

J.D. Power discovered that general passenger delight advanced this 12 months in spite of problems like the pilot scarcity and weather-related delays hindering go back and forth. In explicit, the find out about discovered that general passenger delight advanced through 3 issues on a 1,000-point scale, in large part pushed through enhancements in terminal amenities, luggage declare, and meals, beverage and retail services and products.

Stretch your legs: The international’s longest nonstop flights, up to date

“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, J.D. Power’s managing director of go back and forth, hospitality and retail, mentioned in a statement.

The marketplace analysis company additionally discovered a correlation between passenger delight and spending at the airport. Passengers who reported upper delight rankings most often spent a median of $44 at the airport, whilst those that reported decrease rankings spent a median of $29. Passenger spending in airports rose through $3.47 in 2023.

Despite the enhancements, J.D. Power cautioned that crowding may nonetheless be a subject for airports in the long run. Many airports have skilled problems with crowded terminals and lounges. According to J.D. Power, 60% of surveyed passengers mentioned they skilled critical or average overcrowding at an airport terminal, marking an build up of 2 share issues from 2022.

Here is the complete record of airport scores, divided into J.D. Power’s mega, massive and medium classes:

Mega airports

1. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) — 800

2. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) — 796

3. Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) — 787

4. (tie) Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) — 783

4. (tie) Miami International Airport (MIA) — 783

5. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) — 781

6. (tie) Denver International Airport (DEN) — 777

6. (tie) Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) — 777

6. (tie) Orlando International Airport (MCO) — 777

7. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) — 773

8. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) — 772

Segment moderate: 772

9. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) — 769

10. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) —765

11. O’Hare International Airport (ORD) — 763

13. (tie) Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) — 762

13. (tie) Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) — 762

14. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) — 754

15. Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) — 749

16. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) — 732

Large airports

1. Tampa International Airport (TPA) — 832

2. John Wayne Airport (SNA) — 829

3. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) — 825

4. Dallas Love Field (DAL) — 820

5. Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) — 813

6. (tie) Sacramento International Airport (SMF) — 806

6. (tie) William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) — 806

7. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) — 804

8. San Antonio International Airport (SAT) — 802

9. Calgary International Airport (YYC) — 801

10. Nashville International Airport (BNA) — 799

11. Portland International Airport (PDX) — 797

Segment moderate: 789

12. (tie) Kansas City International Airport (MCI) — 788

12. (tie) LaGuardia Airport (LGA) — 788

13. (tie) Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) — 787

13. (tie) Vancouver International Airport (YVR) — 787

14. Dulles International Airport (IAD) — 784

15. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) — 783

16. Midway International Airport (MDW) — 780

17. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) — 779

18. Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) — 776

19. St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) — 775

20. San Diego International Airport (SAN) — 772

21. Oakland International Airport (OAK) — 768

22. Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) — 759

23. Daniel Okay. Inouye International Airport (HNL) — 753

24. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) — 750

Medium airports

1. Indianapolis International Airport (IND) — 843

2. Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) — 839

3. Ontario International Airport (ONT) — 834

4. Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) — 828

5. Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) — 827

6. Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) — 821

7. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) — 817

8. Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) — 813

9. (tie) Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) — 811

9. (tie) Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) — 811

Segment moderate: 809

10. John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) — 807

11. Eppley Airfield (OMA) — 804

12. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) — 794

13. Bradley International Airport (BDL) — 789

14. Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) — 772

15. Kahului Airport (OGG) — 771