The Most Efficient And Traveler-Friendly US Airports In 2025

The end of 2025 and winter are upon us. In the coming weeks, AAA expects a record-setting travel season where over eight million Americans will take to the skies to visit family and friends or just get away from the rigamarole for a few days. While some of North America's least passenger-friendly airports are notorious for never rolling out the welcome mat, others go out of their way to not only provide a fun environment for a layover, but also are so well run that you'll more than likely arrive at your destination on time, no matter what the weather is like outside.

If you're looking for those gems, you'll find a few of them in this article, which uses several data sets and rankings to measure which airports rank highest on efficiency and being traveler-friendly. Ratings incorporate annual on-time departure rankings from the U.S. Department of Transportation, along with the Washington Post's 2025 list of the 50 best airports in America and the J.D. Power 2025 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. In short, it's a handy list of great airports where you'll likely be able to make the most out of your airport experience and get to where you're going on time. Many of the best airports featured in this article are out West, though it is not geographically exclusive.

Whether it's the Stumptown Coffee or the airport's beautiful architecture and woody interior, there is something special about Portland International Airport (PDX), a clear model for other airports in the United States. The Washington Post crowned Portland the best airport, largely due to its brand-new state-of-the-art $2 billion terminal. Portland isn't new to the game, though. A decade ago, SmartAsset ranked PDX as the most efficient airport, and Upgraded Points rated Portland International as the best overall airport in the country.

Per the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, just shy of 83% of flights from Portland were categorized as being on time, performing better than Minneapolis-St. Paul and Detroit-Metro, two of the most efficient airports in the country. Moreover, less than 0.37% of flights in 2025 at Portland International Airport have been cancelled. Should you experience bad luck and be on one of the 14% of flights that are delayed leaving PDX, you'll have lounge access within the Priority Pass and Lounge Key networks. Delayed with kids? Don't worry because PDX contains one of the best playground areas at airports in America. It also has 38 restaurants serving a diverse range of cuisines served up by numerous local Portland eateries. One area where Portland International Airport can improve is in transportation to and from the airport. Downtown is a straight shot on the MAX red line; however, it takes about 40 minutes, which is nearly twice as long as driving. 

Southern California's Long Beach Airport (LGB) is a breeze to travel through. Though under-the-radar Long Beach has fewer than 10% of the flight operations as nearby LAX, it also lacks the stress and hassle of navigating the confusing airport and has a simple layout from curb to gate. Security lines at Long Beach Airport are normally quick; on average, it's less than 15 minutes every day of the week — though early mornings tend to be longer. To improve efficiency, the airport opened a new sixth security lane earlier this year and beat Portland on on-time performance, with over 84% of flights leaving as scheduled. 

For the passenger experience, Long Beach Airport won the silver medal in the Washington Post's 2025 list of the 50 best airports in America. Despite having just 11 gates, Long Beach Airport has flights across the country and serves cities nonstop coast to coast, as well as nonstop flights to Hawaii. You can also make a single connection to reach hundreds of cities across the world. While you're waiting in this airport, you'll have one last chance to dip your toes into the sand under a palm tree and enjoy the California sun or even a glass of wine by the fire. In a few years, the airport aims to be even better after security, with major upgrades coming in the terminal building for the 2028 Olympics. If you're flying in to visit Disneyland, or this other nearby theme park without the crowds, Long Beach Airport is just half an hour away.

Over the last decade, Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has transformed into "the first new hub airport built in the U.S. in the 21st century," according to its own website. Earlier this year, AirHelp, an air passenger advocate that developed its own ranking metrics, ranked Salt Lake City International Airport as the best airport in the United States, receiving an 8.29 out of a possible 10. The Washington Post ranked the airport as being ninth in its list. At the time of writing, the most recent departures and arrivals data show that SLC is a well-oiled machine, with 84% and 85% of departing and arriving flights having been on time in the last year. If you're worried about the snow this winter, the airport can likely handle it and has prepared for bad weather as well as the rush of families that will be traveling through the holiday season. SLC was recently ranked second in the nation for reliability by Squaremouth.

Even though the new terminal buildings at SLC cover over 4 million square feet, they are some of the easiest to navigate in the country, as are the TSA lines. Per Upgraded Points, these are the quickest TSA lines in the country. If you're worried about the kids slowing down security, SLC added a specialized "Families on the Fly" lane. Once you're through, spend a few minutes trying some of Utah's local favorites, including delicious local beers and bites at the same prices that you'd pay in town.

One Florida airport bucks the trend of inefficiencies and stress caused by long flight delays and horrific TSA lines in the Sunshine State. Tampa International (TPA) is a ray of sunshine when compared to other airports across Florida, being incredibly easy to navigate and efficient for travelers from curb to gate. The airport's unique and innovative Red and Blue Express Curbsides clearly mark the path for travelers to quickly pass through the airport and skip busy areas, including the ticket counter and baggage claim. To be transparent, Tampa does have a high percentage of flight delays; only 76% of flights were on time according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, though it fared better than Orlando and Miami.

However, Tampa International excels in customer satisfaction, coming in at number 11 on the Washington Post top 50 airports list and scoring second place in the Large Airports category with a score of 709 points on the J.D. Power 2025 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Tampa International beat all mega hubs around the country for customer satisfaction, including this famously friendly Midwestern mega airport. According to this study, passengers held the airport and the airport staff in very high regard, praising the fuss-free layout and the entire airport experience. Tampa's biggest drawbacks are its lack of public transportation (only buses) and weather delays, especially in the summer and fall. Hurricanes and severe storms can cause a full ground stop at the airport, keeping everyone's plans at the gate until the storm passes.

Despite being the busiest airport in the world (it served over 348,000 flights in the last year and over 108 million passengers to six continents, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) brings its A-game every day. The award-winning airport is a clear leader for operational efficiency amongst mega hubs, being named as the world's most efficient airport for 17 years in a row in the past decades at the Air Transport Research Society (ATRS) Global Airport Efficiency Awards, as well as the winner of the 2022 and 2023 Business Traveler Awards for efficiency. Out of roughly 286,000 passengers that fly through Atlanta every day, over 80% are on flights that are on time, and only about 1.2% of the passengers have to deal with cancellations. Transiting to and through the busiest airport in the country is seamless; hop on the MARTA red line to downtown, and you'll be there in less than 30 minutes. If you're transiting at ATL, hop on the Plane Train running 24 hours a day between each of the concourses. 

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson also has a wide network of airport lounges, including American Airlines Admirals Club, United Club, and the independent The Club at ATL lounge, along with Delta Sky Club lounges in every concourse. If you don't have lounge access or would rather try local food on your layover, grab a bite at the top-rated airport in the country for food and beverages, according to Food & Wine.