DTW Ranked No. 1 Mega Airport for Customer Satisfaction

**Lowell** · September-26-19, 10:09 AM

I don't fly that much anymore but, whenever I do and land somewhere else, I find myself thinking, "Ours is better".

"Detroit Metropolitan Airport is No. 1 in customer satisfaction for airports of its size, according to J.D. Power.

"In its annual North America Airport Satisfaction Study, J.D. Power gave DTW - which had over 35 million passengers travel through its two terminals last year - a customer satisfaction score of 786 out of 1,000, making it 2019's top-ranked mega airport for customer satisfaction."

https://freep-mi.newsmemory.com/?pub...17b3f0_13410f2

It was really clear when I landed in some pig sty ports, LaGuardia and Charlotte come to mind. Our old North port wasn't much to brag about either.

**EGrant** · September-26-19, 10:42 AM

JD Power has actual methodology to their research, not those clickbait lists from Wallet Hub that local media seems to love

**Cincinnati_Kid** · September-26-19, 01:30 PM

Kinda hard to believe, but I'll take it. Something positive about Detroit, at least.

**bartocktoo** · September-26-19, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Kinda hard to believe, but I'll take it. Something positive about Detroit, at least.

I don't know why this is hard to believe. I'm as critical about our city as anyone and I've flown all over. We have, by far, the best airport. It is the one thing that we definitely have over anyone else.

*Other than an international border and pound-for-pound culture.

**iheartthed** · September-26-19, 02:40 PM

For an airport, the only complaint I have about Metro is that the public transit options suck. Otherwise, as far as airports go, it's close to perfect. The only way to see a better airport is to travel to a developing country in Asia.

**Metro25** · September-26-19, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Kinda hard to believe, but I'll take it. Something positive about Detroit, at least.

Do you live here? it's not surprising at all.

Some patronizing from you at least.

**swingline** · September-26-19, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

For an airport, the only complaint I have about Metro is that the public transit options suck. Otherwise, as far as airports go, it's close to perfect. The only way to see a better airport is to travel to a developing country in Asia.

+1. Once you get there, DTW is a breeze to use compared to most other US airports. Amenities are top notch too. But yes, the absence of access by public transit is appalling. And the worst problem isn't that we don't have some kind of train or light rail access -- many US airports don't have that -- we don't even have any shuttle service to anywhere [[Downtown or Oakland County). The Michigan Flyer to AA and Lansing doesn't count. Every other peer airport in the US at least has shuttle service.

**Gistok** · September-26-19, 04:53 PM

From what I remember about building the new terminals at DTW, many other international and American airports were studied, and among the best of the airports was Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, which was considered one of the best, and was studied intensively as a model for the rebuilding of DTW.

This included the addition of retail into the airport design.

My comments are based on newspaper articles of the time.

**313WX** · September-26-19, 05:00 PM

Ground transportation at Metro Airport also sucks.

DTW is the only airport I've never flown through where all of the rental car shuttle drivers go on break or lunch at once [[versus having staggered schedules), essentially leaving paasengers stranded during that time.

Other than that and public transit connectivity, everything about DTW is top notch.

**iheartthed** · September-26-19, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

From what I remember about building the new terminals at DTW, many other international and American airports were studied, and among the best of the airports was Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, which was considered one of the best, and was studied intensively as a model for the rebuilding of DTW.

This included the addition of retail into the airport design.

My comments are based on newspaper articles of the time.

That's interesting. I like DTW better than Schiphol, but Schiphol isn't terrible. There are far worse airports in Europe.

A lot of newer U.S. terminals tried to copy DTW's McNamara Terminal. JFK's T4 is the most famous one, but it still isn't as good despite being a decade newer.

**Metro25** · September-26-19, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by swingline

+1. Once you get there, DTW is a breeze to use compared to most other US airports. Amenities are top notch too. But yes, the absence of access by public transit is appalling. And the worst problem isn't that we don't have some kind of train or light rail access -- many US airports don't have that -- we don't even have any shuttle service to anywhere [[Downtown or Oakland County). The Michigan Flyer to AA and Lansing doesn't count. Every other peer airport in the US at least has shuttle service.

They added a route that goes downtown over a year ago. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...pot/108971720/

**softailrider** · September-26-19, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by swingline

+1. Once you get there, DTW is a breeze to use compared to most other US airports. Amenities are top notch too. But yes, the absence of access by public transit is appalling. And the worst problem isn't that we don't have some kind of train or light rail access -- many US airports don't have that -- we don't even have any shuttle service to anywhere [[Downtown or Oakland County). The Michigan Flyer to AA and Lansing doesn't count. Every other peer airport in the US at least has shuttle service.

Couldn’t agree more, if there was shuttle service it would be heavily utilized.

**Gistok** · September-26-19, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

Couldn’t agree more, if there was shuttle service it would be heavily utilized.

Read post #11....

**EGrant** · September-27-19, 05:43 AM

People want shuttles, not public transit with the unwashed masses. /s

**Cincinnati_Kid** · September-27-19, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by bartocktoo

I don't know why this is hard to believe. I'm as critical about our city as anyone and I've flown all over. We have, by far, the best airport. It is the one thing that we definitely have over anyone else.

*Other than an international border and pound-for-pound culture.

Whoa..don't shoot the messenger. It wasn't mean't as a knock towards DTW. The complaints I have heard from others and experienced myself, are the airport police sometimes won't let you park and wait for a relative to arrive. Sometimes they are accommodating, other times they make you drive around and come back. I even had my car towed away, when I went to use the restroom, a couple of years ago. Everything else I assume, is top ranked.

**ferndalien** · September-27-19, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

...the airport police sometimes won't let you park and wait for a relative to arrive...

DTW does now have 2 cell phone lots a few minutes from the terminals to wait in.

