Report says Salt Lake City International Airport emerges as the best airport in the nation

SALT LAKE CITY — Thanks to its punctuality and shiny new terminal, the Salt Lake City International Airport scored the top spot in the country in AirHelp's 2025 report of the world's best airports, and is among the best in the world.

AirHelp, an online flight compensation service, annually releases its AirHelp Score identifying the world's best airports, and the recent 2025 report ranked over 200 airports around the world.

The Salt Lake City International Airport was ranked as the best airport in the U.S., taking eighth place globally with a high score of 8.29 out of 10.

"The investment made into building a new airport is paying off, and we are thrilled to be recognized by AirHelp as No. 1 in the U.S. and eighth globally," said Nancy Volmer, a spokesperson for the airport.

The report's rankings were based on millions of flight records, government statistics and over 13,500 airport reviews that focused on airport staff, cleanliness and wait times from 58 countries.

On-time performance of each airport carried the most weight, making up 60% of the score. Customer opinions on service, and the availability of food and shopping options, each made up 20% of the score.

How the Salt Lake City airport secured the top spot

The Salt Lake airport received an overall score of 8.29, but the ranking also gave scores for individual categories, per AirHelp.

It received an 8.3 for on-time performance, an 8.1 for customer opinion, and an 8.3 for availability of food and shops.

According to Travel + Leisure, there are a few factors that played into the airport's strong performance in the report. One factor was its punctual flights — 84% of the airport's flights arrive on time.

"The airport takes tremendous pride in the No. 1 on-time performance ranking and works closely with the airlines and other partners to insure passengers have a smooth experience from curb to air," Volmer told the Deseret News.

The airport's recent infrastructure upgrades, with a traveler-focused design, also contributed to the high ranking.

Related:

'Nests of respite': Salt Lake City International Airport unveils new sensory room

Salt Lake City International Airport cut the ribbon on its new sensory room on Wednesday, designating a space for those with sensory sensitivity challenges to use when visiting the airport.

The airport's new terminal has been opening in phases since 2020 and is scheduled to be completed in 2026. According to Volmer, when finished, there will be a total of 94 gates and 101 concessions.

Volmer also shared that the New SLC is the first new hub airport in the U.S. built in the 21st century.

Top 3 airports in the U.S.

With an overall ranking of 21st, the Los Angeles International Airport ranked as the second-best airport in U.S.

The third-best airport in the U.S., according to AirHelp, was the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, which ranked 22nd in the world.

Related topics