Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport named one of the best in the world
Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport was recognized by the Airports Council International and Airport Service Quality as one of the best airports in the world — the second consecutive year the airport has achieved this honor.
“One year ago, we celebrated the first ASQ award in MKE’s history. And receiving this designation two years in a row is a remarkable testament to Airport staff and the many stakeholders who deliver an outstanding customer experience to travelers every day at MKE,” said Airport Director Brian Dranzik.
Mitchell has become a flyers favorite
Mitchell earned the award in the North American category for airports that service 5 to 15 million passengers a year. It was one of only three airports that were recognized in this category and one of only 10 airports of any size in the U.S. – to earn a 2022 ASQ Best Airport award.
ASQ awards are determined by travelers through independent surveys administered while they are at the airport. These surveys take place all around the world allowing ASQ to showcase the world’s best airports.
“Receiving such high scores directly from passengers illustrates the world-class experience travelers receive when they choose to fly to or from MKE,” said Dranzik.
The award comes amid continued growth at Milwaukee’s Airport
This award comes as Milwaukee’s airport continues to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Traffic at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport continued to move closer to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 with passengers taking 5.4 million flights — almost 1 million more than in 2021.
While that's about 1.5 million flights away from matching 2019 numbers, officials are confident that 2023 will bring Mitchell closer to reaching traffic not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Airport officials also hope to increase international flights with the creation of a new international concourse — a project is expected to cost over $25 million. However, construction work that was to have started in January 2021 was delayed because of the COVID pandemic.
No new start date has been announced because Mitchell, which is entirely funded by user fees, is still working to recover from the financial blow of the pandemic. Mester said airport leaders are hopeful that construction can start in 2024.