Long Island MacArthur Airport Ranks #2 in USA TODAY’s 10Best “Best Small Airport” for 2025
ISLIP, NY – It’s been a landmark moment for Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) as it secured the #2 ranking in the 2025 edition of USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for “Best Small Airport”. This is the highest finish the airport has ever achieved in this annual competition.
For travelers based on Long Island (or visiting from New York City) the ranking underscores ISP’s strength: it offers easier access, shorter lines, and growing service options compared to many busier hubs. Community and stakeholder enthusiasm appears to have played a role in the outcome – local promotion and voting efforts helped raise ISP’s profile.
From the airport’s point of view, the result serves as goodwill proof of its “convenient alternative” pitch, and may help in efforts to expand airline service and attract additional destinations. The airport and the owning municipal entity (the Town of Islip) say they’ll leverage this momentum.
Ranking Performance
| Year | Ranking in USA TODAY 10Best – Best Small Airport |
|---|---|
| 2024 | #3 |
| 2025 | #2 |
Top 10 Airports – 2025 Contest
| Rank | Airport |
|---|---|
| 1 | GRR – Gerald R. Ford International Airport |
| 2 | ISP – Long Island MacArthur Airport |
| 3 | PVD – Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport |
| 4 | MYR – Myrtle Beach International Airport |
| 5 | GSO – Piedmont Triad International Airport |
| 6 | ROC – Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport |
| 7 | HSV – Huntsville International Airport |
| 8 | ICT – Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport |
| 9 | PNS – Pensacola International Airport |
| 10 | FAT – Fresno Yosemite International Airport |
Airport Key Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Approximate distance from New York City | ~50 miles to Long Island MacArthur Airport |
| Jobs supported (direct & indirect) | ~6,000 |
| Regional economic impact | ~$600 million |
How USA TODAY’s 10Best Airport Rankings Work
The 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards are produced by USA TODAY’s travel division, an independently operated editorial team within the Gannett network. Each contest begins with a panel of travel experts-including journalists, industry professionals, and editors-who nominate 20 finalists in a given category (such as “Best Small Airport,” “Best Family Resort,” or “Best National Park”).
Once nominees are announced, public voting opens online for about four weeks, usually hosted at 10best.com. Readers may cast one vote per category per day during the voting window. After voting closes, final tallies determine the top 10, with rank #1 representing the readers’ most popular choice.
For the Best Small Airport category, eligibility typically includes U.S. airports serving fewer than 10 million annual passengers, emphasizing ease of access, short security lines, parking convenience, and traveler experience rather than total traffic volume.
The results reflect reader sentiment and traveler preference, not operational performance data from the FAA or DOT. However, airports often use the recognition in marketing, economic development outreach, and airline recruitment efforts-especially since smaller airports rely heavily on local awareness and regional loyalty.
