MSP Airport is No. 1 again in major survey

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has again placed first in the J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

This marks the second straight year customers and travelers have ranked the Twin Cities as the best mega airport in North America, and the third time in the past four years. A mega airport is defined as one that served more than 33 million passengers in the past year.

“J.D. Power is one of the most distinguished industry awards, and it is rare to win back-to-back No. 1 rankings,” said Brian Ryks, CEO and executive director of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which owns and operates MSP. “It truly embodies the dedication of the 20,000 employees who work for the MAC and throughout MSP to provide exceptional airport experiences.”

MSP edged out second-place Detroit and

third-place Phoenix

The survey, now in its 20th year, used 30,439 completed surveys from U.S. or Canadian residents who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport and ranked their experience across seven categories. Among them: ease of travel through an airport, level of trust with an airport, terminal facilities, airport staff, food and beverage options, and arrival or departure experience.

MSP placed first in six of the seven categories, the study said.

MSP, the 18th-busiest airport in North America, saw a total of 37.2 million passengers in 2024, according to the MAC. The airport saw total passenger traffic rise for the fourth straight year last year and was just 2 million shy of the overall record of 39.5 million set in 2019.

The MAC has nearly completed a $600 million operational improvements program that has transformed all pre-security areas of Terminal 1 over the last decade. It is currently expanding Concourse G by 157,000 square feet between gates G8 and G13 and enlarging Terminal 2, home to Sun Country Airlines.

The top airports in the large category were John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif., followed by Tampa and Dallas’ Love Field.