These U.S. Airports Have the Most (and Least) Friendliest Staffs

Airports can be harrowing places, but a friendly face at the right moment can make a world of difference.

Travelers are most likely to find those friendly employees at Oregon’s Portland International Airport, according to a study from Upgraded Points. The airport had a “friendliness score” of 43.6 out of 50, the highest in the country, with 19 percent of all Yelp reviews of the airport mentioning the friendly staff.

Indianapolis International Airport took the second spot on the list with a score of 43.3 thanks to very few complaints of rude Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, followed by Florida’s Jacksonville International Airport, which was known for the cheerful assistance of its staff and had a score of 39.

To come up with the scores, the study examined Yelp and Google reviews for the 50 busiest U.S. airports and focused on mentions of friendliness and rudeness.

“Nothing beats a warm welcome or a helpful hand from staff when you’re zigzagging through airport mazes,” Upgraded Points wrote in the study. “But bump into a grumpy TSA agent or a less-than-enthusiastic staff member and suddenly your travel vibe gets a dose of unnecessary turbulence.”

When it comes to not-as-pleasant experiences, Newark Liberty International Airport came in last on the list with a friendliness score of just 3.65. At the airport, 5.7 percent of reviews went out of their way to mention rude staff and 2 percent mentioned rude TSA officers — the highest in the country.

Miami International Airport had the second-lowest friendliness score of 9.11 with only 3.4 percent of reviews mentioning friendly staff and 5.1 percent writing about rude staff.

Airports will always be a source of stress, but there are ways to make the travel experience smoother, like splurging for a concierge-style airport greeter that meets passengers planeside, arriving prepared to go through airport security, and dressing comfortably.