What you should know
- But after a multimillion-dollar renovation, the investment is paying off: A new survey ranked the Queens transit hub as the best airport of its size in the entire United States.
- In the survey of thousands of airline passengers released Monday, LaGuardia was named No. 1 among midsize U.S. airports, the Port Authority said.
- It’s gotten to the point where those flying in and out of New York City may prefer LaGuardia to JFK Airport.
NEW YORK — LaGuardia Airport was once a laughingstock, even mocked by now-President Joe Biden for looking like it belonged in “some third world country.”
But after a multimillion-dollar renovation, the investment is paying off: A new survey ranked the Queens transit hub as the best airport of its size in the entire United States.
“I am very pleased to announce that LaGuardia Airport was ranked best in its class,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.
In the survey of thousands of airline passengers released Monday, LaGuardia was named No. 1 among midsize U.S. airports, the Port Authority said.
What has helped the airport’s reputation: Better lighting, larger concourses and high ceilings were among the improvements that earned top marks. Officials now hope to have officially moved on from the days of disgrace, when the airport was a common topic for late-night talk shows and “Saturday Night Live,” which once featured a parody about the buying sushi at LaGuardia.
“And yes, Lorne Michaels, the memory of the SNL sushi sketch still lingers,” Cotton said. “LaGuardia’s days as the punchline for late-night jokes are finally over.”
It’s gotten to the point where those flying in and out of New York City may prefer LaGuardia to JFK Airport. Those are words no one could have imagined when then-Vice President Biden said, “If I blindfolded you and took you to LaGuardia Airport, you’d think I must be in some third world country.”
Of course, the airport isn’t perfect: They scrapped a skytrain and still recommend people get here by bus, which isn’t exactly the easiest method to explain to visitors. And the iconic Terminal A still floods during heavy rains.
But many passengers have already turned their attention to other New York-area airports that haven’t yet won those customer surveys.
The Port Authority has committed $19 billion to renovate JFK airport. The first phase of those renovations is expected to open in 2026.
2024-03-12 05:30:44
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