Upgraded Points recently revealed their latest data study analyzing “The Best Airports in the U.S. For Remote Workers.” The remote work model has become the norm for millions of workers across the country and every day, more Americans travel with their laptops at the ready, squeezing in a few hours of work whenever they have downtime. However, some airports are more welcoming to remote workers than others, and the savvy traveler (and employee) can benefit from knowing which airports to use.
“Even though the travel industry has been more accommodating to remote work for a while now, the flood of new remote workers is forcing airports to reconsider how they address this need on a daily basis,” said Alex Miller. “Most remote workers have learned to be agile, setting up their stations wherever they can. That’s why we were curious to see which airports are really laying out the red carpet for remote work, and which airports are still falling short.”
Remote Work Airline Study: Methodology
Upgraded Points analyzed 45 of the largest U.S. airport hubs on 12 ranking factors, including the mean Wi-Fi download speeds, number of restaurants per square mile, number of Starbucks per square mile, number of airport lounges per square mile, number of restrooms/charging stations, along with detailed percentages of on-time departures, delayed departures, canceled departures, customer satisfaction, and number of overall enplanements. Data was manually pulled from individual airport websites, as well as sources like the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Each factor was assigned a weighted score of zero to 10, with a score of 10 representing the most favorable conditions. Each score was then added up, with a total possible score of 50.
The Best/Worst Airports for Remote Workers
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the best airport for working remotely with a top score of 42.06/50. Among other perks for remote workers, SAN has the most shops per square mile and the most Starbucks per square mile. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) claimed second place (41.24); then Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in third overall (40.36), which also boasted the most charging stations per square mile, 36.05. With long downtimes and thousands of passengers vying for a workspace, most remote workers stake out a place to sit and work as soon as they can, and DCA ensures they have the best chance to charge up.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is the worst airport to work remotely with the lowest score of 13.35, followed by Denver International Airport (DEN) (14.02) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) (16.31).
Other airports stood out for notable working perks. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) has the most restaurants per square mile. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) has the most airport lounges per square mile (4.36), giving travelers more places to sit down, open their laptops, and soak up the free Wi-Fi. Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) has the fastest WIFI download speed (185.86 Mbps). Philadelphia (PHL) has the most restrooms, at 36.90. Tampa International Airport (TPA) has the highest customer satisfaction rating and workers will find Indianapolis International Airport (IND) the least crowded (3,487,100 enplanements).
Looking for all stats on a particular airport? Check out the complete results HERE, along with detailed ranking factors and graphics and an interactive table of all 45 airports featured.
About Upgraded Points LLC
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Upgraded Points is a travel and personal finance company that provides insider strategies for maximizing travel points and rewards. Launched in 2016 by Alex Miller, Upgraded Points uses targeted research efforts and in-depth studies to give travelers, as well as those looking to travel, a real understanding of how to maximize their points and miles. Learn more at: www.UpgradedPoints.com.
