KCI ranked No. 4, but No. 1 to us

The big picture: KCI's sleek new terminal has already propelled the airport into the top tier of traveler satisfaction — No. 4 in North America. Respectable, no doubt — but we had to ask, what makes the ones ahead of us so much better?

Zoom in: No. 1 was John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. Huh?

• No. 2 was Tampa International Airport, and No. 3 was Dallas Love Field.

We know what makes KCI special — and it's not just the award-winning BBQ Experience.

So we asked our colleagues at Axios Tampa, Dallas, and San Diego (the only ones we could find who had flown out of John Wayne) why they thought their airports ranked so high.

💭 San Diego's thought bubble: "[John Wayne is] kind of small and easy to navigate compared to LAX."

• Setting the bar really high, there, San Diego.

💭 Tampa Bay's thought bubble: "TPA supremacy, baby. It's clean, easy to navigate and has incredible food options. The security line is never longer than five minutes. AND travelers are greeted by a giant flamingo named Phoebe."

• We have the fountain sculpture, but flamingos are cool, too.

💭 Dallas' thought bubble: "It has the advantage of being compact and relatively close to the city's center. Though small, there are still great food and shopping options if your Southwest flight happens to be delayed."

• Close to the city. Must be nice.

The fine print: The 20th annual North America Airport Satisfaction Study ranked airports based on categories like how easy they are to navigate, terminal facilities and retail options.

• Local flavors gained airports a 14-point advantage, according to the survey.
• Airports were broken into three categories based on passenger volume: medium, large, and mega.

The bottom line: KC may be No. 4 on this list, but it's No. 1 in our hearts.