Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport named Best Airport in North America for second consecutive year

For the second consecutive year, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was ranked the best airport of its size in North America on Tuesday.

The Airports Council International named MSP the Best Airport in North America among air terminals that serve 25 million to 40 million passengers annually, the second largest category, in 2016 and 2017.

The ACI surveyed more than 600,000 travelers from 84 countries last year on 34 performance indicators including access to check-in, security screening, restrooms, stores and restaurants.

Brian Ryks, executive director and CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates MSP, praised the wide array of staff at the airport who helped contribute to another year of excellent service.

"We couldn't be more thrilled," at the recognition based on traveler feedback, Ryks said in a news release. "Our vision is 'providing your best airport experience,' and receipt of this coveted award validates our efforts and those of our partners in the MSP Airport community."

Last year, a record 38 million people flew through MSP. The airport generates an estimated $15.9 billion a year for the Twin Cities economy and supports 87,000 workers.

"The Metropolitan Airports Commission, airlines, airline contractors, concessionaires, federal security and aviation agencies, the Airport Foundation MSP, and many other organizations — made this top ranking possible, and I want to thank them for their continued commitment to service excellence," Ryks said in a statement.

Trevor Squire is a University of Minnesota journalism student on assignment for the Star Tribune.