Miami (MIA) Ranked As North America’s Best Airport?!?

Miami (MIA) Ranked As North America’s Best Airport?!?

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JD Power has released its 2021 rankings of North America’s best airports. The results make me question if I’m from a different planet…

North America’s best airports for 2021

JD Power has released its ranking of the top “mega” airports in North America, defined as airports serving at least 33 million passengers per year. Here are the top 10 airports (yes, this order is the ranking, I kid you not):

  1. Miami International Airport (MIA)
  2. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
  3. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
  4. Orlando International Airport (MCO)
  5. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
  6. McCarran International Airport (LAS)
  7. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
  8. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
  9. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
  10. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

How does this study work? It’s based on completed surveys from travelers between August 2020 and July 2021. More specifically, the study is based on 13,225 completed surveys from US or Canadian residents who traveled through at least one US or Canadian airport during the past 30 days. Travelers evaluated either a departing or arriving airport, and were asked to share their thoughts on the following factors:

  • Airport accessibility (getting to the airport and leaving the airport)
  • Check-in and baggage claim
  • Food, beverage, and retail
  • Security check
  • Terminal facilities (concourses, lounges, signage, restrooms, gate areas)
Miami International Airport landside check-in area

These rankings are kind of hilarious

Okay, I have pretty low expectations of any sort of “survey” results. The whole concept behind this kind of “research” is deeply flawed:

  • Non-experts are asked to rank something based on one experience, without any real basis for comparison
  • Arguably this is even more flawed during the pandemic, when all airports have cut back service, and people are largely traveling less, so don’t have context for how services have changed
  • I have a hard time thinking of the results as anything other than “woot, I went to Miami this year to forget about coronavirus, so I loved the airport”

Miami is my home airport, and one thing I love about the airport is how close it is to the city. It’s so nice to have a major international airport 10-15 minutes from the main parts of town. However, other than the location, there’s very little that’s appealing about the airport, if you ask me:

  • Concourses are poorly designed — they’re fairly narrow given the volume of people, and it can be quite a long walk to your gate, or you have to take the Skytrain (which isn’t particularly convenient either, since this doesn’t usually save you that much time)
  • Not all concourses are connected airside
  • The airport’s design isn’t in any way inspiring, from the seating areas, to the architecture
  • Someone will have to clue me in on the great food, beverage, and retail outlets
  • Security lines can be long, and are poorly managed
  • The airport has some of the most consistently bad customer service of any major US airport, in my experience (though perhaps that largely reflects the airport’s largest carrier) 😉
Miami International Airport airside concourse

Look, Miami Airport does the trick — it’s close to the city, and I can always time my arrival pretty well to minimize the amount of time I have to spend at the airport. I’m happy to have it as my home airport, given that I can fly nonstop to all kinds of destinations, and American largely flies wide bodies from the airport, even on domestic routes.

But to give Miami Airport any sort of awards for passenger experience — let alone to call it the best in the country — is puzzling. And let’s not even talk about JFK being number two on the list, DFW being number seven, and SFO not even breaking into the top 10.

Bottom line

Miami Airport has been ranked the best mega airport in the country, and that’s just the latest reminder that you shouldn’t trust any sort of survey results from randomly polled people about what the best airports are. If someone has only been to a couple of airports in the past year, how are they actually supposed to provide a useful ranking, when they have no context for what services are like at other airports?

Anyone agree with this survey, and think MIA is North America’s best airport, and JFK is North America’s second best airport?

Conversations (113)
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  1. chris Guest

    MIA is definitely one of the BOTTOM ranked airports in the USA and worldwide in my experience. LAX Bradley is one of the BEST International terminals anywhere and the other terminals are shaping up nicely. ATL is at times bearable but otherwise horrible with concourses much too narrow and dining options either overrun or simply closed now regardless of the time of day. EWR is no better than MIA and MCO is a zoo. TPA...

    MIA is definitely one of the BOTTOM ranked airports in the USA and worldwide in my experience. LAX Bradley is one of the BEST International terminals anywhere and the other terminals are shaping up nicely. ATL is at times bearable but otherwise horrible with concourses much too narrow and dining options either overrun or simply closed now regardless of the time of day. EWR is no better than MIA and MCO is a zoo. TPA is the best of its size and the easiest to navigate. Most DFW terminals are "meh" along with all of IAD, PHL, CLT, JFK, PHX and SEA.

  2. Gregory Coulas Guest

    I prefer regional airports like Burbank, John Wayne or Oakland vs. Mega International ones. LAX didn't rank but one of the most compact mega airports in the US. One can actually walk between terminals!

  3. JB Guest

    I personally really like Tampa (TPA), and Calgary (YYC) in Canada. ATL is also great as a connecting airport. And your JFK experience depends on what airline you fly. I love JetBlue's T5, and AA's T8 is also pretty nice if your gate is near the security checkpoint. I also love the International feel of T4 at JFK. Brings back a lot of memories.

  4. Teresa Guest

    One of the worse airport in
    Unites states, poor designed, long walking , horrible service , if you have the option to fly using g a different airport, do it , I have the same bad experience over and over again over the last 10 years

  5. Hate JD Power Guest

    Tell JD Power to walk through Terminal G. Like a 3rd world country in here. Nasty. Low ceilings, garbage food.

