Minneapolis St. Paul Airport Satisfaction Up from 20 to 2.

This article expresses surprise that MSP airport jumped so high in a JD Power survey.


I was only surprised that it was so low last year! Here's why. I've been traveling through MSP between Asia and hometown Wisconsin for the better part of 20 years. MSP has many advantages:


1) It can handle winter weather. It has enough plows, de-icers, and the like and I've never once been delayed (unlike ORD, Denver)
2) It is right-sized for the traffic. I've never been in a holding pattern coming into MSP (unlike JFK, DTW, ORD, SFO, LAX)
3) It is among the best US immigration and customs entry point. Speedy, efficient, even for int'l visitors. It took me 30 minutes from the door opening on the flight from Tokyo to connecting gate. A similar experience in DTW on a relatively slow day took 90 minutes. Don't even get me started about JFK or LAX!
4) The terminal connections are easy to navigate, shops are friendly, food is even OK. You can even get a nice shoe-shine from some of the best shoe-shiners in the business!
5) Drive up and parking are relatively easy.
6) It is full of friendly Minnesotans!
7) You can get a drink on Christmas day (unlike Detroit)


Perhaps check-in and TSE security could perhaps be a bit better,  but you can probably say that about any airport these days.


So maybe you are all to hard on yourselves! I don't think I've been just lucky each trip (I'm not that lucky!). More likely, the criteria JD Power uses in their survey are not the true indicators of quality. Additionally there is probably too much variance in the test sample year on year.


But if you want to aim higher don't let me stop you! Singapore Changi Airport is actually far superior with Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok airport not far behind.