Miami airport among best largest North American airports, JD Power survey says
Miami International Airport came in fourth place among the largest North American airports in pleasing passengers, according to J.D. Power’s 2023 airport customer satisfaction survey.
Miami tied for the fourth spot among 21 airports with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, improving from No. 9 in last year’s rankings even though Miami airport is handling heavier passenger traffic this year.
J.D. Power, the global consumer insight and advisory firm, divided the airports into three categories — mega, large, and medium — and ranked them. The survey measured traveler satisfaction based on six factors: terminal amenities; food, beverage and retail; security check-in; baggage check; baggage claim; and airport arrival and departure.
Mega airports are those serving 33 million or more passengers a year, while large airports handle 10 million to 32.9 million passengers annually, and medium airports with 4.5 million to 9.9 million passengers a year.
Among other South Florida airports, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport came in No. 17 in the mega airport category. Palm Beach International Airport ranked fourth among medium airports.
Elsewhere in the Sunshine State, Tampa International Airport was rated the best among large airports and Orlando International Airport ranked No. 9 among mega airports.
Meanwhile, Miami airport’s rise in the annual rankings came despite booming passenger traffic. In the first half of 2023, the airport served nearly 26.2 million passengers, an increase of 2.6% over the same period last year. It’s already a record-breaking year at the airport for total passengers.
The airport has added multiple new airlines and flight routes this year. Its biggest carrier, American Airlines, increased flights to Latin America and the Caribbean. Delta Airlines, together with Chilean partner LATAM Airlines, did, too.
Also, this month low-cost Norwegian airline Norse Atlantic started flights from Miami to London Gatwick Airport four times a week and to Oslo two times a week. In December, Norse plans to start operating flights from Miami to Paris four times a week and to Berlin once a week.
And this week, Miami airport officials said Scandinavian Airlines will restart flight service from Miami on Oct. 29, with two weekly flights to Stockholm and five weekly flights to Copenhagen. Meanwhile, Finnair will resume three weekly flights to Helsinki, starting Nov. 25.
Regarding the J.D. survey, among the mega airports:
▪ Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport recorded the highest passenger satisfaction. Newark Liberty International Airport was rated the worst in the category.
In the large airport category:
▪ Tampa airport ranked the best, while Philadelphia International Airport brought up the rear.
Among the medium airports:
▪ Indianapolis International Airport was tops. Kahului Airport in Maui came in last place.
The study, in its 18th year, is based on 27,147 surveys of passengers who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport. Travelers evaluated either a departing or arriving airport from their roundtrip experience.
