In the not-too-distant past, airport food was considered a punchline and mainly thought about as the mixed nuts at a smoky airline lounge or a burger from a fast food joint like McDonald’s. As the years have passed, terminal operators have upped their culinary game to accommodate hungry travelers.
With the accommodations arms race sweeping many of America’s airports, we sought to find out which airport serves the best food. We compiled nearly 75,000 restaurant reviews from the top 20 most trafficked airlines in the country and gathered menu and pricing options to determine the best airport in terms of overall restaurant quality, variety, as well as the top airports for different dining categories.
Methodology
The top 20 most trafficked airports in the United Stated were determined using 2015 North American Passenger data from the Airports Council International. RewardExpert created an overall weighted score using Yelp ratings and pricing data, Zagat ratings, JD Power ratings and healthiness scores from the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
RewardExpert determined the final rankings using three indicators: Satisfaction, Price and Quality. Satisfaction rankings were determined by measuring the average Yelp score per venue and the average Yelp score per reviewer at each airport. Price scores were calculated using Yelp pricing data. Quality was evaluated using a cumulative average of data from Zagat reviews, PCRM healthiness ratings and JD Power rankings.
Top of the Class
Denver
The Denver International Airport comes in at number one for the RewardExpert restaurant rankings by a comfortable margin. Ranked the highest in overall quality and second in price and variety, the DIA offers a breadth of excellent choices at a low price. The field-to-fork Root Down has a 4 and a half star rating with more than 1000 reviews to its name.
Phoenix
Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport clocks in at number 2 on the RewardExpert rankings. With nearly 5,500 reviews tallied, Sky Harbor has the highest quality score per reviewer and is the fourth least expensive airport to dine at. Chelsea’s Kitchen, a chic, industrial restaurant serving up American and Mexican classics is one of the airport’s culinary gems.
Atlanta
To accommodate the largest passenger load of any airport in the world, the Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has nearly 140 restaurants with nearly two dozen different primary cuisines. The widely-celebrated, four-and-a-half star southern and Asian fusion eatery, One Flew South, is considered not just one of the best restaurants in the airport, but the whole city.
Philadelphia
The least-expensive airport to eat at of the top 20, the Philadelphia International Airport is home to nearly 80 different gastronomic options for travelers. Aldo Lamberti Trattoria is a hot spot for quality pizza and Italian staples.
Houston
Home to a number of highly rated eateries, the Houston George Bush International Airport is a seafood lover’s dream. Pappadeaux and Landry’s are just a few of the locations a traveler can stop to get some quality sea fare.
Best By Category
Cheap Eats
Nearly 20% less expensive on average than the most expensive airport to eat at in the top 20, Newark International Airport, Philly offers a variety of quick-service local delicacies, like cheesesteaks and soft pretzels, at low prices.
Vegetarian and Vegan Options
Situated in a meat-loving state, it may be surprising that Houston’s Bush Airport is such a haven for vegetarian eaters. All but a few of the nearly 90 restaurants in the airport have multiple vegetarian entrée options.
Local Eateries
Aside from a Burger King, a Wendy’s and some staple coffee shops, nearly all of the San Francisco Airport’s restaurants originated in San Francisco. Napa Farms, SF Uncork’d, Mission Bar and Grill, and Lori’s Diner are just a few of the Frisco-based restaurants that can be found in the airport.
High-End Bites
On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you’re looking for a high-end place to eat, Los Angeles International Airport has plenty of pricey options. At Slapfish Seafood, a traveler can eat lobster for every meal and the Petrossian Caviar and Champagne bar features caviar that ranges in price from $60 to $394 for one ounce.
Gluten-Free Accommodations
Fort Wort airport is a true barbeque hub that focuses on meats and veggies and is the perfect layover spot for gluten-free eaters. Salt Lick, Dickey’s, Railhead are just a few of the BBQ joints noted for their gluten-free sides and meaty entrees.
Worst in show
18 LaGuardia Airport
Rated 18th of 20 in price and ranked similarly in average quality scores, LaGuardia Airport is the third-worst airport to eat at. With less than 60 restaurants noted by the airport, it also has a fairly poor breadth of options, relative to its competitors.
19 John F.Kennedy International Airport
Coming in at second-to-last is yet another NYC-area airport; John F.Kennedy International Airport.
The food in JFK is expensive and its quality is dragged down by a number of low-rated chains.
20 Newark Liberty International Airport
Despite a major renovation effort to boost the quality of the restaurants in Newark Airport, it still remains the lowest-rated and most-expensive airport in terms of food. The airport was rated dead last in 4 of 6 report rankings.
