scorecardNorth America's 15 Most Satisfying Airports
  1. Home
  2. Transportation
  3. North America's 15 Most Satisfying Airports

North America's 15 Most Satisfying Airports

15. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

North America's 15 Most Satisfying Airports

14. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

14. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

Frustration Index: 46.4

Why it's pleasant: With an average commute time of just 18 minutes from downtown Boston, Logan Airport is the most easily reached facility featured in Bloomberg's 36-airport survey. In addition, Logan's 80% on-time rating is 12th best on the list. Survey respondents gave the airport's security setup, restrooms, and food/shopping facility solid, but not spectacular, ratings.

13. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

13. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

Frustration Index: 45.6

Why it's pleasant: According to survey respondents, Reagan National Airport has one of the best-managed check-in and security processes in North America. In fact, only Tampa, Portland, and Austin scored better. With an average trip of 32 minutes from the heart of D.C., DCA has the 6th fastest commute. In addition, Reagan National also manages to get 80% of its flights out on time. The airport's only major weak point is its poorly rated dining and retail offerings.

12. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)

12. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)

Frustration Index: 44.8

Why it's pleasant: As a annual contender for the title of World's Busiest Airport, its somewhat surprising to see Hartsfield-Jackson so high on our list. With easy access to and from the heart of Atlanta available via MARTA trains and a several highways, ATL finished with the second easiest commute at just 22 minutes.

The airport's 79% on-time percentage is good enough for 14th best. However that's very good considering its closest rival in terms of passenger volume, Chicago O'Hare, languishes in 35th place, with only 69% of flights leaving on time. Like a few of the other airports on this list, Hartsfield-Jackson did not exhibit any glaring weaknesses, but it's amenities also didn't manage to wow many passengers.

11. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County International Airport (DTW)

11. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County International Airport (DTW)

Frustration Index: 43.9

Why it's pleasant: With 83% of flights departing on time, Detroit Metro Airport has the fifth best on-time numbers. Survey reviewers gave the Airport's check-in and security setup some of the highest ratings in the study. Flyers have also given DTW's bathrooms some impressively high marks.

10. San Diego International Airport Lindbergh Field (SAN)

10. San Diego International Airport Lindbergh Field (SAN)

Frustration Index: 38.1

Why it's pleasant: San Diego International brings us into the top 10 of Bloomberg's list of least frustrating airports. The small, single-runway facility manages to get 77% of its flights out on time and can be reached via car or public transit from downtown San Diego is 38 minutes. San Diego's security lines and bathrooms scored well. However, it food and retail offers received less positive ratings.

9. Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport (MSP)

9. Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport (MSP)

Frustration Index: 36.2

Why it's pleasant: Minneapolis-St. Paul International was a long-time hub for Northwest — Delta — Airlines. MSP manages to get 82% of its flights out on time — good enough for sixth place on the list. Respondents also gave the airport's dining and retail offerings some of the highest marks in the survey.

8. Ottawa International Airport (YOW)

8. Ottawa International Airport (YOW)

Frustration Index: 35

Why it's pleasant: Serving Canada's national capitol, Ottawa International racked up some of the highest ratings in the survey for its security lines and bathrooms. The airport also has the best on time percentage — 85% — of the 36 major facilities included in the survey. On the downside, the 60-minute commute from the city center to the airport is one of the longest on the list, and its food and shopping garnered some of the lowest ratings in the survey.

7. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

7. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

Frustration Index: 31.7

Why it's pleasant: SeaTac is the first of Pacific Northwest airports to appear on the list. It's position as a major hub for Alaska Airlines and Delta's new gateway to the Pacific rim, the airport is now become one of the busiest in the region. The airport manages to get a fantastic 83% of its flights off on time. Reviewers also found SeaTac's facilities to be solid.

6. Tampa International Airport (TPA)

6. Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Frustration Index: 29.5

Why it's pleasant: Survey respondents absolutely loved Tampa International. The airport finished with the highest rated security lines and bathrooms along with the second highest rated food and retail offerings. What kept Tampa from reaching the top of the list is its 19th-ranked on-time performance: only 77% of flights take to air on schedule.

5. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

5. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Frustration Index: 28.3

Why it's pleasant: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport made into the top five with a solid all-around performance. The airport managed to get 79% of its flights out on time and is located just 34 minutes away from the heart of Phoenix by car or public transit.

4. Calgary International Airport (YYC)

4. Calgary International Airport (YYC)

Frustration Index: 27.7

Why it's pleasant: Calgary International makes it into the fourth spot on Bloomberg's list based on high survey ratings for it's security lines and bathrooms. The airport's 82% on-time rating is good enough for 8th best out of the 36 airports featured.

3. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)

3. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)

Frustration Index: 23.1

Why it's pleasant: Austin-Bergstrom International's impressive finish comes on the back of its highly touted amenities. In fact, its security lines and bathrooms both finished as the third highest rated on the survey. I's restaurants also garnered praise from respondents. Austin also finished as the 13th easiest airport to access, but its 23rd-ranked on-time percentage prevented it from moving any farther up the list.

2. Portland Oregon International Airport (PDX)

2. Portland Oregon International Airport (PDX)

Frustration Index: 18.4

Why it's pleasant:Portland International finished with the best all-around airport amenities on the list. Its shops and restaurants were finished with the highest ratings in the survey by a long shot while its bathrooms and securities lines both finished second to Tampa. Portland also managed to get 82% of its flights out on time.

1. Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

1. Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Frustration Index: 17.6

Why it's pleasant: Vancouver is once again the highest rated airport in North America. Although the amenities at YVR are not highly rated as Portland, they're still very impressive. At 85%, Vancouver is tied with Ottawa and Montreal for the best on-time percentage.

Here are Bloomberg's 15 MOST frustrating airports in America.

Here are Bloomberg

Advertisement