Philly airport has ranked last in customer satisfaction for 4 years in a row. Here’s what PHL execs are trying to improve.

As a major year for travel to Philadelphia grows closer, the Philadelphia International Airport’s business leadership has been looking to make upgrades and shake its reputation for poor customer satisfaction.

PHL once again ranked as the worst airport for customer satisfaction amid similarly sized airports, according to a survey from analytics company J.D Power, released Wednesday. This is the fourth year in a row that PHL has earned this undesirable superlative, coming in last among 27 U.S. airports.

“PHL is in need of new terminal facilities,” said Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality, and retail at J.D. Power. “The current buildings just don’t have the space to accommodate the number of passengers traveling through PHL.”

Atif Saeed, the department of aviation’s CEO, acknowledged the poor ranking on Wednesday as the department delivered its first-ever State of the Airport address

“As acknowledged by J.D. Power themselves, the primary reason is the overall age of our infrastructure,” Saeed said. “Our newest terminal is over 20 years old. Others nearly 50, and some even older.”

PHL is in the midst of updating a long-term master plan, which began in 2019. Leadership has identified the need for around 20 more gates by 2040, The Inquirer reported earlier this year.

In the shorter term, Philadelphia’s department of aviation is working on enhancements aimed at improving airport experience, Saeed noted Wednesday. Those include upgrades to bathrooms, exterior parts of the airport, and gates.

The plans are underway as the airport prepares to greet an influx of visitors in 2026, when the city will host events marking the country’s Semiquincentennial, FIFA World Cup games, and the MLB All-Star Game.

“Whether you travel or not, our airports have a wide-reaching impact on all of us, individuals, businesses and the entire city,” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said Wednesday.

Parker described PHL as “a major growth and economic engine for our community.”

A better picture of what that engine looks like was revealed Wednesday: PHL and Northeast Philadelphia Airport have an annual economic impact of $18.7 billion and support 102,600 jobs in the 11-county surrounding region, according to a report highlighted at the event, which was conducted by consulting firm Econsult Solutions.

“In just two years, Philadelphia will be on the global stage for several monumental events,” Parker said. “PHL is going to be the front door that welcomes the millions of visitors who will be coming to attend these events.”

Airport leaders have over $500 million slated for improvements across PHL and Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

PHL is in the midst of a multiphase restroom improvement project, is replacing carpets and seating in gate areas, and inspecting flooring in terminals, Saeed said.

American Airlines is also inaugurating two new lounges in 2025, and a Chase Sapphire lounge, in the works between Terminals D and E, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2025.

Parking upgrades on the way include a new valet service and online booking in the economy lot.

Saeed also mentioned plans to add new landscaping and wayfinding to the departure roadway, and ongoing efforts to build out the airport’s cargo capacity.

American Airlines operates about 61% of PHL commercial flights, and Philadelphia serves as one of the airline’s hubs. American is a major employer at the airport and in the region with some 8,600 employees in the Philadelphia area.

“We love you. We need you. Grow, grow, grow. More direct flights,” said Parker Wednesday, calling out to American Airlines executive vice president Nate Gatten, who spoke later at the PHL event.

American has grown its offerings out of Philadelphia in recent years and announced more new routes this month. Next May, the airline will begin offering flights from PHL to Milan, Italy, and restore direct flights to Edinburgh, Scotland, which it hasn’t operated since 2019.

This summer, American also launched three new routes to Europe with flights to Copenhagen, Denmark; Nice, France; and Naples, Italy. In 2023, the airline also said it would expand seasonal routes to Barcelona, Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal into year-round flights.

The airline has already approved almost $2 billion in improvements yet to be developed at PHL, Gatten noted.

“We are making additional investments to our own operations in Philadelphia to ensure our reliability and improve the customer experience,” said Gatten. “We also recognize the need to upgrade aging terminal infrastructure, and we’re in active discussions with the city on what an additional investment might look like.”