Philadelphia Airport Ranks Last in Passenger Satisfaction for Sixth Straight Year
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has once again landed at the bottom of the passenger satisfaction rankings among large airports, according to the 2026 J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study.
The result marks the sixth consecutive year that PHL has ranked last in its size category. However, the latest result also contains a more positive signal: PHL's overall satisfaction score improved by 26 points to 596 out of 1,000.
The survey comes as Philadelphia International Airport is undertaking a major modernization program aimed at addressing many of the infrastructure and passenger-experience issues highlighted by travelers.
PHL Scores 596, Despite a Year-on-Year Improvement
J.D. Power's 2026 study surveyed 24,710 travelers in the United States and Canada between July 2025 and July 2026. Airports were assessed across seven aspects of the passenger experience, including ease of travel, trust, terminal facilities, airport staff, departure experience, food and retail, and arrival experience.
Philadelphia International Airport received a score of 596, up from 570 in the previous study.
That improvement, however, was not enough to move PHL out of the bottom position among large airports. The category covers airports handling between 10 million and 32.9 million passengers annually. PHL handled roughly 30.1 million passengers in 2025, putting it near the upper end of that category.
For comparison, Tampa International Airport led the large-airport category with 715 points, while Portland International Airport scored 708 and Dallas Love Field scored 698.
The gap illustrates the challenge facing PHL: its passenger experience has improved, but other airports have also been investing heavily in terminals, navigation, amenities and infrastructure.
Aging Infrastructure Remains a Major Issue
J.D. Power's assessment points toward infrastructure as an important reason Philadelphia continues to struggle.
Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. Power, said PHL needs new terminal facilities and that the existing buildings limit what the airport can accomplish. Local reporting also highlighted the age and space constraints of the airport's facilities.
That matters because passenger satisfaction is not determined solely by customer service.
Crowded gate areas, outdated facilities, difficult passenger flows and limited space can affect the travel experience even when airport employees and airlines perform well.
PHL's position is particularly notable because the airport is a major hub for American Airlines. Nearly 70% of PHL's 2025 passengers traveled with American Airlines, according to reporting on the J.D. Power study.
PHL Is Already Spending Billions on Modernization
The low ranking comes while Philadelphia is carrying out one of the largest airport investment programs in its history.
The city's Department of Aviation said in September that PHL and Northeast Philadelphia Airport are advancing nearly $2 billion in modernization projects under the Transform PHL program. The work includes terminal improvements, new seating and charging facilities, remodeled restrooms, improved signage, accessibility upgrades and new automated exit portals.
The airport's published project information puts the broader capital program at about $1.8 billion, with projects covering terminals, airfield infrastructure, security, information technology and landside facilities.
PHL officials acknowledge that construction itself can temporarily make the passenger experience more difficult. But the airport argues that completed projects should gradually create a smoother journey.
This creates an important distinction between the latest ranking and the airport's longer-term modernization strategy: the J.D. Power survey reflects the passenger experience during a period when major construction is still underway.
Why Airport Satisfaction Matters Beyond Travelers
Airport rankings may appear to be primarily a travel story, but passenger satisfaction also has an economic dimension.
J.D. Power's 2026 study found that passengers who rated their airport experience as perfect spent substantially more inside the terminal than those who considered the experience just acceptable. One report citing the study said the difference averaged $20.22 per passenger, highlighting the connection between airport experience and terminal spending.
That makes improvements in food, beverages, retail, seating and passenger flow relevant not only to travelers but also to airport concession operators, airlines and the broader local economy.
PHL has already been making changes in these areas. Local reporting noted improvements in restrooms, device charging, restaurants and other passenger amenities, while J.D. Power also identified food and retail as areas where PHL has comparatively positive features.
For businesses operating at the airport, a better passenger experience could potentially mean longer dwell times and greater spending opportunities. But the extent of that benefit will depend on whether the airport can also resolve its larger terminal and passenger-flow constraints.
The Investment Story Is About Execution
For investors and business readers, the more important question is not simply why PHL ranked last. It is whether the airport's ongoing capital program can translate into measurable improvements in the coming years.
The city says its modernization program includes more than 100 projects and approximately $2 billion of investment. It has also accelerated capital spending, reporting that annual capital investment rose to about $301 million last year from a historical level of roughly $150 million.
The execution of those projects will therefore be worth watching.
Key indicators include:
Completion of major terminal modernization projects
Improvements in passenger flow and wayfinding
Reduction in congestion at gate and terminal areas
Expansion and modernization of baggage infrastructure
Passenger satisfaction scores in future J.D. Power surveys
Growth in airport retail, food and beverage activity
The ability to complete construction without creating prolonged disruption
PHL also received a $17.568 million FAA Airport Terminal Program grant in 2026 for its Terminal D/E baggage makeup expansion project, adding federal funding to the airport's broader modernization effort.
What Happens Next for Philadelphia International Airport?
The 2026 ranking does not show that PHL has made no progress. In fact, its 26-point improvement is evidence that passenger perceptions have moved in a better direction.
The bigger issue is that the airport still trails its large-airport peers while attempting to modernize facilities that were designed for an earlier era of air travel.
That means the next few J.D. Power surveys could be more informative than the current ranking. If major construction projects are completed and passenger scores continue improving, PHL's position could change. But that outcome depends on execution and the pace at which new facilities become available.
For now, the clearest takeaway is that Philadelphia International Airport remains last among large airports in the 2026 J.D. Power satisfaction study, but its score is improving while a nearly $2 billion transformation is underway.
For travelers, the immediate experience may still include construction and aging facilities. For Philadelphia's aviation and business ecosystem, the longer-term story is whether the investment can convert into a noticeably better airport experience.
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This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.