One North Texas airport made Washington Post’s Top 50 list — and another didn’t

D-FW International Airport may be as big as the city of Manhattan, but that didn’t cut it in the The Washington Post’s ranking of the 50 best airports in America.

The newspaper looked at suggestions from more than 2,300 readers and information from 450 U.S. airports that served at least 1,000 passengers within the last year. The Post also analyzed more than 450,000 Yelp reviews of airports and their amenities like restaurants and stores.

After all that, DFW didn’t make the list — but Dallas Love Field did, at No. 18.

What do travelers want in an airport?

The Washington Post’s data columnist made a ranking algorithm using reader feedback, and used it to look look at reader -submitted data with their thoughts on things like gate capacity, parking, on-time flights, clean bathrooms and new terminals.

People liked airports that are easy to get to and navigate through once they make it inside. The Post used TravelTime to find out how accessible the airports were via public transit, and used Mapbox to calculate driving distance.

Since this is an online ranking list, there were bound to be differing opinions. One reader commented wondering where Austin-Bergstrom International Airport was on the list, while another praised the ease of connecting to other flights at DFW. Another reader simply asked: “What happened to DFW Airport — Hello?

The Post didn’t give any information on specific feedback readers gave for any airport featured past the Top 10, but read on to see how the Top 10 fared.

Which airports made the Top 10?

Here’s the Top 10, with some selected comments included in the Washington Post article.

10. Detroit Metro Airport

• Travelers loved the fountain that looked like a flight map
• ExpressTram and other people movers helped fliers get around

9. Salt Lake City International Airport

• A newer rebuild with large windows that provide natural light and mountain views
• A Greeting Room for people to say goodbye or welcome people that has a fireplace and comfortable furniture

8. Indianapolis International Airport

• Easy to get around with a simple layout
• Two large checkpoints before going through TSA

7. Albuquerque International Sunport

• Travelers loved the Native American murals in the Great Hall
• Proximity to the city

6. Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport

• Volunteer program that plays live music
• Clean and beautiful restrooms

5. Seattle Paine Field International Airport

• Travelers loved its small size
• Waiting room with leather chairs and couches and two fireplaces

4. Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport

• Travelers loved the Prince memorabilia store
• A small airport with “big city vibes”

3. DCA- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

• Easily accessible by public transportation
• Panoramic views of the Potomac Ricer, The Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial.

2. Long Beach Airport

• Travelers love the historic 1941 terminal and its mosaic, which features 1.5 million tiles
• An outdoor tarmac to get to and from your flight

1. Portland International Airport

• Travelers said they loved the 22-seat cinema that shows work from Pacific Northwest artists.
• Live trees and video walls that show landscapes