Laguardia Airport named best U.S. airport by forbes travel guides first verified air travel awards

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today announced LaGuardia Airport’s selection as the best airport in the United States by Forbes Travel Guide, which released its first Verified Air Travel Awards based on a survey of 5,000 hospitality and travel expert and the guide’s most well-traveled fliers. Today’s recognition is the latest in a long list of accolades given to LaGuardia throughout the course of the airport’s historic $8 billion transformation from what was once the nation’s worst airport into what is now its best.

• Survey of 5,000 of Forbes’ Most Traveled Fliers and Hospitality and Luxury Travel Experts Recognize LaGuardia’s Recently Completed Transformation from Worst to Best in Nation
• LaGuardia’s Latest of Many Accolades Validate the Port Authority’s Vision for Creating a World-Class Passenger Experience at the Region’s Airports

The inaugural Forbes Travel Guide honors were awarded in 22 categories across the airline and aviation industry, including an award for Best U.S. Airline Lounge, which went to Delta One at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 4, recently underwent a $1.5 billion modernization and expansion project, part of the overall $19 billion transformation taking place at JFK.

LaGuardia Airport has been winning national and international accolades since the first new passenger facilities started opening, including the coveted 2021 Prix Versailles from UNESCO, recognizing LaGuardia as the best new airport in the world. Additional awards have included Skytrax World’s Best New Airport Terminal: LaGuardia Terminal B in 2023, and the Airport Service Quality Award for Best North American Airport in the 25 million to 40 million passenger-category for 2023, based on consumer surveys.

“From the very start, our mission at LaGuardia Airport was to transform what was once the worst airport in the nation into an airport that would rival the best in the world,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Today’s award from Forbes Travel Guide is further proof that with our private partners, Delta Air Lines and LaGuardia Gateway Partners, we have created a new LaGuardia Airport that is no longer a national laughingstock, but something our entire region and country can be proud of.”

“This award from Forbes Travel Guide, recognizing LaGuardia as the best airport in the nation, is affirmation of all the hard work and resources that the Port Authority and our partners have invested to reimagine what LaGuardia could become,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Today, we are no longer imagining what our airports can become – we are realizing our goal to create world-class airports across our region.”

Acclaim for the new LaGuardia includes:+

• Airport Service Quality Award (2023)

Best Airport North America (25-40M passengers): LaGuardia Airport

• Skytrax World Airport Awards (2023)

World's Best New Airport Terminal: LaGuardia Terminal B

• US Green Building Council (2023)

LEED Gold v4 Certification: Terminal B Redevelopment (full project)

• Skytrax 5 Star Terminal (2023)

LaGuardia Terminal B

• UNESCO’s Prix Versailles, honoring world’s best contemporary architecture: Best Airport (2021)

About the LaGuardia Redevelopment Project

In 2015, a comprehensive plan to construct a whole new LaGuardia Airport was unveiled with the goal of creating a world-class, 21st century passenger experience featuring modern customer amenities, state-of-the-art architecture, more spacious gate areas and a unified terminal system. The $8 billion project, two-thirds of which is funded through private financing and existing passenger fees, broke ground in 2016 and was substantially completed in 2022.

In February 2018, the new Terminal B parking garage opened with more than 3,000 spaces and a dedicated level for Uber, Lyft and other for-hire car services. In December 2018, the first 18 new gates and the first new concourse in Terminal B opened. In June 2020, the soaring new 1.3 million-square-foot arrivals and departures hall at Terminal B opened its doors. Terminal B, with 35 gates, has since won awards as best new airport terminal in the world, including the Prix Versailles from UNESCO and Skytrax, which also gave the terminal the first 5-star rating in the nation. In June 2022, Delta Airlines opened the new 1.3 million-square-foot Terminal C, which features 37 gates across four new or transformed concourses, world-class amenities, state-of-the-art technology and inspiring public art. Delta’s Terminal C was completed in 2024.