NYC's LaGuardia Airport jumps from worst-ranked to best after $8BILLION upgrade, survey finds

Extensive upgrades made to LaGuardia Airport have proven to be a hit with travelers. 

The New York airport, which has a history of being ranked 'the worst airport in the US,' is now one of the best in the country, according to a new survey. 

The travel gateway was ranked the number one airport in North America of the terminals which welcome 25 to 40 million passengers per year, according to recent research from Airport Service Quality's (ASQ). 

'Taking LaGuardia Airport from worst to best is now more than just an aspiration, it’s an accomplishment that passengers have now resoundingly recognized,' said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.

More than 4,200 travelers participated in the Departures and Arrivals Survey throughout 2023 and found favorable conditions to vote the airport as the best. 

The hype comes nearly 10 years after the airport, located in Queens, started undergoing a massive $8 billion renovation.

LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York was ranked the number one airport in North America that has 25 to 40 million passengers per year

More than 4,200 fliers at LaGuardia Airport participated in the survey throughout 2023 during the end stages of the renovation project

The airport's $8 billion renovation began in 2016, which saw all but one of its terminals being demolished and rebuilt

LaGuardia Airport covers over 650 acres of land that was used for the Gala Amusement Park and later as a private flying field before it was built.

According to the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, the airport construction began to take advantage of convenient accessibility to Manhattan through the newly built Queens-Midtown Tunnel.

It was called Glenn H. Curtiss Airport when it opened in December 1939 and had undergone multiple name changes before officials finally named it LaGuardia Airport in 1953.

The airport was named after New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia, who served three terms from 1933 to 1945.

LaGuardia's bad reputation eventually began around the 2000s, and by 2014, the airport was named as the most frustrating airport in the US and Canada.

Despite starting its renovation project in 2016, the airport was ranked as the worst large airport in the US by JD Power in 2017.

The airport covers over 650 acres of land that was used for the Gala Amusement Park and later as a private flying field before it was built

Its bad reputation eventually began around the 2000s, and by 2014, the airport was named as the most frustrating airport in the US and Canada

It was the inspiration behind a popular 2020 Saturday Night Live sketch called Airport Sushi.

The sketch features a variety of cast members singing parodies of Broadway songs that focus on 'the horrors to come after consuming the sushi' from LaGuardia.

Unfortunately, LaGuardia's renovation hasn't helped its reputation of delayed or canceled flights.

Officials at AirAdvisor analyzed data from more than 40,000 flights that were published by the  Bureau of Transportation in summer 2022.

They found that LaGuardia was within the top six worst airports in the US to have flights be delayed or not arrive on time.

These issues have seemingly played no role in ASQ's survey results and the renovation project has been smooth since it began.

The history of the airport's poor reviews was one an inspiration behind a 2020 Saturday Night Live sketch called Airport Sushi, which features parodies of Broadway songs

AirAdvisor analyzed data from more than 40,000 flights in 2022 and found that LaGuardia was one of the worst airports in the US to have flights be delayed or not arrive on time 

Terminal B was one of the freshly-built areas and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled the airport's Arrivals and Departures Hall in 2020

Various roadways and terminals at LaGuardia have been revamped and removed.

Every terminal and concourse besides the Marine Air Terminal was demolished and replaced.

Terminal B was one of the freshly-built areas and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled the airport's Arrivals and Departures Hall in 2020.

Cuomo referred to the airport then as 'breathe taking' and called it 'a magnificent facility.'

The hall also has various restaurants and has public art installations created by the Public Art Fund on its walls.

'When we started out on our $8 billion transformation of LaGuardia, few believed we could create the world-class airport our region deserves,' said Cotton. 

'But the ASQ award proves that seeing is believing.'