The best airports in the US ranking is here. See where Phoenix Sky Harbor landed
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport maintains its place as one of the country's leading airports in a new airport satisfaction study.
Sky Harbor ranked as the No. 3 mega airport on J.D. Power's 2025 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, maintaining its place from 2024. Mega airports are airports with 33 million or more passengers per year.
The Phoenix airport maintained its high ranking in a year when airports nationwide experienced improved customer satisfaction despite crowded terminals from increasing passenger traffic, flight disruptions and higher prices, said Michael Taylor, J.D. Power's managing director of travel, hospitality and retail.
An airplane takes off over the parking lot at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022.
The top mega airport for 2025 is Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, its rank also unchanged from 2024.
How was J.D. Power's 2025 airport ranking conducted?
J.D. Power's 2025 airport satisfaction study, its 20th, was compiled from 30,439 surveys of U.S. and Canadian residents who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport between July 2024 and July 2025.
It evaluated airports based on customer experiences in seven categories:
- Ease of travel through the airport.
- Level of trust with the airport.
- Terminal facilities.
- Airport staff.
- Departure experience.
- Food, beverage and retail.
- Arrival experience.
Why is Phoenix Sky Harbor No. 3 in J.D. Power's airport ranking?
Sky Harbor ranked No. 3, maintaining its rank from 2024. When it achieved the third-place spot last year, it was a 10-spot improvement from 2023 and the airport's best position since topping the survey in 2020.
Like 2024, Sky Harbor performed above average in six of the seven categories, winning acclaim from travelers for the level of trust in the airport and its accessibility, Taylor said.
Sky Harbor has "a great reputation" with the traveling public because it does so well with basic operations and reliability, he said.
"Other than a few dust storms, you don't have a lot of adverse (weather) impacts from flying," Thomas said. "They think the airport is calm. They think the airport is reliable."
Sky Harbor continued to lag behind other airports for its food, beverage and retail options, but passengers surveyed said it's improved from previous years, Thomas said.
Overall, Thomas thinks plans for innovation and added excitement could help Sky Harbor rank higher in the future. The last time it was higher on J.D. Power's survey was when it ranked as the No. 1 airport of 2020.
What the Phoenix airport says about 2025 best airports ranking
Sky Harbor continues to evolve and enhance its customer experience to fulfill a vision "to provide an extraordinary airport for a thriving Phoenix," airport spokeswoman Heather Shelbrack said.
She pointed to upcoming infrastructure improvements such as the ongoing Taxiway U construction and a new concourse in Terminal 3, new and upcoming international routes like Aeromexico's Phoenix-Mexico City flights and Taipei flights via China Airlines and Starlux, as well as expanded airport dining options such as Tacos Chiwas, Garrett Popcorn and SanTan Spirit House.
Shelbrack also highlighted programs aimed at making Sky Harbor "America's Friendliest Airport," such as its recently launched Culture Corner activities in Terminal 3, programs for travelers who need special assistance like the twice-a-year Dementia-Friendly Travel Workshop — the first of its kind in the world — and the Navigator volunteer program, which also includes the popular Navigator Buddy therapy dogs.
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The best airports in the US ranking is here. See where Phoenix Sky Harbor landed
