This Midwestern Airport Took The Crown As North America's Best For Passenger Satisfaction

With all the headaches of flying, air travel services rarely win praise and accolades from travelers. Many airports make headlines for the wrong reasons, from the nation's worst airport for flight cancellations to the downright icky airports that rank dead last for cleanliness. One airport, however, has managed to win the hearts of frequent flyers several years in a row. The JD Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study ranked the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) highest in passenger satisfaction in both 2024 and 2025. The airport beat dozens of other "mega" airports such as Detroit, Phoenix, and Dallas, all air transport hubs that handle more than 33 million passengers per year. 

Even as record numbers of travelers are flying, the good news is that overall satisfaction has increased as airports offer increasingly unique and localized passenger experiences. "A few big capital improvement projects have now been completed and many more are underway or about to break ground," explains Michael Taylor, J.D. Power managing director of travel, hospitality, and retail, in a press release. " A decades long trend of bringing unique, local flavor to the passenger experience has positively impacted the airport experience, with these local touches having a major influence on passenger satisfaction."

So, what made Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport stand out? The travel hub outperformed in all categories, including ease of travel, facilities, and staff, as well as food, beverage, retail, and the passenger experience departing from and arriving at the airport. All of this led to a high level of passenger trust in the airport. "I do NOT dread hanging at this airport. So many decent food choices, cool merch etc.," as one Reddit user put it. "Y'all did MSP right!"

MSP has two terminals. A light rail train connects them both and also drops passengers at Metro Transit, which whisks commuters across the city from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America, the country's largest shopping mall. It's the kind of ease of travel that passengers appreciate, especially when making a tight layover between connecting flights.  Passengers have reported making connections at MSP in under 40 minutes. The airport has also pioneered other time-saving innovations. MSP Reserve allows passengers to book a time slot for TSA screening. That means no more long, snaking lines through security. As one Reddit user said: "You will feel like a rockstar when you're walking down this line and nobody's in front of you."

Travelers rarely recommend an airport restaurant for good eating, but MSP's Stone Arch gets good reviews for its craft burgers and extensive list of beers. "This is our 'go-to' every time we fly out of MSP — first place we go after clearing security," says one Reddit user. Although it's got "airport prices," they added, "the food is good, the tap list is great, and the staff has always been super friendly (we always belly right up to the bar)." If you're in a rush, the Farmer's Fridge vending machines offer fresh salads and bowls on the go.

The airport even pays homage to Prince, the city's beloved music legend, with a swirling purple mural and a boutique Prince store at Terminal 1. Passengers can buy violet-colored travel pillows, t-shirts, music, and tickets to Paisley Park, Prince's former home and studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Efficient service, good food, and local flair are all elements that put MSP at the top of customer satisfaction surveys — lessons that a certain East Coast airport could learn after landing at the bottom of airport customer rankings.