Toronto Pearson ranked second-last in customer satisfaction survey

J.D. Power has released a new North American airport customer satisfaction study, and the results are unfavourable for Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport ranked highest in passenger satisfaction among mega airports, scoring 671 (based on a 1,000-point scale). Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (643) ranked second, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (633) ranked third.

Toronto Pearson did not fare as well. Among mega airports, it ranked second-last with a score of 559 and just ahead of New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport (552). In 2023, Pearson airport was similarly ranked second from the bottom in overall customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power’s findings.

“Toronto Pearson is deeply committed to operational excellence, passenger experience and customer satisfaction. We have questions about the credibility of the methodology used to determine the J.D. Power ranking,” a Toronto Pearson spokesperson said.

“The survey is heavily skewed toward U.S. travellers and doesn’t verify whether respondents have actually travelled through Toronto Pearson. We remain steadfast in our commitment to making Toronto Pearson one of the most advanced, sustainable, and passenger-friendly airports in the world.”

In the large airports category, Vancouver International Airport finished in the middle of the pack with a score of 634, followed by Calgary International Airport, ranked 22nd (599) and Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport at no. 27 (score of 576).

John Wayne Airport, Orange County, scores 687, the highest among large airports. Tampa International Airport (685) is second, and Kansas City International Airport (683) is third.

“Huge air travel demand has not slowed down in North America, despite the steadily rising costs of flights, ground travel, hotel rooms and pretty much anything you can buy in an airport,” said Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. Power.

“Most travellers are still enjoying the experience. However, we are starting to see a breaking point in consumer spending, with [an] average spend per person in the terminal declining significantly from a year ago.”

The overall passenger satisfaction scores are determined across seven core dimensions, including ease of travel through the airport, level of trust with the airport, terminal facilities, airport staff, departure/to airport experience, food, beverage and retail, and arrival/from airport experience.