Honolulu Airport Ranks Next to Last Amid $7 Billion Overhaul
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport ranked 23rd of 24 large U.S. airports in a JD Power study despite a $7 billion modernization effort.
The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu ranked 23rd out of 24 large U.S. airports in the latest JD Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study. The airport's score fell to 604 from 617 the previous year, with JD Power citing aging infrastructure, weather disruptions, and competition from other modernized hubs as primary factors.
Ed Sniffen, Director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation, attributed the low ranking to the nature of current investments. He noted that many of the high-cost projects, such as airfield safety and roadway rehabilitation, are invisible to passengers and do not immediately improve satisfaction scores. The state is currently implementing a nearly $7 billion statewide modernization effort, with approximately $5 billion allocated to Honolulu. Key projects include a $2.1 billion expansion of the Diamond Head Concourse to increase gates from six to 17, baggage system refreshes, and a future link to Skyline.
Other efforts to improve the passenger experience include a retail takeover by International Shoppes, LLC, and plans to simplify the gate system to reduce navigation confusion. Additionally, the merged Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines launched the $600 million Kahu‘ewai Hawai‘i Investment Plan to modernize infrastructure. These developments coincide with a corruption scandal involving the indictment of state airports administrator Ford Fuchigami and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke.
