• by Teresa Buyikian , February 8, 2024

There’s one place almost everyone eats fast food: the airport. With limited options and time, most travelers opt for a quick QSR meal over any other option.

And some airport locations really put the “fast” in fast food, with the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), coming in first for service speed and availability.

That’s according to a recent Upgraded Points study that analyzed the fast-food landscape in 60 of the busiest airports in the U.S., as defined by total passenger volume. The report took a detailed look at the availability and speed of the top 20 QSR chains and integrated the data with annual passenger traffic statistics.

CVG came in at 73% below the airport average (25,563 passengers per chain), with a ratio of only 6,900 daily passengers per chain. That means those passengers should expect shorter lines and more time to enjoy their meals, according to the study.

Second fastest was George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston airport, with a daily passenger-per-chain ratio of 7,400, and plenty of QSR options as well. Third was Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Ontario, CA, with just 7,800 passengers per chain, 69% below the national average.

In terms of QSR airport density, San Diego International airport tops the list, with an average of 3.09 chains available per airport mile. Widest variety goes to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), with 19 fast-food locations, the largest selection among all airports.

And what chains have the most airport locations? McDonald's (no big surprise) and Chick-fil-A (more of a surprise) lead the list, with 35 locations each across the 60 busiest U.S. airports. Next are Subway and Burger King, with 24 locations each.

Chick-fil-A was the most widespread -- located in more airports, 42% of them, than any other chain --  followed by Burger King at 30% and Wendy’s at 28%. McDonald's and Subway were close behind at 27%, and Panda Express was present in 25%.