The 5 best airports in the world in 2022, according to SkyTrax 1:06
(CNN) --
The amount of air travel is up and passenger satisfaction is down.
This is no surprise to anyone who has passed through airports during the summer.
JD Power's 2022 North American Airport Satisfaction Study, released Wednesday, shows overall satisfaction is down 25 points on a 1,000 scale from the 2021 score. Newark Liberty International Airport had the worst score among mega airports.
The overall satisfaction score for North American airports in 2022 was 777.
Passenger volume in the US is approaching pre-pandemic levels.
On Sunday, the US Transportation Security Administration recorded 2,371,992 passengers at airport checkpoints.
That figure is 94% from the same day of the week in 2019.
But travelers are finding themselves with fewer flights, more crowded terminals and limited food and drink options, says the new JD Power study.
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"The combination of pent-up demand for air travel, labor shortages across the country, and steadily rising prices on everything from jet fuel to a bottle of water have created a scenario where airports are extremely crowded and passengers are increasingly frustrated," said Michael Taylor, head of Travel Intelligence at JD Power, in a statement.
And Taylor expects this unfortunate set of circumstances to continue into 2023.
These are the world's worst airports for delays and cancellations this summer
The 25-point drop follows a record level of satisfaction with North American airports (802 on the 1,000-point scale) in last year's study, which included passenger surveys from the second half of 2020.
However, as the survey progressed into 2021, and in the third and fourth waves of the study, traveler satisfaction steadily declined as passenger volume increased again.
The 2022 study was conducted between August 2021 and July 2022, as air travel continued to pick up.
Passengers wait in line inside the Newark Liberty International Airport terminal on November 24, 2021. (Photo: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
It was based on more than 26,500 surveys of US or Canadian residents who had traveled through at least one US or Canadian airport in the past 30 days.
Travelers rated a departure or arrival airport for their round trip.
The study, which is in its 17th year, examines traveler satisfaction with airports in three categories: mega-airports, large airports and mid-size airports.
Satisfaction is determined by taking into account six factors, listed in order of importance: terminal facilities, airport arrival/departure, baggage claim, security screening, check-in/baggage check, and food , beverage and retail.
Which airports are the most satisfactory for travelers?
And which ones fall short?
The most and least satisfactory North American mega-airports
Among the mega-airports evaluated in the study - those with 33 million or more passengers per year - Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport ranks highest for customer satisfaction, with a score of 800 out of 1,000.
According to Taylor, upgrading the airport terminal facilities has helped him rank first in satisfaction.
Last year's construction and renovations were reflected in this year's results, he said.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, seen here in August 2022, earned the highest score for traveler satisfaction among North American mega-airports.
(Photo: Kirby Lee/AP)
Although some improvement projects are still underway, the airport has had comparatively quiet summer operations, said Kathleen Bangs, a spokeswoman for flight-tracking site FlightAware who used to work for the Minneapolis-St.
"Despite numerous construction and improvement projects taking place this summer, the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport has seen fewer delays and cancellations than other airports of its size," Bangs told CNN Travel. in late August, in response to questions about the airport's performance in summer.
He attributed it to management and possibly fewer storms than other major airports.
San Francisco International Airport (score 796) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (791) are also among the top airports in the satisfaction study.
At the bottom of the list of mega-airports is Newark Liberty International Airport, with a score of 719 out of 1,000.
According to Taylor, airports under construction or undergoing renovations often score poorly for terminal facilities.
Travelers wait at Newark Liberty International Airport on July 1, 2022. The airport was plagued by cancellations and delays this summer.
(Photo: Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)
Newark's $2.7 billion Terminal A renovation is expected to open later this year, and there are big plans to improve the food, drink and retail offerings in the new terminal.
"But those upgrades won't be available to passengers for a while. Rome wasn't built in a day... and neither are new airport terminals," Taylor said by email.
The fact that Newark has the lowest satisfaction rating among the largest airports comes as no surprise to summer travelers.
High levels of cancellations and delays plagued the airport during the busy summer season.
Also at the bottom of the list: Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (751) and Los Angeles International Airport (753).
Most and least satisfactory large and medium airports in North America
Among large airports - those with between 10 and 32.9 million passengers a year - Tampa International Airport ranked first for customer satisfaction, with a score of 846 out of 1,000.
Orange County, California's John Wayne Airport (826) and Dallas Love Field (825) also scored well.
At the bottom of the list of large airports is Philadelphia International Airport (729).
Among medium-sized airports - those with between 4.5 and 9.9 million passengers a year - Indianapolis International Airport ranked first with a score of 842 out of 1,000.
Pittsburgh International Airport (839) and Jacksonville International Airport (826) ranked second and third for satisfaction.
California's Hollywood Burbank Airport ranked last on the list of medium-sized airports for traveler satisfaction, with a score of 763.
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