ORLANDO, Fla. – A bad travel experience could make or break your trip. A new study suggests you may be risking your vacation by traveling through Orlando International Airport.
OIA is consistently ranked one of the busiest airports in the nation. When compared to other busy airports, it falls flat, according to a new The Points Guy study.
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The travel website released a special report Wednesday, ranking OIA 49th out of the Top 50 Airports, marking it one of the worst.
TPG determined OIA’s ranking through a study looking at the 50 busiest U.S. airports. It accounted for the number of passengers, commute time and on-time flight records. For this year’s study, TPG also specifically looked at amenities offered at an airport as a distinguishing factor.
Overall, the rankings were based on 34 different factors that contributed to the above-mentioned categories. Analysts took flight delays, cancellations, ride-hailing prices, restaurants, lounges and security wait times into consideration to influence an airport’s standing.
OIA doesn’t rank high in any.
When it comes to amenities, OIA ranks 42. Though TPG doesn’t specify why OIA’s amenities aren’t up to par, it points out top-ranking airports that boast superior space. JFK has 23 lounges, meaning there’s plenty to do if a passenger were to miss a flight, landing it the No. 1 spot in the amenities category.
TPG chose to weigh amenities as a major factor because it is the area airports have the most control over. Airport personnel can’t realistically control traffic or flight times. With airports renovating their buildings to include more restaurants and services attempting to enhance travel experience for passengers, TPG said this ranking can help appropriately reflect a passenger’s experience.
It’s no secret the Orlando-area is booming with a growing population. The metro-area is slowly becoming notorious for construction and traffic. This new city quality also affects how accessible OIA is.
TPG used traffic-analytic experts to assess how much time it takes to get to an airport. These statistics sent OIA plummeting down the commuter rankings, landing it the 46th spot.
The study also factored in ride-hailing prices. According to Uber estimates, the average ride-share cost to OIA is $20. Uber reveals surge prices are likely to affect airports. Surge prices can fall anywhere between 1.8 or 2.5 times the original ride price, which means during popular fly times, prices can almost double, adding an additional travel expense to your already-planned vacation.
The study used U.S. Department of Transportation database to figure out how likely flights are to take off on time. They also considered canceled flights. OIA does fairly well in this department, ranking 23 for timeliness. It ranks superior to more than half of the top 50 airports listed due to lack of delays, cancellations, average TSA wait times and connection times.
To see a list of the airports applauded for being a top-tier travel location, check out TPG’s special report here.
Do you agree with OIA’s ranking? Let us know in the comments.