Tampa Named No. 1 Large Airport In 2022 J.D. Power Study

TAMPA, FL — Tampa International Airport has claimed the top spot this year after being in third place in 2019 and second place in the past two years.

J.D. Power has named TPA the No. 1 Large Airport in the 2022 North American Airport Satisfaction Study.

Each year, J.D. Power, a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics, ranks different aspects of airports around the country in its satisfaction study.

The company said air traveler satisfaction with North American airports reached an all-time high in 2021 when passenger volumes were still just a fraction of the historic norm. Now, as global passenger volume ticks back up to 91 percent of pre-pandemic levels and labor shortages have caused a record number of flight cancellations, those sky-high satisfaction scores have fallen down to Earth.

In the latest study released Wednesday, overall satisfaction was down 25 points (on a 1,000-point scale) this year as travelers encountered fewer flights, more crowded terminals and sparse food and beverage offerings.

“The combination of pent-up demand for air travel, the nationwide labor shortage and steadily rising prices on everything from jet fuel to a bottle of water have created a scenario in which airports are extremely crowded and passengers are increasingly frustrated—and it is likely to continue through 2023,” said Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power.

“In some ways, this is a return to normal as larger crowds at airports tend to make travelers more frazzled, but in cases where parking lots are over capacity, gates are standing-room-only and restaurants and bars are not even open to offer some reprieve, it is clear that increased capacity in airports can’t come soon enough," Taylor said.

Nevertheless, there were some standouts across the country.

The 2022 North America Airport Satisfaction Study measured overall traveler satisfaction with mega, large and medium North American airports by examining six factors (in order of importance): terminal facilities; airport arrival/departure; baggage claim; security check; check-in/baggage check; and food, beverage and retail.

Mega airports are defined as those with 33 million or more passengers per year; large airports with 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year; and medium airports with 4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year.

• Tampa International Airport ranked highest among in the large airport category for passenger satisfaction with a score of 846.
• John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, (826) ranked second.
• And Dallas Love Field in Texas (825) ranked third.
• In the medium airport category, Indianapolis International Airport ranked highest with a score of 842.
• Pittsburgh International Airport (839) ranked second.
• While two other Florida airports, Jacksonville International Airport (826) and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers (826) tied for third.
• In the mega airport category, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport ranked highest in passenger satisfaction with a score of 800.
• San Francisco International Airport (796) ranked second.
• And Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (791) and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York (791) tied for third.

Some key findings in the 2022 study include:

• Crowds back to pre-pandemic levels: Overall customer satisfaction with North American airports fell 25 points to 777 this year amid rampant flight cancellations and crowded terminals. More than half (58 percent) of airport travelers described the airport terminal as severely or moderately crowded, nearly in line with 2019 when 59 percent of travelers said their airport was severely/moderately crowded.
• Inflation hits the airport: Nearly one-fourth (24 percent) of travelers said they did not make any food or beverage purchases at the airport because they were too expensive. That’s up from 20 percent in 2021 and 23 percent in 2019. Similarly, traveler satisfaction with the reasonableness of food and beverage pricing declined this year.
• Nowhere to park: Some big declines in traveler satisfaction this year are found in the parking lot, where a shortage of space has caused satisfaction with surface parking lots to decline 45 points from 2021. Meanwhile, 14 percent of travelers say parking was more expensive than they expected, up from 12 percent in 2021 and 11 percent in 2019.

Now in its 17th year, the study is based on 26,529 completed surveys from U.S. or Canadian residents who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport, and covers both departure and arrival experiences (including connecting airports) during the past 30 days.

Travelers evaluated either a departing or arriving airport from their round-trip experience. The study was fielded from August 2021 through July 2022.

Despite the overall rating drop around the country, Joe Lopano, CEO of Tampa International Airport, was pleased to see TPA receive a top ranking.

TPA serves more than 21 million annual passengers, with routes to an estimated 90 nonstop destinations around the world.

As part of TPA's largest construction program in its history, the airport recently completed several projects including a major main terminal renovation featuring 66 shops and restaurants, a 1.4-mile automated people mover extending to a multi-level rental car facility, award-winning Blue Express curbsides, a nine-story office complex and numerous public art installations, including the now-famous 21-foot pink flamingo in the main terminal.

Earlier this month, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved the Aviation Authority’s Fiscal Year 2023 Capital and Operating Budget, which includes the new $787.4 million terminal, Airside D.

Airside D highlights:

• Construction is expected to start in 2024 and be completed in 2027.
• The new terminal will enable the airport to serve an additional 13 million passengers by 2037.
• Airside D’s 16 gates will serve domestic and international flights, bringing TPA’s total gates to 72.
• The building will be about 563,000 square feet with vast concessions space, an outdoor terrace, state-of-the-art customs and security facilities, as well as new screening, gate check-in and bag processing technologies.

The Airside D project was originally slated to begin in 2021, but was delayed due to COVID-19. This will be the fifth airside terminal at TPA, the first new one in more than 17 years, and will be paid for with a mix of federal and state grants, and airport-issued bonds.

“Airside D will help us continue our tradition of staying ahead of trends and our region’s growth,” Lopano said. “Our new terminal’s bright, open spaces will feature the latest in technology and convenience for our passengers and will deliver the 5-star travel experience for which TPA is known.”

The aviation authority’s approved capital and operating budget includes the following projections for fiscal year 2023, from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2023:

• Passengers: 23.4 million, a nearly 9 percent increase over FY22.
• Revenues: $343.5 million, a $26.6 million increase over FY22.
• Operating Expenses: $175.6 million, a $19.1 million increase over FY22.
• Capital Program: 29 projects totaling $891.8 million

The Airside D project is part of the airport’s capital program and is the third and final phase of TPA’s master plan. The master plan is an Federal Aviation Administration-required blueprint for development aimed at decongesting airport facilities and enabling future growth.

Phases 1 and 2 included several major projects including the Main Terminal redevelopment, the rental car center, SkyConnect Automated People Mover, roadway expansion, a central utility plant, the award-winning Blue Express Curbsides for passengers without checked luggage, and the new SkyCenter One office building.