How This NJ Airport Ranked For Reliability, Value And Convenience

NEW JERSEY — Newark Liberty Internation Airport is the worst large airport in the country when it comes to on-time flights, short layovers and the amenities travelers want, according to The Wall Street Journal’s 2023 U.S. Airport Rankings of the nation’s 50 busiest airports.

The rankings were released last week ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel season. An estimated 4.7 million people planned to fly to their destinations, more than in any year since 2005, according to AAA.

Using government data, a survey of travelers by data partner Dynata and other sources, The Journal looked at 30 different factors that can affect the trip, from buying a ticket to arriving at the destination. The overall score is based on two important measures: first, reliability, and second, value and convenience.

The ranking includes both large airports and midsize airports. No airport in either category came close to a perfect 100 score, The Journal said. Here’s how New Jersey’s busiest airport stacked up:

Newark Liberty International Airport
Ranked 20th of 20 large airports

• Reliability: 18.6
• Value and convenience: 56.7
• Overall score: 37.6

Among other large airports, the five best-performing are:

1. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona
2. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota
3. Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California
4. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia
5. Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport, Detroit, Michigan

The five lowest-performing large airports are:

20. Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey
19. John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City
18. Orlando International Airport, Orlando, Florida
17. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
16. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

The five best-performing midsize airports are:

1. San Jose Mineta International Airport, San Jose, California
2. San Antonio International Airport, San Antonio, Texas
3. Sacramento International Airport, Sacramento, California
4. Indianapolis International Airport, Indianapolis, Indiana
5. William P. Hobby Airport, Houston, Texas

The five worst-performing midsize airports are:

30. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico
29. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia
28. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Texas
27. Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
26. San Diego International Airport, San Diego, California