Americans Say Air Travel and Hotels Are Back to the Bad Old Days

2/2 © Bloomberg. Travelers wait to check-in in the international terminal at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, June 13, 2022. The Biden administration is lifting its requirement that all travelers test negative for coronavirus before flying to the US, amid pressure from airlines that viewed the measure as excessive and blamed it for depressing ticket purchases. 2/2

(Bloomberg) -- With life returning to normal, the post-pandemic travel boom has created a burst of grumpy customers.

Crowded airports, jammed parking lots and standing-room only bars and restaurants have left many feeling frazzled. Satisfaction with the overall experience slipped on a measure of traveler sentiment on J.D. Power’s 2022 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, after hitting an all-time high in 2021 when passenger volumes were low. And there doesn’t appear to be any relief in sight.

“The combination of pent-up demand for air travel, the nationwide labor shortage and steadily rising prices on everything from jet fuel to a bottle of water have created a scenario in which airports are extremely crowded and passengers are increasingly frustrated—and it is likely to continue through 2023,” Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power, said in the report.

Inflation is also taking a bite out of the adventure.

Nearly a quarter of the travelers surveyed said they didn’t make any food or beverage purchases at the airport because they were too expensive and that parking, which also costs more, was nearly impossible to find.

Of the US airports with 33 million or more passengers a year, here are the four that scored the highest on passenger satisfaction ratings:

1. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
2. San Francisco International Airport
3. John F. Kennedy International Airport (tied) Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (tied)

And passengers were least satisfied with:

1. Newark Liberty International Airport
2. O’Hare International Airport
3. Los Angeles International Airport
4. Boston Logan International Airport.

Tampa International Airport, John Wayne Airport in Orange County and Dallas Love Field topped the list of best large airports serving 10 million to 32.9 million passengers a year. 

Read More: As Global Entry Delays Hit 18 Months, Travelers (NYSE:TRV) Are Steered to TSA PreCheck

Satisfaction with hotel service has been dropping as well. JD (NASDAQ:JD) Power’s North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study conducted in July showed a growing unhappiness with costs, fees and lack of staffing, cleanliness, in-room amenities and food and beverage offerings. Ritz-Carlton ranked highest in satisfaction with luxury stays and Hard Rock Hotels topped the list for upper upscale establishments.

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