One New York airport is not among the worst in the country. In fact, it’s better than average—thanks to amenities that are tops in the nation, according to a new ranking.
John F. Kennedy International Airport earned a surprising score in a new study by The Points Guy, a resource for travel news. JFK’s No. 1 ranking in amenities helped place it No. 22 overall among the nation’s 50 busiest airports. Other studies have routinely judged JFK among the worst among major U.S. airports, with nearby LaGuardia Airport typically ranked lower if not last.
The study took 34 factors into account, including commute time, flight delays and cancellations, ride-hailing prices, restaurants, lounges, and security wait times.
Offsetting JFK’s high finish in amenities was its long commute time (No. 49) and third-worst record for on-time flights. The three local airports accounted for the bottom three rankings in both commute time and flight delays, largely because of congested airspace and roadways and no one-seat train ride to Manhattan.
Newark Liberty International Airport had the nation’s worst commute time and on-time flight record, though it did finish fourth in amenities, pushing its overall ranking to 34th out of 50.
LaGuardia’s ranking (No. 45) was dragged down by its third-worst commute time and second-worst on-time flight record. It was No. 12 in amenities. Major construction is underway at the Flushing airport, and an AirTrain link to Willets Point is in the works, although that multibillion-dollar project is not expected to shorten the trip to Manhattan much.
A spokesman for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, which operates JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports, said in a statement, “With an unprecedented $30 billion committed to transforming our region’s airports into true 21st-century gateways—and a relentless focus on improving the customer experience—we’re committed to taking the region’s airports from the back of the pack to world-class.”
Among the 50 U.S. airports with the highest passenger volume, San Diego International Airport was ranked best overall, followed by airports in Phoenix, Portland (Oregon), Atlanta, and Sacramento.
Chicago-Midway was judged the worst overall, followed by airports in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Detroit.
