Has all the hard work finally paid off? The Queens airport has topped a new list of mid-sized travel hubs. News 4’s Andrew Siff reports.
LaGuardia Airport was once a laughing stock, being mocked by even now-President Joe Biden for seeming like it belonged to "some third-world country."
But after a multibillion-dollar makeover, the investment is paying off: A new survey ranked the Queens transit hub as the best airport of its size in the entire U.S.
"I am very pleased to announce LaGuardia Airport was rated at the top of its class," said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.
In the survey of thousands of airline passengers released Monday, LaGuardia was named number one among midsized U.S. airports, Port Authority said.
What has helped the airport's reputation: Better light, wider concourses and high ceilings are among the enhancements that won top marks. Officials now hope they’re now officially past the days of disgrace, when the airport was common fodder for late night shows and "Saturday Night Live," which once featured a skit about buying sushi at LaGuardia.
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"And yes, Lorne Michaels, the memory of SNL’s sushi skit still lingers," Cotton said. "LaGuardia’s days as a punchline for late night jokes is finally over."
It's gotten to the point where those who fly in and out of New York City may prefer LaGuardia to JFK Airport. Those are words no one could have envisioned when then-Vice President Biden said "If I took you and 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 an air train and still recommend people get here by bus, which isn't exactly the easiest method to explain to those visiting. And the landmarked Terminal A still floods in heavy rains.
But many passengers have already turned their attention to the other NYC-area airports that have yet to win those customer surveys.
The Port Authority has committed $19 billion to renovate JFK Airport. Phase one for those renovations is expected to open in 2026.
