Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport again earns coveted 5-Star Airport Terminal Rating

Terminal B at LaGuardia  Airport has again earned the highest global 5-Star Airport Terminal Rating

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), the private entity responsible for managing and redeveloping the world-class LaGuardia Terminal B, announced today that the terminal has once again earned Skytrax’s coveted perfect 5-Star Terminal Rating. This renewal reaffirms Terminal B’s status as a global leader in airport excellence, two years after making history as the first airport terminal in North America to achieve this distinction and being named the World’s Best New Airport Terminal. This continued recognition underscores LGP’s and the Port Authority’s commitment to delivering a world-class travel experience, combining innovative design, state-of-the-art facilities, and exceptional guest service.

Introduced in 1999, the World Airport Star Rating by Skytrax has become a global benchmark of quality evaluation for the aviation industry. Airports and terminals are rated between a 1-Star and 5-Star level following a detailed audit analysis of facilities and staff service to customers across all front-line areas of the airport environment. Skytrax assesses various factors that include terminal layout, maintenance, and cleanliness. This also includes a service rating that looks at airport staff’s efficiency, consistency, and friendliness. The Star Rating methodology is unified and consistent across the industry, all airports, regardless of size, are assessed using the same rating criteria.

Since first earning its five-star distinction in 2023, Terminal B has continued to improve airport service quality and elevate the guest experience. Enhancements include more electrified seating in dining and waiting areas, improved signage with walking distances for easier navigation, and a more inviting atmosphere with soothing sounds and music in key spaces. These upgrades reflect Terminal B’s ongoing commitment to delivering a top travel experience.

Terminal B also continues to enhance the passenger experience with world-class spaces and amenities. Recent additions include the adjacent Atrium Business & Conference Center, a state-of-the-art, 55,000-square-foot facility built by the Port Authority. Travelers can also unwind at the Chase Sapphire Lounge, a refined retreat offering a sophisticated and comfortable space to relax before their journey, grab a coffee at the new pre-security Starbucks or a burger at the terminal’s new Melt Shop.

“Not once, but twice, LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B has earned a 5-star rating from Skytrax and proven itself as one of the world’s great new airport terminals,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “At our two five-star terminals – LaGuardia’s Terminal B and Newark’s Terminal A — spacious, modern terminals with world-class amenities and engaging public art are setting a new standard for air travel.”

“From the start, our goal at LaGuardia was to create a new airport that would rise to the level of a 5-star Skytrax rating with a passenger experience that is truly world class from curb to gate,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “A 5-star rating from Skytrax is proof that working with our private partner, LaGuardia Gateway Partners, we have flipped the script at LaGuardia, which has gone from worst to what is now the nation’s best airport.”

Stewart Steeves, Chief Operating Officer of Vantage Group and Chair of the Board of Directors of LaGuardia Gateway Partners, said, “Retaining the Skytrax 5-star ranking for Terminal B once again demonstrates the best-in-class operations and exceptional guest experiences offered by our talented team at LaGuardia Gateway Partners and our many partners every day. We are proud to share this tremendous accolade with the entire LaGuardia B community.”

“We’re honored to share this important recognition with our partners at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, LaGuardia Gateway Partners, the New York community, and all of our guests who choose Terminal B for their travels,” said Omri Gainsburg, North America Chief Operating Officer, Meridiam and member of the Board of Directors, LaGuardia Gateway Partners. “This second consecutive Skytrax 5-star rating is a testament to the LGP team’s continued dedication and all-in commitment to excellence that provides New York with a world-class aviation gateway and customer experience.”

“We are thrilled to see Terminal B retain its prestigious 5-star Skytrax rating, reaffirming our mission to create an airport experience that is second to none,” said Suzette Noble, Chief Executive Officer of LaGuardia Gateway Partners. “This distinction reflects the hard work, innovation, and dedication of our entire team. We will continue to evolve, listen to our travelers, and push the boundaries of what an airport can offer, setting new standards for comfort, convenience, and service, from curb to gate.”

“We are delighted to be able to confirm the latest 5-Star Airport Terminal Rating for Terminal B LaGuardia Airport, making it one of 22 airports and terminals worldwide to achieve this highest 5-Star Rating,” said Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted. Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport offers customers an excellent range of facilities, with excellent wayfinding and signage, high standards of staff service and some very nice design and art features. In addition to some excellent airline lounges, the Chase Sapphire Lounge opened in early 2024 delivers an excellent standard to match the 5-Star Rating of Terminal B.”

A collection of public art installations feature in the terminal through a partnership with the Public Art Fund.

Terminal B is highly rated for its user-friendly terminal facilities, offering a very pleasant ambience across the different terminal areas and providing a comfortable and enjoyable Customer Experience.

The Terminal B Water Feature is the only one of its kind in the Americas and the only one in the world located in an airport. It is is the centerpiece of the airside main commercial area, and includes lighting, projection and audio. There are a series of shows that project onto the water feature and are choreographed with the water. The shows run continuously during terminal hours, with the two signature shows appearing every 15 minutes between 7am-10pm.

Terminal B features major permanent installations in the Arrivals and Departures Hall areas, commissioned by LaGuardia Gateway Partners in partnership with Public Art Fund. These include:

• Laura Owens’ tiled mosaic mural, spanning two levels is a celebration of New York City.
• Sarah Sze “Shorter than the Day” globe sculpture monumental sculpture evokes the passage of time through an intricate constellation of images that form a mirage-like sphere that appears to float in midair.
• Sabine Hornig’s transparent photo-collage fills an expansive glass façade, allowing sunlight to immerse visitors in a kaleidoscopic wash of color, image, and text as they move through the Connector.
• Dozens of colorful and reflective balloon-shaped steel sculptures by artist Jeppe Hein are distributed throughout Terminal B

THE 5-STAR AIRPORT RATING

The 5-Star Airport Rating is our most prestigious and unique mark of Quality Achievement and a global benchmark of Airport Excellence, which is awarded following detailed audit analysis and assessment of each airport’s product and front-line service standards. The World Airport Star Rating was introduced by Skytrax in 1999 and is a premier evaluation system grading airports on their quality standards.

Skytrax apply ratings for up to 800 customer-facing areas of airport product and service, and this spans numerous customer contact points. The Star Rating methodology is unified and consistent for the industry, and all airports from the largest hubs to small regional facilities are assessed using the same base rating criteria which covers the front-line customer experience on the end-to-end journey through an airport.

The 5-Star Airport Terminal rating recognises those airport terminals that are providing exceptional standards of facilities and staff service to customers across all front-line areas of the airport environment. To achieve the top 5-Star Airport Terminal rating, the staff service or product standards must be either meeting or setting global best practice for the item under evaluation.

About LaGuardia Gateway Partners

LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) is the private manager and developer of the new award-winning, state-of-the-art LaGuardia Terminal B. LGP is composed of Vantage Group and Meridiam for development and equity investment with Vantage Group leading the terminal management.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is undertaking a historic redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport, of which Terminal B is one part. LGP won the bid issued by the Port Authority to deliver the extensive capital redevelopment project of Terminal B and provide world-class terminal facilities and operations for passengers and airlines. In 2022, the $5.1B Terminal B project – a public-private partnership – finished on time and budget. In 2023, LaGuardia Terminal B became the first airport terminal in North America to be awarded a perfect 5-star rating for customer experience by Skytrax.

LaGuardia Terminal B is home to Air Canada, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

For more information, visit www.laguardiaB.com