  6. DAVID JOHNSON Guest

    Was just at Miami airport this past week over the July 4th holiday, the absolute worst airport I have ever been in my entire life. I fly regularly , live in Chicago and use Both Ohare and Midway there, both are a pleasant experience compared to Miami, its dirty, poor layout, security is a joke, they were scanning everyone instead of metal detectors, takes 3 times as long, could care less if your pre check,...

    Was just at Miami airport this past week over the July 4th holiday, the absolute worst airport I have ever been in my entire life. I fly regularly , live in Chicago and use Both Ohare and Midway there, both are a pleasant experience compared to Miami, its dirty, poor layout, security is a joke, they were scanning everyone instead of metal detectors, takes 3 times as long, could care less if your pre check, made you remove everything in precheck line, baggage claim was forever, they went on shift change for an hour to get bag, toilets just nasty ....

  7. Tom Guest

    first time at Miami airport, totally agree with your assessment. People just happy to be at beach on vacation giving high marks(?) And JFK as #2? (Obviously those people never tried to drive and park at JFK). Miami just seems so dated, terminals cramped, few charging points, long walks, broken escalators and moving sidewalks, etc. you hit on a lot of the problems (and pluses) in your article- nice work

  8. Infrequent_Flyer Guest

    I flew through MIA last week and don't have a lot of experience there but it left an impression. The employees seemed nice enough and flights were on time. That stuff was pretty standard. But I felt like I was in a time warp from 20 or 30 years ago. The food options were really, really poor. The food wasn't good and it wasn't healthy. The bathrooms were closet-sized with poor ventilation. The whole time...

    I flew through MIA last week and don't have a lot of experience there but it left an impression. The employees seemed nice enough and flights were on time. That stuff was pretty standard. But I felt like I was in a time warp from 20 or 30 years ago. The food options were really, really poor. The food wasn't good and it wasn't healthy. The bathrooms were closet-sized with poor ventilation. The whole time I was in the D concourse and was wondering to myself when is the plan to remodel this place? Was also at SFO for the same trip. It's airy, open, arty, full of local history and has interesting/healthy food selections and way better water bottle filling stations. SFO is up with the times. MIA is very dated.

  9. Alan Roger Currycel Guest

    This is ridiculous. I live equidistant between MIA and FLL and I do absolutely everything I can to avoid MIA. That airport is absolutely filthy and disgusting. Its a nightmare getting in and out of for arrival/departure. If you watched old episodes from Miami Vice they filmed a lot at the airport and you will notice hardly anything has been updated and looks the same as it did 40 years ago just more run down...

    This is ridiculous. I live equidistant between MIA and FLL and I do absolutely everything I can to avoid MIA. That airport is absolutely filthy and disgusting. Its a nightmare getting in and out of for arrival/departure. If you watched old episodes from Miami Vice they filmed a lot at the airport and you will notice hardly anything has been updated and looks the same as it did 40 years ago just more run down and dirty. Customs entrance has gum stained filthy carpet, bathrooms outdated with 40+ years of urine soaking. Others have mentioned The customer service. It is horrendous, they could care less.
    Some dont even speak english. Everyone looks miserable. I have nothing against the city of Miami.. but you need to call a spade a spade.

  10. Jane Brody Guest

    Having just experienced the Kafkaesque Miami Airport, there is no possibility of its being nominated for anything but "Most Chaotic" or "Most Rude" Airport in the world. I arrived from Costa Rica and was immediately thrust into the most poorly organized immigration and customs area I have ever experienced. There seemed to be two, or at most three, very angry 'officers' shouting at us to get into lines containing hundreds of people that snaked around...

    Having just experienced the Kafkaesque Miami Airport, there is no possibility of its being nominated for anything but "Most Chaotic" or "Most Rude" Airport in the world. I arrived from Costa Rica and was immediately thrust into the most poorly organized immigration and customs area I have ever experienced. There seemed to be two, or at most three, very angry 'officers' shouting at us to get into lines containing hundreds of people that snaked around the area. The lines were moving in circles up and down a ramp. I asked where to go and the 'officers' yelled at me to 'follow those people', none of whom seemed to know were to go either. I made my way down the long ramp, got into the end of the line by following the crowd. We slowly oozed towards the top of the ramp, and were then directed to go down the ramp again. By this time, I was concerned that I would (A) drop over from heat and exhaustion, or (B) never leave the airport because I couldn't find my way out of the maze, or (C) lose my mind, fall to the floor and start having a screaming fit. It was soon obvious that there was no organization, and that it was every woman for herself. I am 76 years old, was toting my backpack with computer, heavy purse, and CPAP. As an old, lady I remain spry, short, stout and clever, but they had me where they wanted me. I was defeated. Every time I thought I had gotten to the end of the line, there was another one with clueless travelers being treated like cattle at a stockyard. After ninety minutes of this nightmare, I finally arrived at the US passport check point, got through it, and into another line to get my luggage. I flew American and they don't transfer bags for some reason. I found my bag, got in another meandering line, rechecked my bag for my home destination, went through several more lines, and after walking another 30 minutes, I arrived at my gate. My plane had left. I was given vouchers, but am poorer by $80 because I had to get a cab to take me to the hotel. This morning I am at my gate, it is now 11:15, I arrived at the airport at 9:45. Lines, lines, more lines. I vow never to go near Miami Airport again.

