The surveys, which measured factors like terminal facilities, airport arrival and departure, baggage claim, food, beverage, and retail, were conducted from August 2021 to July. Airports were rated on a 1,000-point scale.
J.D. Power told Insider in an email that the study reported scores for 65 of the busiest 66 airports in 2019, according to data from the Airports Council International.
The firm conducted surveys across three categories: Mega airports, large airports, and medium airports. J.D. Power defined mega airports as serving at least 33 million passengers annually.
As Insider’s Samantha Delouya reported, among the 20 mega airports included in the ranking, Minnesota’s Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, or MSP, took the top spot, scoring 800 out of 1,000 points.
While MSP shone brightly, nine US airports and one Canadian airport landed at the bottom of the list. Take a look at 10 of the worst airports in North America, according to J.D. Power’s surveys. Entrants are arranged in descending order according to their overall points.
Overall points: 765/1,000
Phoenix Sky Harbor, or PHX, is Arizona’s largest airport, serving almost 39 million passengers in 2021, per the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA.
PHX has a three-star rating on UK airline consultancy firm Skytrax, and an average score of three out 10 from 109 reviews on the site’s passenger reviews. It has a significantly better score on Google Reviews, with a 4.2-star rating from over 20,000 reviews.
One passenger who traveled through the airport in June wrote on Skytrax that PHX was “crowded, chaotic, and hectic.” Another passenger who flew from the airport in April said she had the “worst experience” at the airport as staff members were inconsiderate and unhelpful.
Overall Points: 764/1,000
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, or FLL, serves the Miami metropolitan area. Over 36 million passengers traveled through the airport in 2019, per a report by the Broward County Aviation Department.
The airport has a three-star rating on Skytrax, and a two out of 10 score from 172 reviews on the site’s passenger ratings. But the airport fares better on Google Reviews, with an average rating of 4.1 stars from over 21,000 reviews.
One passenger who flew into the airport in June wrote on Skytrax that she spent three hours in immigration and missed her connecting flight. Another passenger who traveled through the airport in April said the gate area was “very dirty.”
Overall points: 764/1,000
Seattle-Tacoma, or SEA, is the primary airport in the Seattle metropolitan area. The airport served over 36 million passengers in 2021, per the FAA.
The airport was first rated four-stars by Skytrax in January. It has a 4.1 star rating on Google Reviews with over 21,000 reviews.
But on Skytrax’s customer reviews, the airport’s average score plummets to three out of 10 over 196 reviews.
One passenger who traveled through the airport in September wrote on Skytrax that the airport was “disorganized,” and there were very few TSA lines for thousands of passengers. Another passenger who flew to the airport in August described it as “filthy” and said facilities like bathrooms looked like they were not cleaned.
Overall points: 759/1,000
Denver was the third-busiest airport in the world in 2021, serving almost 59 million passengers, per Airports Council International.
Denver has a three-star rating on Skytrax, and an average score of three out of 10 over more than 170 reviews on the site’s passenger ratings. But the airport has a higher score on Google Reviews, with 4.1 star rating over more than 32,000 reviews.
One passenger who traveled through the airport in September complained on Skytrax that security was the worst he had experienced. Another passenger who flew from the airport in August said security was “disorganized.”
Overall points: 758/1,000
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, or IAH, is the busiest airport in Texas, with over 33 million passengers served in 2021, according to data from the FAA.
The airport has four stars on Skytrax and an average of two out of 10 on the site’s customer reviews from over 270 reviews. The airport fares better on Google Reviews, scoring 4.2 stars from almost 24,000 reviews.
One passenger who flew in from New Zealand in August wrote on Skytrax that going through customs was “hellish,” and there were inadequate food and beverage options. Another passenger who traveled through the airport in June complained that TSA and immigration staff were rude.
Overall points: 755/1,000
Toronto Pearson, or YYZ, is the busiest airport in Canada, serving an average of over 47 million passengers every year, according to its official website.
The airport is rated four stars by Skytrax. Passengers rate the airport three out of 10, according to over 570 reviews. It has a 3.7 star rating on Google Reviews over 22,600 reviews.
One passenger who traveled through the airport in September wrote on Skytrax that it “offers only the bare minimum.” Another passenger said the airport had “filthy floors with dirt and debris,” and food and beverage outlets were short-staffed.
Overall points: 754/1,000
Boston Logan, or BOS, is the largest airport in New England. It served around 42 million people in 2019.
The airport has a three-star rating on Skytrax. BOS fares better on Google Reviews, with a 4.1 star rating over 13,600 reviews.
One US passenger who flew from BOS in August complained on Skytrax that the airport had “awful” transit and was “overcrowded.” Another passenger who traveled through the airport in June said it took over an over for her to reclaim her luggage.
Overall points: 753/1,000
Los Angeles, or LAX, was the second-busiest airport in the US, and fourth-busiest in the world in 2019, per the Los Angeles World Airports’ official site. The airport handled over 88 million passengers that year.
LAX is rated a three-star airport, according to Skytrax. Passengers scored the airport three out of 10 over more than 410 reviews on Skytrax’s customer rating site. The airport’s average score on Google Reviews is much higher — 3.9 stars over 36,000 reviews.
One passenger who traveled through the airport’s domestic terminal in April said the motorized walkways and escalators were not in working condition. Another passenger flying in from Canada in December 2021 said his experience at the airport felt “claustrophobic,” as it was crowded without much available seating.
Overall points: 751/1,000
O’Hare, or ORD, was the world’s fourth-busiest airport in 2021, serving over 54 million passengers, according to the Airports Council Airport.
ORD has a three-star rating on Skytrax. The airport has an average score of three out of 10 from over 306 passenger reviews on the site. Its score on Google Reviews fare better, with an average score of four stars over 31,000 reviews.
One passenger who flew in from the UK in September wrote on Skytrax that he had an “awful” experience at the airport because of the long security lines. Another passenger who had a connecting flight at the airport in August said it was the “worst airport” he had visited as he almost missed his flight after spending three hours waiting in line at customs.
Overall points: 719/1,000
Newark Liberty, or EWR, is one of the main airports in the New York metropolitan area. The airport served more than 46 million passengers in 2019.
EWR is a three-star airport, per Skytrax. Passengers scored the airport an average of two out of 10 on Skytrax’s customer review site. On Google Reviews, it has a rating of 3.7 stars from almost 26,000 reviews.
One passenger who flew through the airport in June wrote on Skytrax that “seating areas were filthy,” and there weren’t enough signage to guide passengers. Another passenger who traveled through the airport in May said there were very few food, beverage, and retail options at the airport.
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