According to the J.D. Power 2015 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport holds its own when it comes to customer satisfaction. The airport tied with Charlotte/Douglas International for 11th place, in a field of 33 large airports. Portland International ranked first among large airports.

Airports have begun to focus on travelers' experiences, from increasing options for shopping and dining to making the baggage claim run smoothly.

"It's no longer just about getting travelers from Point A to Point B as efficiently as possible; it's about making the airport experience enjoyable," according to Rick Garlick, global travel and hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power, who was quoted in a press release.

The J.D. Power study is based on responses from 21,009 North American travelers who experienced at least one domestic or international airport with both departure and arrival experiences (excluding connecting airports) from July through October 2015. They rated terminal facilities, airport accessibility, security check, baggage claim, check-in and baggage check and terminal shopping.