  11. JohnHam Member

    I'm sitting here at MIA Airport D gates reading this blog post... Wondering where are the power outlets. What a disgrace. I would agree that FLL is much better. FLL has invested in all 4 of their terminals and interconnecting them is in the plans. Terminal 1 and 4 look nice. I would just add that arrivals level traffic flow is terrible and there could be more food options

  12. Bill Guest

    I lived in South Florida up until a few years ago and used to refer to MIA as America's best 3rd world airport... :-)

  13. Jaroz Guest

    WHERE DO THEY GET THIS SURVEY. MIA
    OR MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.IS NOT
    THE BEST AIRPORT. IF THAT THE CASE FORT LAUDERDALE OR FLL AIRPORT.IS BETTER THAN MIA. I LIVE IN PLANTATION FLA. AN I ALWAYS TRY NO TO FLY OUT OF MIAMI. CONGESTED AND UGLY AIRPORT
    NEVER SHOULD BE RANKED THE # 1 airport

  14. Jaime Guest

    WHERE DO THEY GET THIS SURVEY. MIA
    OR MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.IS NOT
    THE BEST AIRPORT. IF THAT THE CASE FORT LAUDERDALE OR FLL AIRPORT.IS BETTER THAN MIA. I LIVE IN PLANTATION FLA. AN I ALWAYS TRY NO TO FLY OUT OF MIAMI. CONGESTED AND UGLY AIRPORT
    NEVER SHOULD BE RANKED THE # 1 airport

  15. Jose Garcia Guest

    Overall, MIA is a good airport. Not great just good. To me MIA have the worst custom and inmigracion service in the USA and this makes me avoid it every time I can.

  16. Robert Guest

    I am a very frequent flyer. MIA would not make even my top 10.

  17. Catalina rivas Guest

    Is really a disgrace of this survey, how much money this survey company receive from the Cuban mafia? This is a shame to name miami airport the fest in America.

  18. Bob Not Bob Guest

    Transited several times at MIA from JFK and GSP. Not horrible, but the best? In some MIA boosters dream. My take: really long walks between gates. Admirals Club so-so. Walk to MIA Metrorail was miles and miles and miles away.

    JD Power needs to revise its rating criteria, and include transit, connections, public transit, rental car locations, food, and compare with some actual international airports, like NRT, BKK, HKIA, Doha, etc. etc.

  19. Hugo Finol Guest

    I do not agree, I am from Miami and I have been working at MIA for 10 years and I have many doubts about of this survey.

  20. Jamie Guest

    I guess it’s tough to choose when they are all pretty bad! Send the to Doha or Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Copenhagen, Heathrow T5 then ask them again!

  21. Sam Guest

    For a frequent AA flyer, MIA is pretty great.

    Precheck is quick most of the time. FFCI - when you qualify makes it even faster.
    After clearing security head straight across the hall for free drinks or food at Coronaville.
    Then take the short walk to the Centurian lounge for more drinks and food. And/or a short walk to the FL.
    90% of the time your gate is a max of 10...

    For a frequent AA flyer, MIA is pretty great.

    Precheck is quick most of the time. FFCI - when you qualify makes it even faster.
    After clearing security head straight across the hall for free drinks or food at Coronaville.
    Then take the short walk to the Centurian lounge for more drinks and food. And/or a short walk to the FL.
    90% of the time your gate is a max of 10 minutes away.

    As for AA people, the worst is LAX followed closely by JFK.

    SFO is a terrible airport all around. But PHL is worse

    1. D3kingg Guest

      The problem with AA at SFO is that it’s an outstation and they have 9 hubs to serve. The crew and gate agents have to move from gate to gate they can’t all be in the same place at one time.

  22. Steve Diamond

    MIA has a centurion and multiple priority pass options and is close to the cities's downtown. What else do you want in an airport? Any complaint on mia can be applied everywhere else. So sad that people actually get mad at someone else's list.

    1. Towelie196 Member

      Rental car process takes extremely long, security is a nightmare so often you can't enjoy the lounges, cramped spaces, driving around the terminal is a nightmare, no people movers due to said cramped spaces, awful awful awful customs (even with Global Entry), trashy on-site hotels. We could keep going!

  23. John R. Guest

    someone remind these people we are now in September, not April 1st!

  24. lbk Member

    But there are good mojitos at this one place in MIA though ;-)

  25. Apso Eyot Guest

    It’s nice that you like SFO, Ben, but honestly, as someone local to that airport, they need an airside connector to be built between the A and G wings of the International Terminal (and all the other terminals for that matter) before they can really be considered in the top ten. Not to mention that the lounge situation in the international terminal is currently quite lousy (There seems to be a lot of cramped and...

    It’s nice that you like SFO, Ben, but honestly, as someone local to that airport, they need an airside connector to be built between the A and G wings of the International Terminal (and all the other terminals for that matter) before they can really be considered in the top ten. Not to mention that the lounge situation in the international terminal is currently quite lousy (There seems to be a lot of cramped and uninspiring-looking lounges in A, along with a lack of variety in G, which has just the United Polaris Lounge and a pretty outdated United Club). I think it’s annoying that you have to go down a level to get to any of the waiting/boarding areas in the International Terminal, and wait for your flight inside this “pit”. It makes the process cumbersome if you find out you’re at the wrong gate. Also, at least from the outside, the architecture of the new Terminal 1 looks pretty boring (it looks like a temporary terminal that could be anywhere) and only seems impressive because it’s new. Plus they have to deal with fog/low cloud delays pretty often due to a bad runway configuration that probably can’t ever be fixed (and the airport knows this already). It might be “top ten” in terms of sustainability, but probably not many of the categories that the average traveler would care more about.

