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Ookla Reveals Ranking of Best and Worst Airports for Getting Online
[June 12, 2018]

Ookla Reveals Ranking of Best and Worst Airports for Getting Online


Ookla, the global leader in mobile and broadband network testing and analysis, today released their annual North American airport rankings that reveals the airports with the fastest free Wi-Fi. The results indicate that the Pacific Northwest has taken the top spot on the podium, with Seattle-Tacoma International unseating previous champion, Denver International, as the airport with the fastest, free Wi-Fi in the U.S. and Canada.

"Nothing improves a traveler's trip quite like reliably fast Wi-Fi can," said Ookla (News - Alert) Co-founder and GM Doug Suttles. "What our comprehensive analysis shows is that surprisingly only a few airports across the U.S. and Canada have recognized just what an impact this can have. Wi-Fi speed can make all the difference for the business traveler finalizing a presentation or a family downloading videos to keep their kids occupied."

The company looked at test results taken on their flagship application, Speedtest, from January through April 2018. To be considered in the analysis, a test had to be taken on the free Wi-Fi network available at each airport. The analysis also compares this year's speeds with those outlined in last year's report (from March through May 2017). This juxtaposed data demonstrated big improvements for some and ousted others whose networks are in need of serious improvement to get travelers online.

Seattle has usurped the title of fastest airport Wi-Fi in North America from Denver, a strong contender that previously held the title for two years running. Seattle can now also boast being faster than the other global winners recognized in Ookla's 2017 report, including Gold Coast Airport in Australia, Congonhas-SaÞo Paulo Airport in Brazil, Dubai International, Seoul Incheon International Airport in South Korea, Sheremetyevo International Airport in Russia and Mohammed V International Airport in Morocco.

And, while most airports offer free Wi-Fi nowadays, what the Ookla North America Airport Ranking makes clear is that not all Wi-Fi offerings are equal. Take the mean download speed at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International, it remains stuck at the bottom of the list, despite a massive percentage improvement. There were also many airports that actually saw significant declines in Wi-Fi speeds, including: Detroit (58.9% decline), Miami (27.1% decline) and Dallas Fort Worth (25.6% decline).





 
 

Improvements in Airport Wi-Fi

Largest Airports in the US and Canada (2018 vs. 2017)

 
Airport    

2018 Download
(Mbps)

   

2017 Download
(Mbps)

    Airport Code
Seattle-Tacoma International     103.00     43.66     SEA
Denver International Airport (5GHz)     78.68     78.22     DEN
Calgary International     67.23     41.83     YYC
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport     59.62     2.68     ATL
San Francisco International     54.78     45.31     SFO
Philadelphia International Airport     51.38     48.39     PHL
Vancouver International Airport     50.11     55.06     YVR
Logan International Airport     40.38     32.22     BOS
Orlando International Airport     30.46     7.96     MCO
LaGuardia Airport     28.49     13.57     LGA
Chicago O'Hare International     24.20     14.25     ORD
Newark Liberty International     23.90     13.68     EWR
Dallas Fort Worth International     23.83     32.03     DFW
John F Kennedy International     21.37     14.86     JFK
Los Angeles International     15.04     17.82     LAX
George Bush Intercontinental     14.53     13.64     IAH
McCarran International Airport     11.15     10.63     LAS
Miami International Airport     11.15     15.29     MIA
Charlotte Douglas International     9.76     11.74     CLT
Phoenix Sky Harbor International     9.52     8.31     PHX
Detroit Metropolitan Airport     9.39     22.85     DTW
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International     7.65     7.06     MSP
Toronto Pearson International     7.14     4.31     YYZ
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International     6.41     1.92     YUL

Speedtest is unique in that it provides the closest reflection of the internet experience people have in their daily lives and the way networks are performing for their users. With 10 million tests taken by real people every day, insights based on Speedtest data are provide a comprehensive and accurate view of internet performance and accessibility. Additionally, the Speedtest testing server network is the largest in the world, which ensures that test results always reflect maximum available speeds for the actual location where the test is being taken.

Additional Resources

Read more on the Ookla blog here: http://www.speedtest.net/insights/blog/fastest-airports-us-canada-2018

View infographic here: www.speedtest.net/insights/blog/content/images/2018/06/top-10-airport-infographic.png

About Ookla

Ookla®, the company behind Speedtest®, is the global leader in fixed broadband and mobile network testing applications, data and analysis. Over ten million tests are actively initiated by consumers each day across all Speedtest platforms, with more than 20 billion completed to date. As a result, Ookla has the most comprehensive analytics on worldwide internet performance and accessibility. Ookla transforms these billions of real-world tests into vital research tools. The company's flagship enterprise product, Speedtest Intelligence®, is used by ISPs, carriers, businesses, universities and government agencies alike who trust Ookla's commitment to quality and neutrality. Ookla's headquarters are located in Seattle, WA with additional offices in Dublin, Ireland.


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