Chicago’s airports are outdated, crowded and relatively unpleasant for the people passing through them, according to a new survey of travelers.
O’Hare and Midway airports ranked nearly last in the yearly survey of North American airports by market research firm J.D. Power.
The airports scored poorly on concessions and facilities, such as access to parking lots, according to Michael Taylor, J.D. Power’s managing director of travel, hospitality and retail.
O’Hare also scored poorly because it has fallen behind on upgrades ahead of an expected multi-billion-dollar renovation.
“Very often, we see scores go down for airports about to go into renovation,” Taylor said. “If you’re going to redo a house, you’re not going to paint it or redo the backroom.”
O’Hare ranked 18th among the 20 largest airports in the 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study that surveyed 26,000 travelers.
The airport has lost its spot as one of the busiest airports in the country. O’Hare came in fifth in passenger volume in 2023 with 73.9 million passengers, according to the Airports Council International-North America.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest in the country with 107 million passengers last year, ranked just ahead of O’Hare in J.D. Power’s survey at 17th.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport came in first among the largest airports.
O’Hare’s ranking has been up and down in the past few years but has been generally near the bottom of the continent’s “mega” airports. O’Hare ranked 15th in last year’s survey. It came in second-to-last the year before.
Midway’s ranking has also been up and down. It placed 23rd of 27 among midsize airports this year. It placed 19th last year, and 20th the year before. The airport recently completed an expansion of its security screening area.
The Chicago Department of Aviation, which runs both airports, said in a statement that it “remains committed to continually enhancing passenger experience at both airports.”
The department said O’Hare was named last week the “most connected” airport in America by the Official Aviation Guide’s 2024 Megahubs Index and has been named “best airport” for 20 consecutive years by Global Traveler, a magazine for frequent luxury travelers.
The airport has also begun its massive O’Hare 21 Terminal Area Plan, which includes the construction of two satellite concourses and a new Global Terminal in place of Terminal 2. The first satellite concourse is underway, with a target completion date of 2028, the Aviation Department said.
The Aviation Department also emphasized the improvement and expansion of food concessions at both airports.
J.D. Power’s survey considered seven factors: ease of travel through airport; level of trust with airport; terminal facilities; airport staff; departure/to airport experience; food, beverage and retail; and arrival/from airport experience.
The survey also found that happier passengers spend more money at airports. Taylor said it’s another reason for airports to care about their customer satisfaction. The average passenger spent $24.66 while passing through an airport, while passengers who said they had a “perfect” experience spent $42.49, Taylor said.
Joseph Schwieterman, a transportation professor and researcher at DePaul University, said Chicago’s airports have a lot of catching up to do. He noted that Midway’s ranking was likely hurt because it was undergoing a renovation of its food court.
“The expectation of travelers is rising as other cities complete massive renovations,” Schwieterman said. “The need for more restaurants and concessions is front and center. Also, fumbling through corridors with low ceilings onto jam-packed flights is not an uplifting experience.”