  26. Travel Points 101 Guest

    I would like to see a post with your rankings.

  27. Steven Faigin Guest

    Miami? No way. It would be at the bottom of my list. Flying in. Rental cars are far away. You are exhausted after the walk. It’s in a lousy area. Just not a good experience. Most people like FLL over Miami. It should really be the worst.

  28. NSL Guest

    The list is absurd. To put ATL anywhere in the top 25 airports in the US is ridiculous. The same is true of St. Louis. Other listings are equally as bad. Ranking during the pandemic is next to impossible too. Oh, Miami isn't close to #1 even though it's better than most Florida airports.

  29. Leigh Guest

    Needless to say, it’s all subjective.

    MIA is nice but not all that amazing, and indeed the gate structure can be inconvenient.

    Just my list:

    LAX - each terminal is separately managed (like JFK), so kinda impossible to rate the whole airport, but the Tom Bradley International Terminal is stunning on every level; best in the US.

    MSP - it’s a great terminal with great local offerings, it sorta has a feeling of being...

    Needless to say, it’s all subjective.

    MIA is nice but not all that amazing, and indeed the gate structure can be inconvenient.

    Just my list:

    LAX - each terminal is separately managed (like JFK), so kinda impossible to rate the whole airport, but the Tom Bradley International Terminal is stunning on every level; best in the US.

    MSP - it’s a great terminal with great local offerings, it sorta has a feeling of being “at home”. Mind you, the piers are stupid long. I do hate the taxi/transport set-up.

    SEA - maybe the most similar to MSP, though the piers seem a bit shorter. However the taxi/transport set-up is barely better than MSP.

    DFW - I frequently transfer between the 5 terminals with only 35 min connections, and it’s never been a problem. I sometimes schedule a longer connection to eat at Pappadeux’s (terminals A and C) Louisiana style kitchen. SOO GOOD! The dirty rice, red beans and rice, oysters, and the fried fish in brown butter and walnuts (I forget the fish type) are amazing.

    Others that rate for me are SFO T2, SFO International for the flight museum, Austin Bergstrm (live music and BBQ…does it get better?!). PDX a bit quirky.

    I also love the Vancouver and Calgary airports hosted by our friends up north. Maybe Calgary rates higher.

    1. TranceXplant Member

      I generally agree with you on all points. My "ratings" would be the following...

      MSP: As my home airport, I find it quite pleasant to fly in and out of. Security is generally quick and transportation relatively easy (basically down and up to catch an Uber/Lyft across the street). Granted, being an AA flyer helps a lot, since that effectively shrinks a large airport down to 4 gates and 2 baggage carousels.

      LAX: As you...

      I generally agree with you on all points. My "ratings" would be the following...

      MSP: As my home airport, I find it quite pleasant to fly in and out of. Security is generally quick and transportation relatively easy (basically down and up to catch an Uber/Lyft across the street). Granted, being an AA flyer helps a lot, since that effectively shrinks a large airport down to 4 gates and 2 baggage carousels.

      LAX: As you alluded to, it's a tale of 2 experiences. The international terminal is fantastic. However, everything else is somewhat mediocre. Like DTW, distances between flights can be downright painful.

      DFW: This is my favorite airport for transfers. While most of the terminals are merely okay, the international terminal is a pleasure to be in. And the monorail between terminals is so efficient that short layovers are never an issue.

      SEA: I haven't spent much time here. But when I have, it's been perfectly fine. My only complaint would be access to light rail, which requires a very long walk.

      JFK: It feels exactly like what it is - an airport that was built in many stages with independently managed terminals. It's very much hit-or-miss, depending on which airline and terminal you're dealing with.

      PHL: I'm not sure how anyone can complain about transferring here. Nearly every gate is within easy walking distance and the main terminal areas are pleasant to be in.

      ORD: Another tale of 2 experiences. AA's Flagship lounge here is my favorite in the country, and transferring domestically is a breeze. However, if you're catching a OneWorld partner flight, that lounge is poorly located, and switching terminals is the travel equivalent of a root canal.

  30. Paul Guest

    This list is a joke

  31. ChadMC Guest

    I travel past FLL to specifically fly out of MIA. It's definitely the better airport in all of the state. MIA has decent restaurants, nice lounges, and is a 'real' airport. Only real downsides are not all terminals are connected, and there is no moving walkway. Other than that, MIA is tops.

  32. cath Guest

    It’s official, I am living in an alternative universe.

  33. John Guest

    How good a mega airport is depends largely on whether it’s your origin/destination or your connecting point. For example, DFW is a good O/D airport but a rotten connecting point, unless you happen to connect in the same terminal. ATL and DEN are relatively efficient connecting points because they’re designed for connections, but bad O/D airports. MIA is a terrible connecting airport, but a better O/D airport. The JD Power survey mixes this up, which...

    How good a mega airport is depends largely on whether it’s your origin/destination or your connecting point. For example, DFW is a good O/D airport but a rotten connecting point, unless you happen to connect in the same terminal. ATL and DEN are relatively efficient connecting points because they’re designed for connections, but bad O/D airports. MIA is a terrible connecting airport, but a better O/D airport. The JD Power survey mixes this up, which makes it meaningless. A connecting passenger, for example, could care less about security, check-in, and luggage claim, for example, because those services won’t be used.

