The Bustling East Coast Airport Just Ranked As America's Worst For Customer Satisfaction

"It is a fantastic city with fantastic people ... But the airport is trash." That's how one Reddit poster described Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and it seems they are not alone in their opinion. In the 2025 North America Airport Satisfaction Study by consumer intelligence company J.D. Power, PHL has once again ranked last in customer satisfaction among 27 similarly sized airports. The rankings were based on several factors, including facilities, food and beverages, terminal staff, and airport accessibility, among other metrics. PHL has held the woeful distinction of being at the bottom of the pack for the fifth consecutive year, despite recent upgrades, including the addition of new restrooms and food options.

Located about 10 miles from the city center of Philadelphia, also known as the "Mural Capital of the World," PHL saw more than 30 million passengers travel through the airport in 2024 — that's a lot of potentially dissatisfied travelers. In late 2023, one Redditor claimed that when they landed at PHL, the baggage claim area was "full of homeless people," with another commenter adding: "The baggage claim is already one of the worst places in the city, I can't imagine how it could be made less welcoming or more dismal and dreary."

Earlier in 2025, PHL was ranked by an AirHelp survey as the third-worst airport in the United States. The survey cited frequent delays as the leading factor behind the poor rating. Atif Saeed, CEO of Philadelphia's Department of Aviation, acknowledged PHL's aging infrastructure needed improvement, telling The Philadelphia Inquirer, "PHL turned 85 this year, and admittedly in some places, we look our age." More than 20 years have passed since the airport opened its newest terminal in 2003.

Despite remaining at the bottom of the rankings, PHL's total score in the J.D. Power survey improved by 29 points, suggesting some of the recent upgrades are having a positive impact. Atif Saeed noted that, in addition to the eight new restrooms and restaurant upgrades, other renovations included new exit doors in Terminal D and a customer service training program. Saeed added: "While we are pleased with our score increase, we are still last in the rankings and have much work to do."

Philadelphia was recently ranked among the world's 100 best cities to visit and is renowned for its amazing food culture, with a Chinatown that is considered one of America's top endangered historical sites. The city also has a vibrant art scene, which includes Calder Gardens, a unique interactive outdoor art space dedicated to the work of American sculptor Alexander Calder. In anticipation of a bumper tourism year in 2026, when the city will host the FIFA World Cup, PHL is prioritizing further upgrades, including work on the SEPTA Regional Rail platforms and modernizing parts of the airport's interior design. Only time will tell if these improvements are enough to fix the airport's ranking next year.