LaGuardia Airport has been named the best airport in the United States for the second year in a row by Forbes Travel Guide. The award, announced by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was decided by a panel of 9,000 luxury travel advisors and hospitality experts as part of Forbes Travel Guide’s Verified Air Travel Awards. This recognition follows an $8 billion transformation that has significantly upgraded LaGuardia from what was once considered the nation’s worst airport.
“We’re delighted to celebrate LaGuardia’s second consecutive win as best U.S. airport, a testament to the impact of the public-private partnership behind its remarkable transformation. We applaud LaGuardia Gateway Partners, Delta Air Lines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for their vision,” said Forbes Travel Guide CEO Hermann Elger. “We look forward to seeing that same ambition shapes the future of JFK through upcoming redevelopment, setting a new standard for air travel excellence in New York and beyond.”
Since new passenger facilities began opening, LaGuardia has received several national and international awards. These include UNESCO’s 2021 Prix Versailles recognizing it as the best new airport in the world, Skytrax’s award for world’s best new airport terminal (Terminal B) in 2023, and Airport Service Quality Award for best North American airport in its category for 2023.
“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 that is also capable of handling the passenger volumes of the coming decades,” 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 something our entire region and country can be proud of.”
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole added: “This second consecutive annual 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. Today, we are no longer imagining what our airports can be – we are making our goal to create world-class airports across our region a reality.”
Suzette Noble, chief executive officer of LaGuardia Gateway Partners—the company managing Terminal B—said: “We are honored to receive this recognition, which is a testament to the leadership and vision of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in helping create the public-private partnerships necessary to redevelop LaGuardia Airport and transform it into a paragon of world class travel. We are grateful to everyone in the LGA community who works day in and day out to fulfill our guiding mission of creating an airport experience that is second to none.”
Ryan Marzullo, managing director of New York corporate real estate at Delta Air Lines stated: “Being named the nation’s best airport by Forbes Travel Guide for the second year in a row is an incredible honor and a testament to the lasting impression LaGuardia has made in its transformation into a world-class gateway. Delta is proud of our continued partnership with the Port Authority and LaGuardia Gateway Partners to deliver a state-of-the-art terminal that reflects our shared commitment to providing a premium travel experience for New Yorkers, New Jerseyans and visitors alike.”
The redevelopment plan for LaGuardia Airport began in 2015 with aims to provide modern amenities, improved architecture, larger gate areas, and unified terminals. The project broke ground in 2016 with two-thirds funded through private financing or existing passenger fees; major construction concluded by 2022. Key milestones included opening Terminal B’s parking garage (2018), launching new gates (2018), unveiling Terminal B’s arrivals/departures hall (2020), completing Terminal C (2024), among others.
Port Authority airports—including Newark Liberty International Airport and JFK International Airport—are also undergoing significant upgrades totaling $30 billion overall investment toward enhancing passenger facilities.
Recent awards have highlighted achievements at these airports:
– In both 2024 and 2025, Forbes Travel Guide recognized LaGuardia as best U.S. airport.
– Skytrax named both Newark Liberty’s Terminal A (in 2024) and LaGuardia’s Terminal B (in previous years) as among North America’s top terminals.
– Additional honors include LEED gold certification for sustainability at multiple terminals.
These recognitions reflect ongoing efforts by regional authorities toward providing high-quality travel experiences across major metropolitan airports.