  34. Fed UP Guest

    total joke of a ranking

  35. Bob Charlap Guest

    They spelled “worst” wrong!

  36. John T Guest

    This list makes perfect sense to me. I used to work for JD Power. Whoever pays the most for a speaking engagement, is guaranteed the award.

  37. Issac Jones Guest

    Everyone knows jd power is a advertising firm not a real poll taker c'mon now

  38. Crosscourt Guest

    Was this list supposed to be released on 1st April? What a joke!

  39. MIchael R Karpiel Guest

    I avoid MIA like the plague. I used to live in-between MIA and FLL and I would fly out of FLL even it required a connection just to avoid MIA.

  40. BuckBrown Guest

    Miami has one of the worst Passport/Customs control I have ever experienced.

  41. Shonuffharlem Guest

    Obviously they didn't go into the third world parking garage elevators at MIA for this survey.

  42. CG Guest

    ROFL Miami is rock bottom for me. Rude unhelpful staff, long lines. TPA takes the cake, they have security for each terminal making it a breeze.

  43. Noah Guest

    DCA is the best airport in the USA. IAD on the other hand...

  44. Shaq Mystique Guest

    The writer word by word captures my sentiment. I fly at least 4 times a month through MiA. Getting from car rental to your terminal will take minimum 15 to 20 minutes. It is porrly designed and managed...MiA and JFK shouldn't be on top 5 may be 10 at all. MSP is the only one in the top 3 that deserves any kind of mention or award.

  45. odot1 Guest

    ... unless one actually has to use YYZ. The real question is why YVR is not at the top?

  46. Christian M Binger Guest

    I just flew through MIA this past weekend, experiencing D and E concourses. The amenities are dated and uncomfortable, it was dirty and moving walkways? We don't need no stinking moving walkways! What walkways there are, were either off, under construction or both. To think this is the best in the country,

  47. David Guest

    O'hare certainly deserves last place, but YYZ at second last seems undeserved.

  48. SERGIO CRUZ Guest

    I work at MIA, and honestly, Miami is very overrated. This airport generates millions in revenue but can't keep its elevators, escalators, moving walk ways in working order! And lets not talk about how at the time I write this there isn't a single restroom on the departure level of the H and J side. not to mention the leaking ceilings. The old jet bridges on F-G and H terminals. Honestly as an employee who...

    I work at MIA, and honestly, Miami is very overrated. This airport generates millions in revenue but can't keep its elevators, escalators, moving walk ways in working order! And lets not talk about how at the time I write this there isn't a single restroom on the departure level of the H and J side. not to mention the leaking ceilings. The old jet bridges on F-G and H terminals. Honestly as an employee who works there its embarrassing to see an airport to be in such poor state.

  49. Oliver Guest

    Miami Airport - Last chance for some Cuban food.

  50. Jack Guest

    The only US airport that I don't hate is DFW, because it's so quick and easy to get around on the train.

  51. George Dagnesses Guest

    This is a joke right? Its a very late April Fools Prank.
    There is no possible way that any discerning traveler would agree with this.

  52. Julio cesar villalobos Guest

    He arrivado al aeropuerto de atlanta 3 veces .ycreanme parece un edificio abandonado tiendas cerradas. MalisimA atencion al viajero.decidi no volver hacer escala en ese lugar. Elegi aeropuert houston.o dallas. Ojala todos fueran asi.gracias.

  53. Pete Guest

    Ahhhh.
    Not happy that ATLANTA (DELTA HUB)
    NOT #1.
    ATLANTA AIRPORT IS A NIGHTMARE.
    WALKING FROM TICKET COUNTER TO GATES IS A MARATHON!

  54. Jesse Guest

    MIA is a total dump. It screams 1970s when you arrive. Just a drab, dreary, disgusting and depressing place.

    1. elena dagnesses Guest

      You are absolutely correct!!!

  55. Phil Guest

    Not sure if Miami is the best airport in the country, but as a South Floridian myself I can tell you that I absolutely love the airport. I consistently choose it over FLL even though I live in Broward. I call FLL a "clown airport" as it has zero amenities and always seems to have the most amateur/ first time/ novice travelers due to it being Spirit's hub. Another beautiful thing about MIA... being able...

    Not sure if Miami is the best airport in the country, but as a South Floridian myself I can tell you that I absolutely love the airport. I consistently choose it over FLL even though I live in Broward. I call FLL a "clown airport" as it has zero amenities and always seems to have the most amateur/ first time/ novice travelers due to it being Spirit's hub. Another beautiful thing about MIA... being able to fly non-stop to many European destinations without connecting in god-awful northeastern airports or terrible ATL/CLT. My wife and I loved being able to fly direct to Madrid in July and return out of Zurich. I certainly agree that the concourse design could be better, but the restaurant and lounge situation in MIA is well above average.... what I would call a "professional airport".

    1. Towelie196 Member

      It seems you are flying from the wrong terminal at FLL. Terminal 1 is amazing, tons of food, UA lounge, open space/seating and security/baggage is hassle free.

  56. Brad Lichtman Guest

    I was just at MIA for first time (Aug 2021) in 10 plus years. Check in with Southwest was easy (despite signs being misleading to get there since they have such a small foot print). However the airport itself looks like it needs some major TLC - old, dirty, worn down, dirty, dated, etc. Lines for TSA were reasonable except the roping was not long so as soon as you had about 100 people in...

