LaGuardia Airport ranked as best mid-sized U.S. airport

NEW YORK - It's a stunning turnaround for one of New York City's major airports. 

A new survey ranked LaGuardia Airport as the best airport among mid-sized U.S. airports. 

The results are from the passenger research program Airport Service Quality. 

LaGuardia recently underwent a multi-billion dollar makeover, which started in 2016. 

Previously, it was considered one of the worst airports in the nation. 

Back in 2014, then-Vice President Joe Biden infamously described it as being like a "third world country." 

"If I blindfolded someone and took them at 2 o'clock in the morning into the airport in Hong Kong and said 'Where do you think you are?' They'd say 'this must be America, it's a modern airport.' If I took him blindfolded and took him into LaGuardia Airport in New York, you must think you must be in some third world country. I'm not joking," Biden said at the time. 

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who began the renovation, released a statement after the new survey ranking came out. 

"The rebuilding and reimagining of LaGuardia was done in record time under very difficult circumstances and was a demonstration that daring performance and ambition can be actualized by government," Cuomo said. "The recognition is a testament to the men and women in my administration who worked night and day to transform this airport from one of the worst in the nation to the very best. They made the impossible possible and this honor is well deserved." 

This isn't the only accolade LaGuardia has recently received. In 2023, LaGuardia's Terminal B was named the world's best new airport terminal by airport rating firm Sky Trax.