If you’re traveling within the U.S. and need to connect, Atlanta ranked as the top domestic airport preferred by agents of the Travel Leaders Group. It also ranked as the best for offering services that focus on the needs of business travelers. This, according to a December 2012 survey of 930 travel agents who book air travel for clients.
That’s important to know because business travelers and others spend quite a bit of time at the airport.
“More amenities have been added [at major airports] to appeal to travelers – and in many cases, to occupy their time – while they wait for their flights,” stated Travel Leaders Group CEO Barry Liben in a statement.
“At some of the busiest airports around the United States, there has been an explosion in service such as mini spas and salons, along with a retooling of the retail space toward higher-end goods and electronics. The most significant change has been in the dining options. While food courts still exist, there are more and more health-conscious options and a real trend toward upscale cafés, restaurants and bars,” Liben added.
The following highlights how the best and worst U.S. airports ranked in the survey:
Top 10 U.S. Airports for Business Travel Services
1. Atlanta 42.2%
2. Chicago O’Hare 29.8%
3. Dallas/Ft. Worth 20.5%
4. Minneapolis/St. Paul 18.3%
5. New York (JFK) 15.2%
6. Detroit 12.7%
7. Houston Intercontinental 10.3%
8. Los Angeles 9.0%
9. New York (LGA) 7.5%
10. (tie) Newark 6.3%
10. (tie) San Francisco 6.3%
10. (tie) Washington D.C. (Dulles) 6.3%
Top 10 U.S. Airports for Connecting Flights
1. Atlanta 40.5%
2. Charlotte 25.2%
3. Dallas/Ft. Worth 24.3%
4. Houston Intercontinental 18.2%
5. Detroit 17.5%
6. Minneapolis/St. Paul 16.7%
7. Chicago O’Hare 14.1%
8. Phoenix 10.1%
9. Denver 8.0%
10. (tie) New York (JFK) 7.9%
10. (tie) Salt Lake City 7.9%
Worst 10 U.S. Airports for Connecting Flights
1. Chicago O’Hare 56.3%
2. New York (JFK) 39.4%
3. Atlanta 33.0%
4. New York (LGA) 13.7%
5. Newark 12.2%
6. Miami 11.5%
7. Denver 10.3%
8. Philadelphia 10.0%
9. Dallas/Ft. Worth 9.4%
10. Los Angeles 9.1%
Top U.S. Airports for Amenities
Today, airport amenities can range from spas and yoga rooms to art exhibits and putting greens. When asked, “What do you and your clients consider the top airport for amenities?” Travel Leaders Group agents named (1) Atlanta, (2) Minneapolis/St. Paul, (3) Chicago O’Hare, (4) Dallas/Ft. Worth, and (5) Las Vegas as their Top 5 U.S. airports for amenities. This particular question is based on responses from 489 agents.
Top U.S. Airports for Dining
Some of the most significant upgrades at airport have been to the dining options available to air travelers. When asked, “What do you and your clients consider the top airports for dining?” Travel Leaders Group agents identified (1) Atlanta, (2) Minneapolis/St. Paul, (3) Chicago O’Hare, (4) Dallas/Ft. Worth, and (5) San Francisco as their Top 5. This particular question is based on responses from 526 agents.
These trends are part of a comprehensive travel trends survey which included responses from 1,045 U.S.-based travel agency owners, managers and frontline travel agents from the flagship Travel Leaders brand, along with those affiliated with Travel Leaders Group’s Luxury Travel Network, Nexion, Results! Travel, Travel Leaders Corporate, Tzell Travel Group and Vacation.com units.
Click here for more details about the Travel Leaders Group survey.
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