    I was just at MIA for first time (Aug 2021) in 10 plus years. Check in with Southwest was easy (despite signs being misleading to get there since they have such a small foot print). However the airport itself looks like it needs some major TLC - old, dirty, worn down, dirty, dated, etc. Lines for TSA were reasonable except the roping was not long so as soon as you had about 100 people in line the ropes ended and disorganized mess started. Food options were limited as expected but the coffee shop we tried to stop at was serving light snacks which came right out of costco containers on their back counter & were drastically overpriced. I was pleasantly surprised our flight left on time & had minimal taxi time which was nice for an ontime arrival back to DC.

  57. John Guest

    I think SFO is then best airport in America with DFW being a close second. It’s empty, new, fast wifi, with plenty of (local) dining options and it’s close to downtown and dfw has great options as well.

    1. miamiorbust Guest

      SFO, like nearly everything in the bay area, is so much less inspiring than the locals seem to believe. On its best days, SFO in fine. Lounges are undersized. United is the largest tenant. The people...Fine; objectively not great. Lounges, or at least some of them, at DFW are much better.

  58. John Guest

    I think SFO is then best airport in America with DFW being a close second. It’s empty, new, fast wifi, with plenty of (local) dining options and it’s close to downtown and dfw has great options as well.

  59. 1987 Guest

    Biased native Miamian, but I fly MIA to JFK twice a month and I love it. I can take the $2.40 metrorail from Brickell and am there in 30 mins. Once at Check-In 2 with TSA, I have a 1- minute wait thru security. Then, the large AA 77Ws typically leave right at the large gates of 26 or 30 which is near the Admirals Club. Super easy breezy. Could not be easier.
    But,...

    Biased native Miamian, but I fly MIA to JFK twice a month and I love it. I can take the $2.40 metrorail from Brickell and am there in 30 mins. Once at Check-In 2 with TSA, I have a 1- minute wait thru security. Then, the large AA 77Ws typically leave right at the large gates of 26 or 30 which is near the Admirals Club. Super easy breezy. Could not be easier.
    But, there have been scenes where it is pure chaos. But, I always check the app to see the security check point lines while I am on the metrorail.

  60. Burktech Guest

    Wasn't there anyone at JD Powers corporate that looked at this survey and thought - Wait a minute, this survey doesn't look right and has no relation to the real world. I assume JD Powers' reputation rides with every survey. I will be wary of all of their surveys from now on.

    1. Alan Guest

      Agree. Makes any JD Power award look questionable. I'm sitting in Terminal D in MIA right now... complete dump.

  61. Steven S Guest

    Well, I agree on all of your points. Miami is also my home airport. it is extremely convenient and American does a great job there. HOWEVER, don't ever check a bag on a return trip. The baggage service there is notoriously horrible. The old terminal smack dab in the middle still needs to be torn down and if you are flying out of American's E gates, it is like going into a time warp right...

    Well, I agree on all of your points. Miami is also my home airport. it is extremely convenient and American does a great job there. HOWEVER, don't ever check a bag on a return trip. The baggage service there is notoriously horrible. The old terminal smack dab in the middle still needs to be torn down and if you are flying out of American's E gates, it is like going into a time warp right back to the 70s. Overall, MIA is great because AA is great out of Miami. That's about it!

  62. luz s Prado Guest

    Omg where they get this people, number 1 forget it.
    Terrible place and bad way to connect to other flights.

  63. Brutus Guest

    JD Power is also the organization that gave all those awards to Chevrolet and forced us to endure those idiotic commercials for years.

  64. Mike Guest

    I have travelled through MIA twice and was not a fan. Even American's premier Terminal D was not great. I remember being less than impressed with the food options. I assumed before travelling that Terminal D would have great amenities since it is one of the biggest American hubs but nope! I also cannot stand airports where you cannot move between concourses airside. It just makes no sense to have to leave security and clear...

    I have travelled through MIA twice and was not a fan. Even American's premier Terminal D was not great. I remember being less than impressed with the food options. I assumed before travelling that Terminal D would have great amenities since it is one of the biggest American hubs but nope! I also cannot stand airports where you cannot move between concourses airside. It just makes no sense to have to leave security and clear security again for a connection. Drives me crazy! Because of where I live, I use SEA a lot and one of my favorite things about that airport is that once I am airside, I can access any restaurant, lounge, etc without having to worry about security.

  65. khatl Guest

    Come on then Ben. What's your top 10 for comparison?

    (btw, completely agree with your dissection of MIA. If MIA is #1 then LGA should be #2)

    1. Jan Guest

      Probably the best because you would normally pay $70 for fight PPV but you get that for free in MIA

  66. Santastico Guest

    Minneapolis makes total sense. It is a fantastic airport.

  67. Santastico Guest

    This has to be a joke.

  68. Tortuga Diamond

    Surveys like this are the equivalent of junior high student council elections. It's asking an uninformed, inexperienced group of people to vote by top of mind recall.

    P.S. And yes, I haven forgiven Megan G. for trouncing me, lo those many years ago, in my assuredly informed, experienced quest to become 8th grade stuco V.P.

