Dulles, Reagan airports receive low rankings on airport satisfaction
Dulles, Reagan airports rank low on airport satisfaction
Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Reagan National Airport (DCA) aren't earning high scores from travelers when it comes to airport satisfaction. That's according to?an annual report by J.D. Power.
WASHINGTON - Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Reagan National Airport (DCA) aren't earning high scores from travelers when it comes to airport satisfaction. That's according to an annual report by J.D. Power.
Dulles is ranked 23rd and Reagan is ranked 20th out of 27 airports—both ranking below average in the large category. More than 30,000 travelers were surveyed for this report.
The study:
J.D. Power’s 2025 North America Satisfaction Study measures overall passenger satisfaction. That also includes travelers’ thoughts on terminal facilities and cleanliness including bathrooms.
Respondents in the survey were asked about:
- Departing experience
- Airport access
- Ease traveling through airport
- Airport staff assessment
- Evaluation of food, beverage and retail
Most importantly, travelers’ trust of the airport is also evaluated—all factors that can contribute to travelers’ airport satisfaction.
"For Reagan and Dulles, they’re pretty crowded, people find it difficult to navigate, things are a little bit old fashioned, a little overstressed, even though there’s been some improvements to the physical structure especially at DCA but they still have a long way to go in those areas," said Michael Taylor, Senior Managing Director of Travel and Hospitality with J.D. Power.
What they're saying:
Ernest Champaign, a Northwest D.C. resident traveling through Reagan said he likes that you can see the runway and you can watch the planes take off, but said they could improve.
"They can have showers, VIP clubs and sleep pods for people who are connecting overnight," he said.
Toni Duron, an Ohio resident traveling through DCA said it was a good experience.
"I think that it’s incredibly efficient," Duron said. "I like the fact that there are people outside to assist with car movement. There's a lot of people in the airport standing around helping."
Dig deeper:
FOX 5 obtained pictures and renderings from the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority showing ongoing projects at Dulles on the left including its VIP lounge and at Reagan, showing Terminal 1 renovations.
JD Power says traveler experience has improved at many airports and construction projects are complete at most airports.
Even so, for Dulles and Reagan there’s room for improvements.
"This side, I hadn’t been over here. Normally I fly on Southwest and I hadn’t seen all the upgrades on this side," traveler Jackson Harris, who lives in Fredericksburg, told FOX 5. "But I like them."
Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) ranked 14th out of 27 airports.
Travelers reportedly find it easier to navigate. Researchers say ultimately, Dulles and Reagan were leapfrogged by airports that completed many of their construction projects.