Long Island MacArthur Airport ranked nation's 2nd-best small airport by USA Today

Long Island MacArthur Airport was named the country’s second-best small airport in 2025 by USA Today, marking the third consecutive year Islip’s airport has made the top 10 on that national list.

MacArthur’s 2025 ranking is its highest yet. It secured sixth and fourth place in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The airport ranked in fifth place in 2023 and was ranked third last year.

MacArthur, in Ronkonkoma, was topped only by Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on this year’s list.

“Travelers wishing to avoid big, crowded, New York City airports can find a peaceful, efficient alternative at Long Island MacArthur Airport,” USA Today wrote in its rankings. “It's located about 50 miles from midtown Manhattan, close to many of Long Island's famous attractions like the Hamptons, Fire Island, wineries, and Gold Coast mansions.”

The other top five small airports were Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, at No. 3, South Carolina's Myrtle Beach International Airport, at No. 4, and North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad International Airport, at No. 5.

Long Island MacArthur Aviation Commissioner Robert Schneider said in a written statement to Newsday, "It's a testament to the hard work of the entire ISP team that we climbed the leaderboard to second place.”

“We’re honored to be named the #2 best small airport in the United States," Schneider's statement read. "We’ve been able to increase air service while continuing to provide a superior customer experience.”

Rounding out the Top 10 list were Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, in upstate Rochester, at No. 6; Huntsville International Airport in Alabama, No. 7; Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Kansas, No. 8; Pensacola International Airport in Florida, No. 9; and Fresno Yosemite International Airport in California, at No. 10.

CLARIFICATION: USA Today did not rank the nation's best small airports in 2022. An earlier version of this story indicated that Long Island MacArthur Airport did not make the Top 10 list in 2022.

By Sam Kmack

sam.kmack@newsday.com

Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area, as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.