  69. Ksa63 Guest

    Miami is quite functional and a great location. Believe it or not I have had good experiences at ORD recently. But it can be a hike to get to. Detroit is quite good. YUL is terrible across the board. The only other one I’ve been to in the past year is EWR and it rivals YUL for being bad.

  70. tuotuo Guest

    Just give us your no 1 or maybe the top 10 list

  71. Jerry Diamond

    I agree that MIA "does the trick." I quite like the airport, but I'm a frequent user for both O/D and connecting visits, and I've learned how to make it work for me. There's certainly a learning curve, and it doesn't deserve any awards. I also miss using Priority Pass at Air Margaritaville and Viena.

  72. Todd Guest

    And YVR didn't make the list? Please!

  73. JB Guest

    Many people flew to MIA because of the pandemic, so it's likely just reflective of the population filling out the surveys. Otherwise, I think TPA is much better!

  74. Matt S. Guest

    Perfect opportunity for Ben to provide his list of top 10 US airports, followed by top 10 airports in the world (in a separate post).

  75. Towelie196 Member

    I go out of my way to fly into FLL. By the time you fly into MIA and are in your rental car I am already on the beach, and checked into the hotel.

  76. Gilda K Guest

    Miami! Is it April 1-because this is a joke. I have been through. Miami, JFK and O’Hare, recently.
    I’ve also been through Boston Logan and Atlanta.
    I would put Atlanta as no. 1, considering how big the airport is they do a remarkable job there, next for me is Boston Logan (though smaller) is very good, then Dallas-Fort Worth.

  77. Franklin Guest

    or is it to remind you that all mega-airports in the US are terrible?

  78. Rob Guest

    At MIA, terminals H-J look really nice but lack good dining options. Terminal G is a joke, tiny walkway, what feels like 7 foot ceilings, limited seating, hardly any bathrooms, and practically the only eating option is at a Budweiser bar with a pizza hut express. American's terminal (D) is massive, too long to walk to the gates at the far end and the air train is worthless (saves you from walking, not time), you...

    At MIA, terminals H-J look really nice but lack good dining options. Terminal G is a joke, tiny walkway, what feels like 7 foot ceilings, limited seating, hardly any bathrooms, and practically the only eating option is at a Budweiser bar with a pizza hut express. American's terminal (D) is massive, too long to walk to the gates at the far end and the air train is worthless (saves you from walking, not time), you have some decent food options but nothing to write home about.

  79. Matt Guest

    They did get one thing right in ranking PHL dead last.

  80. DenB Diamond

    They're not wrong to rank YYZ 20th. "Shining examples of excellence" are not to be found in North America.

  81. D3kingg Guest

    DFW seams pretty seamless or maybe it’s just what I’m used to. It the largest airport in the US by size.

    DAL Love field is the best US airport I’ve ever been to. There are more retail outlets than gates.

    1. Towelie196 Member

      DFW is half the size of DEN?

    2. D3kingg Guest

      Yes. DEN is larger DFW is 2nd. It takes 20 minutes and $15 Uber ride to go around only half the airport .

  82. AdamH Guest

    This listing is a complete joke. I would not have any of these in my top list. I also think they should really rank these by terminal, not overall airport. Even in SIN, if you end up in the older terminals, it is nothing to write home about.

  83. John Guest

    There had to be some financial incentive for MIA to get #1. Literally the worst airport for international travel I've ever experienced on trips to Mexico, Caribbean, Central and South America.

  84. QRx Guest

    I am a South FL native as well. Anybody from SFL knows that FLL is much organized airport than MIA.

  85. miamiorbust Guest

    Simple question: then who should be number 1? I can find fault with MIA but can someone please point me to the glimmering airport of excellence in the US. Above a certain level of service and infrastructure, I'd suggest the criteria, at least in the US, becomes highly subjective with whether or not you like/can tolerate the type of people traveling through that airport weighing heavily on opinions. May be people prefer open shops to...

    Simple question: then who should be number 1? I can find fault with MIA but can someone please point me to the glimmering airport of excellence in the US. Above a certain level of service and infrastructure, I'd suggest the criteria, at least in the US, becomes highly subjective with whether or not you like/can tolerate the type of people traveling through that airport weighing heavily on opinions. May be people prefer open shops to COVID restrictions and abandoned storefronts that littered many airports.

    1. kay_elemeno Member

      I'd put my vote on MSP. Granted it used to be my home airport, but still, I've only very rarely had a bad experience (mostly security lines during peak leisure travel periods). Plus the customer service from their largest tenant is usually pretty stellar.

    2. Towelie196 Member

      DEN. Though you could fault it for its location the airport itself is a pleasure to go to.

    3. Santastico Guest

      Denver? What a zoo!! Plus the number of delays at that airport makes it one of the worst in the world.

    4. Towelie196 Member

      Not sure what you mean. There's always seating, and they consistently rank top 10 in the world in OTP for mega airport, top five in the US.

    5. Santastico Guest

      It is inconvenient. The airport is in the middle of nowhere. It is a trip itself to get from Denver to the airport. Thunderstorms and lightning shuts the airport down all the time (5 times in the last 6 months when I was flying through DEN). Look at statistics, it ranks 3rd in the US for flight delays after ORD and EWR. Rental car is a long trip to get there. Food options are very...

