LaGuardia named best airport in the United States by Forbes Travel Guide

NEW YORK — Forbes Travel Guide announced the winners of its inaugural luxury air travel awards Tuesday, and the best United States airport is right here in New York City.

LaGuardia Airport was given the honor following its historic $8 billion renovation, taking it from once the nation’s worst airports to now the best.

“This award from Forbes Travel Guide, recognizing LaGuardia as the best airport in the nation, is affirmation of all the hard work and resources that the Port Authority and our partners have invested to reimagine what LaGuardia could become,” Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said in a statement. “Today, we are no longer imagining what our airports can become – we are realizing our goal to create world-class airports across our region.”

The renovation began in 2016 under former governor Andrew Cuomo. In a statement Tuesday, he said:

“From worst to first, this new and well-deserved recognition is a testament to the hardworking men and women in my administration that oversaw this $8 billion transformation under difficult circumstances, in record time and on-budget. 

“It wasn’t that long ago that President Biden called LaGuardia a ‘Third World Country;’ this rapid transformation showed the world that performance and vision can be actualized by competent government.

“It’s also a testament to the infrastructure worthy of the people of the great state of New York: Together, we made the impossible possible.”

Forbes also said LaGuardia has the best new airport terminal.

LaGuardia wasn’t the only airport in the Tri-State Area to be honored; the Delta One lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport was named Best U.S. Airline Lounge.

Forbes says 5,000 of its luxury travel experts weighed in on the list.