O Hare, Seattle Tacoma, Charlotte Douglas, Newark, Toronto Pearson Continue to Lag in Mega Airport Rankings Amid Ongoing Construction, Traffic Congestion, and Limited Accessibility

O’Hare, Seattle–Tacoma, Charlotte Douglas, Newark, and Toronto Pearson continue to lag in mega airport rankings, struggling to meet passenger expectations despite ongoing upgrades. Travelers report persistent traffic congestion, incomplete construction projects, and limited accessibility as major challenges. While improvements to terminals, dining, and retail have been implemented, these airports still face operational bottlenecks that affect overall traveler satisfaction.

Air travel across North America still brings familiar headaches—long waits at security, late departures, and jam-packed terminals. Yet a new study suggests that travelers are becoming more satisfied with the airport experience, even as passenger volumes soar to historic levels.

The 2025 North America Airport Satisfaction Study reported that average satisfaction rose to 619 points on a 1,000-point scale, up 10 points from last year. This improvement was measured at the same time airports across the United States processed unprecedented numbers of flyers during the Labor Day weekend, when more than 10 million passengers were screened by security checkpoints.

The positive results are largely tied to upgraded dining, shopping, and terminal flow. For many travelers, airports are increasingly designed not only as transport hubs but also as spaces to eat, shop, and relax while waiting for flights.

Airport Rankings Across Categories

The annual study divides airports into three categories based on yearly passenger counts:

Mega airports – more than 33 million travelers each year
Large airports – 10 to 32.9 million travelers annually
Medium airports – 4.5 to 9.9 million travelers per year

In the mega airport group, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport continued to lead. Its score slipped slightly compared with last year, but it remained the top performer due to strong accessibility, organized layouts, quality facilities, and a wide variety of restaurants and retail outlets.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport ranked second, followed by Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in third. John F. Kennedy International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport secured fourth and fifth place, respectively.

At the bottom of the mega category, Newark Liberty International Airport remained last despite a 13-point boost in its score. Ongoing road congestion, unfinished infrastructure work, and limited accessibility continue to challenge its performance.

Standouts Among Large and Medium Airports

The large airport category saw John Wayne Airport in Orange County take first place. Many airports of this size recorded higher scores than last year, reflecting the benefits of construction projects that have modernized terminals and improved passenger services.

Within the medium airport group, Indianapolis International Airport once again secured the top spot. Its consistent focus on convenience, user-friendly facilities, and smooth operations has kept it a traveler favorite for consecutive years.

Evolving Traveler Expectations

Celebrating its 20th year, the survey highlights how the definition of a “satisfying airport” has evolved. In the past, travelers focused mainly on speed, reliability, and staff service. Today, dining and retail choices play a decisive role in shaping overall impressions.

Airports that showcase local cuisine and cultural flavors consistently achieve higher scores. By offering travelers a taste of the region, airports create a stronger sense of place, which can raise satisfaction levels by nearly 200 points.

The study drew on feedback from 30,439 passenger surveys conducted between July 2024 and July 2025. Metrics included facility quality, retail and food experiences, staff performance, terminal navigation, and both departure and arrival processes.

Major Investments Reshape the Passenger Experience

While some leading airports reported small score declines, the broader picture is positive. Large-scale airport redevelopment programs across North America—worth hundreds of billions of dollars—are beginning to deliver clear benefits.

Though many upgrades are still in progress, improvements such as modern terminals, expanded food courts, and better navigation systems have already lifted passenger satisfaction. Analysts predict this upward trend will continue as more projects reach completion.

Airports that combine operational efficiency with comfortable facilities and a distinctive identity are now setting the pace for others in the region.

O’Hare, Seattle–Tacoma, Charlotte Douglas, Newark, and Toronto Pearson remain at the bottom of mega airport rankings due to traffic congestion, ongoing construction, and limited accessibility despite upgrades to terminals, dining, and retail.