      It is inconvenient. The airport is in the middle of nowhere. It is a trip itself to get from Denver to the airport. Thunderstorms and lightning shuts the airport down all the time (5 times in the last 6 months when I was flying through DEN). Look at statistics, it ranks 3rd in the US for flight delays after ORD and EWR. Rental car is a long trip to get there. Food options are very limited. They better have lots of seats because with so many flight delays they need place for all the people waiting there to sit.

    6. Towelie196 Member

      The statistics say they are top 5 in the US for on time performance at mega airports. Though there is no arguing about distance to the city, I will gladly drive a few minutes longer to an airport that doesn't have PAX crammed like sardines, like MIA, ORD, EWR, etc. Not sure what you mean by limited food options, there have to be a hundred restaurants to choose from.

    7. Santastico Guest

      On time performance? Where did you get that? Read here:
      https://patch.com/colorado/denver/denver-among-worst-airports-country-flight-delays-report

    8. Towelie196 Member

      That article was written by a bunch of intern "analysts". OAG is the official place for OTP statistics. This is for 2019 flights: https://www.oag.com/hubfs/Free_Reports/punctuality-league-2020/Punctuality-League-2020.pdf

  86. SQ51 Guest

    Dallas native here and just curious, do you say that about DFW because it should be higher or lower than 7th? Not questioning your statement, just curious to see your story behind that

    1. Andrew Carlson Guest

      DFW isn’t a great airport. You need to pay a $4 toll just to pick someone up. The skylink connects terminals after security, but only buses connect terminals prior to security. Since parking is not universal like say Atlanta, if you park at terminal A then your return flight is in terminal C (and you have a checked bag)… You would have to take a bus back to your terminal A parking spot which can take 30 minutes of waiting. It’s a horribly designed airport.

    2. SQ51 Guest

      All valid points Andrew, I try to avoid checking a bag whenever possible, regardless of this issue. Curious to see what Lucky has to say, as I bet he hardly originates/terminates here. However at least all the terminals are connected airside unlike some airports

    3. dfw88 Guest

      DFW's certainly not perfect, but if you're getting your bag then taking the bus to your car you're doing it wrong. The trick with DFW is to ride the train to where you car is, drive back to the terminal with the baggage claim, park in the one hour parking (always available) and run in and get your bag.

    4. jak Guest

      If you flew American, you don’t even have to run in to collect your bag, because odds are you still beat it.

    5. D3kingg Guest

      DFW is a great stopover. Just exit baggage claim literally 30 ft through a sliding glass door from airside. Then find your hotel shuttle.
      LAX sucks with the construction. Airport hotel shuttles refuse to pick you up. Uber /Lyft good luck like they want a half mile $9 fare. Take LAXit bus then somehow cross Sepulveda to walk to your hotel on century BLVD.

    6. GBOAC Diamond

      When I was a road warrior in the 90s, I hated DFW for one reason. You never knew which rental car complex (North or south) the rental car bus would take you. So there was no way at the time to offer "gold level Service" with you car waiting for you.
      I would imagine that has been fixed by now.

  87. Sharon Guest

    Really, JFK T4 if pretty good.

    While not the best, I could say it is a very decent terminal. Lines move fast, the airport is clean, and has plenty of light.

    I do agree, SFO or SLC should be ranked above JFK though

  88. Bob Guest

    I had to check to see if today was April 1. If it is not, then it just has to be April 1.

    If MIA and IAH appear on the same list, then we need EWR in that list too.

  89. PDS Guest

    Maybe they ranked it based on the number of passenger ‘incidents’ since Miami easily tops that list

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Towelie196 Member

Rental car process takes extremely long, security is a nightmare so often you can't enjoy the lounges, cramped spaces, driving around the terminal is a nightmare, no people movers due to said cramped spaces, awful awful awful customs (even with Global Entry), trashy on-site hotels. We could keep going!

1
Leigh Guest

Needless to say, it’s all subjective. MIA is nice but not all that amazing, and indeed the gate structure can be inconvenient. Just my list: LAX - each terminal is separately managed (like JFK), so kinda impossible to rate the whole airport, but the Tom Bradley International Terminal is stunning on every level; best in the US. MSP - it’s a great terminal with great local offerings, it sorta has a feeling of being “at home”. Mind you, the piers are stupid long. I do hate the taxi/transport set-up. SEA - maybe the most similar to MSP, though the piers seem a bit shorter. However the taxi/transport set-up is barely better than MSP. DFW - I frequently transfer between the 5 terminals with only 35 min connections, and it’s never been a problem. I sometimes schedule a longer connection to eat at Pappadeux’s (terminals A and C) Louisiana style kitchen. SOO GOOD! The dirty rice, red beans and rice, oysters, and the fried fish in brown butter and walnuts (I forget the fish type) are amazing. Others that rate for me are SFO T2, SFO International for the flight museum, Austin Bergstrm (live music and BBQ…does it get better?!). PDX a bit quirky. I also love the Vancouver and Calgary airports hosted by our friends up north. Maybe Calgary rates higher.

1
John Guest

How good a mega airport is depends largely on whether it’s your origin/destination or your connecting point. For example, DFW is a good O/D airport but a rotten connecting point, unless you happen to connect in the same terminal. ATL and DEN are relatively efficient connecting points because they’re designed for connections, but bad O/D airports. MIA is a terrible connecting airport, but a better O/D airport. The JD Power survey mixes this up, which makes it meaningless. A connecting passenger, for example, could care less about security, check-in, and luggage claim, for example, because those services won’t be used.

1
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