LaGuardia, JFK Airport Layovers Among Best In U.S.: Ranking

NEW YORK CITY — Air travelers could do worse than a layover at one of New York City's airports, a new study found.

JFK Airport ranked ninth among the top 10 best airports for layovers nationwide, according to a MarketWatch study released last week.

The airport also ranked second for frequent fliers' layovers, the study found.

LaGuardia also got some recognition: it ranked eighth for layovers for both frequent fliers and families. But both Queens-based airports couldn't hold a candle to the number one best airport for layovers.

"Based on our survey, the best airport for layovers is George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, with the highest rating for choice of food and beverage options of all our airports (4.5 out of 5 stars)," the study states.

The study acknowledged at the outset what air travelers already know: layovers can be miserable.

But the study looked at a variety of factors — food selection, shopping options, price ratings, and lounge and seat availability — to find where layovers were slightly less awful.

JFK and LaGuardia fared well, but their New York City-area neighbor Newark Liberty International didn't, according to the study.

Newark airport ranked as the fifth-worst airport for layovers nationwide.

"Out of all the airports we examined, Orlando International Airport stands as the worst for layovers with the lowest seat availability rating," the MarketWatch study states. "Orlando International tied with Newark Liberty International Airport for the lowest rating for mid-priced shops and San Francisco International for the lowest rating for food and beverage staff service."

Read the full study here.