The Portland International Airport has been riding high lately, topping best airport lists and even earning a prestigious international honor. Now, it’s time for a slice of humble pie.
A 2025 ranking by J.D. Power released Wednesday ranks North American airports based on its Overall Customer Satisfaction Index and, perhaps to the shock of PDX super fans, the Portland airport is not at the top.
J.D. Power, a consumer intelligence and data analytics company known for its “industry performance benchmark” studies, measures airport passenger satisfaction across “seven core dimensions”: ease of travel through an airport; level of trust with an airport; the terminal facilities; airport staff; the experience of departing to and arrival from the airport; and food, beverage and retail options. Airports are divided into three lists by size: medium, large and mega.
The Portland International Airport, which is considered a large airport, ranked sixth (SIXTH!) on that list. That was an improvement for PDX, which ranked eighth on the list in 2024 and 12th in 2023. That said, the airport topped the large airports list in 2015 and 2016.
While PDX fared better than other Pacific Northwest airports, besting both the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the Vancouver International Airport, it couldn’t keep up with the competition. The Portland International Airport’s Overall Customer Satisfaction Index ranking of 683 put it far below the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, which topped the large airports list with a ranking of 730.
Also besting Portland’s airport were the Tampa International Airport (709), Dallas Love Field (705), Kansas City International Airport (691) and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (688). No mega airports scored a ranking above Portland, though six of the medium-sized ones did.
While many travelers and airport rankers have been lauding the Portland International Airport’s new main terminal – which opened in 2024 and immediately began turning heads with its wood-beamed ceiling, live trees, and new dining and retail options – it was apparently not enough for the people behind the J.D. Power rankings.
How might PDX move up in future rankings?
In truth, the airport will probably focus on its ongoing upgrades. The rest of the new construction is expected to wrap up in early 2026, which will mean new shops, new restaurants, more amenities and, crucially, shorter walks to and from the gates. Will that be enough to top the list? Time will tell.
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