TAMPA (970 WFLA) -- Tampa International Airport ranks number five in the nation, and tops in Florida, out of a survey of 30 major U.S. airports conducted by The Points Guy frequent flyer website.
Points Guy editorial director Julian Kheel says the report is based on data collected for three criteria... not subjective polls of travelers. They include how long it takes to get from the airport door to the plane, how easy it is to get to the airport, and how many amenities, such as lounges or restaurants, exist at the airport.
Tampa moved up from #11 in 2016 to number five this year... mainly because it improved its time getting through security and onto the plane, according to Kheel. Miami International came in 12th. Kheel says it does a "decent" job across the board.
Orlando and Fort Lauderdale ranked in the bottom 10. Kheel says Orlando international airport scored poorly because its passenger growth means airport comfort isn't keeping up. Kheel says Fort Lauderdale suffers from delays and cancellations, as well as security delays.
Kheel says Phoenix won as the nation's best airport using those criteria... New York's three airports (Newark, LaGuardia and JFK) dragged the bottom.