Honolulu airport near bottom in new satisfaction ranking
A new JD Power survey of large U.S. airports placed Daniel K. Inouye International Airport near the bottom of the rankings. The result comes as Hawaii pursues a nearly $7 billion modernization program. A state transportation official said some upgrades, including a $2.1 billion concourse expansion, are not readily visible to travelers.
The JD Power study placed Honolulu 23rd out of 24 large airports, with only Philadelphia scoring lower. Its score slipped to 604 from 617, and its position fell from 22nd among 27 airports the prior year. Transportation Director Ed Sniffen attributed the shift partly to a changed comparison group and severe weather.
Statewide airport work totals almost $7 billion, with roughly $5 billion planned for Honolulu. A $2.1 billion Diamond Head Concourse project would raise gate count from six to 17, though officials say such construction is not always obvious to passengers. Meanwhile, large-airport satisfaction nationwide rose 13 points.
The ranking may influence how travelers and tourism-dependent businesses view Honolulu as a gateway, though a single survey cannot capture the full passenger experience. Residents and visitors could feel the effects through crowding, delays, or construction disruptions while upgrades continue. Airport workers and state officials may face added scrutiny over spending and timelines. If modernization eventually improves terminals and gate capacity, it could lift satisfaction and support Hawaii’s visitor economy, but those outcomes remain uncertain.