Pretty much every major airport [[I don't mean the little regional ones) has prohibited waiting curbisde since 9/11, and have discouraged it since at least 1980 if that documentary "Airplane!" is to be believed.

**Lowell** · September-27-19, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by ferndalien

DTW does now have 2 cell phone lots a few minutes from the terminals to wait in.

Pretty much every major airport [[I don't mean the little regional ones) has prohibited waiting curbisde since 9/11, and have discouraged it since at least 1980 if that documentary "Airplane!" is to be believed.

I pull into the lot of the Big Boy on Merriman, just before the entrance under I-94, flip on my Flightradar 24 app to track my pick-up's incoming flight [which I usually can actually see as the main landing path is in front of me] then wait for the call.

**Lowell** · September-27-19, 09:17 AM

There is one awkward aspect at McNamara. If you check baggage and are using ground transport [cab] you have to go up, over, and down again by elevator. Seems like that could have been designed to roll straight out.

**EGrant** · September-27-19, 09:18 AM

Airplane! is my favorite documentary

**313WX** · September-27-19, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

There is one awkward aspect at McNamara. If you check baggage and are using ground transport [cab] you have to go up, over, and down again by elevator. Seems like that could have been designed to roll straight out.

I was going to mention that as well, but I get the logic behind it [[traffic control).

This setup is a PITA for those who are handicap/disabled though. There was even a YouTube video about ADA complaints being filed regarding this.

**Atticus** · September-27-19, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

I was going to mention that as well, but I get the logic behind it [[traffic control).

This setup is a PITA for thise who are handicap/disabled though. There was even a YouTube about ADA complaints being filed regarding this.

This is unfortunately very true. If you are not physically able to use an escalator, coming from ground transportation you have to first take an elevator up to the sky bridge, then another separate elevator up to ticketing, go through bag drop/TSA, and then take a third elevator down to the gate level. Not to mention all the elevators are both crowded and in short supply, which often means long waits for each elevator. Upon return home you have three more elevators to go through, and the long waits associated with each. Not fun.

And don’t get me started on the rental car situation. The fact that DTW, in a cold weather climate, doesn’t have a consolidated garage for rentals is beyond idiotic. Yes, the terminals are great. But they really need to spend some money on the ground transportation aspect, and building a consolidated rental car garage.

**Jimaz** · September-27-19, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by EGrant

Airplane! is my favorite documentary

Calling it a documentary is almost as funny as the movie itself.

Airplane! - Trailer

**bartocktoo** · September-27-19, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Whoa..don't shoot the messenger. It wasn't mean't as a knock towards DTW. The complaints I have heard from others and experienced myself, are the airport police sometimes won't let you park and wait for a relative to arrive. Sometimes they are accommodating, other times they make you drive around and come back. I even had my car towed away, when I went to use the restroom, a couple of years ago. Everything else I assume, is top ranked.

Nah you make a great point. I'm flying in and out of here and parking in the structure, so my opinion of the airport doesn't include ground or public transport. I defer that part and it definitely sounds like a large weak spot for the airport [[not surprising, either, in this town). I mean I definitely judge the airports I fly into pretty heavily on my ability to actually get out of there and to my hotel or business, etc.

**bust** · September-27-19, 10:29 PM

I'd rate the McNamara terminal highly for travelers who are not in a rush and are traveling light. It's airy and clean, and some of the food choices are decent, considering it's an airport. But "not in a rush" and "traveling light" doesn't often describe my experience flying in and out of there, so I have a different perspective. It's not great at all for anyone in a hurry, traveling with young children, or otherwise encumbered. And all three do often describe me.

Is there any other airport that requires an earlier arrival? Passing through security is slower, on average, than anywhere else I've experienced. The lines are long and the TSA employees seem to be the most particular. The walk from car to gate, and vice versa, tends to be as long or longer than it is at any other airport -- especially to/from the midfield terminal. And as others have noted, the elevator situation is way too complicated -- not just for the disabled, but for anyone pushing a stroller.

I get the criticisms of Laguardia: it's old and ugly. But I always saw its smaller size as a great benefit. Passing through was always comparatively fast and easy-- even if that's much less the case during its renovation. I'll take fast and easy over slow and complicated any day. And whether bad or decent, I usually pass on airport food anyway.

Besides, even more important than getting to and from the gate quickly is the price of the airfare. It's not a reflection of the airport, but fares into and out of Detroit tend to be outrageously more expensive.

**p1acebo** · September-27-19, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by bust

I'd rate the McNamara terminal highly for travelers who are not in a rush and are traveling light. It's airy and clean, and some of the food choices are decent, considering it's an airport. But "not in a rush" and "traveling light" doesn't often describe my experience flying in and out of there, so I have a different perspective. It's not great at all for anyone in a hurry, traveling with young children, or otherwise encumbered. And all three do often describe me.

Is there any other airport that requires an earlier arrival? Passing through security is slower, on average, than anywhere else I've experienced. The lines are long and the TSA employees seem to be the most particular. The walk from car to gate, and vice versa, tends to be as long or longer than it is at any other airport -- especially to/from the midfield terminal. And as others have noted, the elevator situation is way too complicated -- not just for the disabled, but for anyone pushing a stroller.

I get the criticisms of Laguardia: it's old and ugly. But I always saw its smaller size as a great benefit. Passing through was always comparatively fast and easy-- even if that's much less the case during its renovation. I'll take fast and easy over slow and complicated any day. And whether bad or decent, I usually pass on airport food anyway.

Besides, even more important than getting to and from the gate quickly is the price of the airfare. And while it's not a reflection of the airport, fares into and out of Detroit tend to be outrageously more expensive.

We must have different experiences of Laguardia, because every time I have flew through that airport it has been a cluster f@%k.