U.S. airport satisfaction has increased for the third consecutive year despite near-record travel volumes, according to J.D. Power's annual study of over 24,000 travelers. Improved ratings are driven by newly opened and upgraded terminals and gates at major airports including JFK, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh, which feature larger spaces, better lighting, and enhanced amenities.
The author critiques the tendency to focus solely on flaws and complaints, arguing that while identifying problems has value, there's equal importance in recognizing what works and building solutions. Drawing on references from Ratatouille and JFK, they encourage moving beyond cynicism to do the harder work of finding value and creating positive change.
A detailed analysis of NYC airport rideshare data from 2019–2026 covering 122.8 million trips shows that rider fares rose 52.1% while driver payouts increased only 34.3%, with significant differences between airports and platforms. The project uses a marimo notebook to process TLC's publicly available trip records and reveals that pay differences alone don't explain market share shifts between Uber and Lyft.