The AX Team has culled a list of finalists for the 2025 Airport Experience Awards, selecting from several hundred submissions from throughout the industry. Voting on the winners is now in the hands of the AX Awards Committee, comprising 12 airport representatives and 12 concessions/brand representatives.
As was the case last year, the most highly nominated categories were for concepts, with categories such as Best Bar Concept, Best Local-Inspired Restaurant, Best Local-Inspired Store, Best Quick-Serve Restaurant Concept and others garnering more than 25 nominations each. While AXN received robust nominations in nearly all categories, there were a few that fell a bit short and that is reflected with reduced finalist options. And, for two awards – Airport With the Highest Regard for Customer Service and Airport With the Best Overall Program – medium/small airports were merged with large-hub airports due to limited submissions on the former.
Over the next four weeks, the Awards Committee members will be reviewing the submissions and making their selections. At the end of the voting period, the AX Team will tally the votes from committee members. Winners will be revealed at the 2025 Airport Experience Conference.
Below are the finalists in each category:
Airport Awards;
Airport With The Best Commercial Team – Large Airports
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- San Francisco International Airport
- Vancouver International Airport
Airport With The Best Commercial Team – Medium/Small Airports
- Calgary International Airport
- Jacksonville International Airport
- San Jose International Airport
- Kansas City International
- Edmonton International
- Houston Hobby
Airport With The Best Overall Program
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- Nashville International Airport
- San Francisco International Airport
Airport With The Highest Regard for Customer Service
- Orlando International Airport
- Nashville International Airportf
- Philadelphia International Airport
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- San Francisco International Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Airport With The Best Program Design
- Los Angeles International Terminal 3
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Airport With The Best Community Engagement Initiative
- Kansas City International Airport and OHM Group, for BBQ Challenge
- YVR and Pacific Autism Family Network, for Paper Planes Cafe
- Denver International Airport, for Business Development Training Academy
- John Wayne Airport, for Air Academy
- JFK IAT for Street Market / Arts & Culture Program
Best Local Management Team
- Osiel Laso/LaTrelle’s Management Corp. Team at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- Delaware North Team at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
- Avolta Team at Calgary International Airport
- PhaseNext Hospitality’s Buffalo Wild Wings Team at Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Crews Hospitality Team at Dulles International and Ronald Reagan Washington Nationald
- Concessions International Team at Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Operator and Concept Awards;
Best Overall Restaurateur – Large Operators
- Paradies Lagardère
- OTG Management
- HMSHost
- SSP America
Best Overall Restaurateur – Small Operators
- LaTrelle’s Management
- Pappas Restaurants
- High Flying Foods
- Proper Foods
- Newslink Group
Best Overall Retailer – Large Operators
- Duty Free Americas
- Hudson
- Paradies Lagardère
- WH Smith North America
Best Overall Retailer – Small Operators
- Love From USA Group
- Newslink Group
Best ACDBE Operator – Food & Beverage
- Phase Next Hospitality
- Aero Service Group
- Tyrone Nabbie
- Midway Restaurant Development/Fresh Creations
- Half Moon Empanadas
- Fox Pubs USA, LLC
Best ACDBE Operator – Retail or Services
- DFW Concessions Management Services
- Amy Billings
- Departure Media
- TransMedia LLC
- Love From USA Group
Restaurateur With The Highest Regard For Customer Service – Large Operators
- Paradies Lagardère
- Delaware North
- HMSHost
- SSP America
Restaurateur With The Highest Regard For Customer Service – Small Operators
- TMG Services
- High Flying Foods
- Concessions International
- NorthAmerican Concessions
- Newslink Group
Retailer With The Highest Regard For Customer Service – Large Operators
- Paradies Lagardère
- Hudson
- WH Smith North America
Retailer With The Highest Regard For Customer Service – Small Operators
- Corliss Stone-Littles
- Newslink Group
- Be Relax
Best Bar Experience – Large Airports
- Embarque Whiskey Grill by Bambuza Hospitality at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Elway’s Taproom and Grill by Skyport Hospitality at Denver International Airport
- Boston Harbor Distillery by SSP America at Boston Logan International Airport
- Fat Bottom Brewery by Paradies Lagardère at Nashville International Airport
- Nowitski’s by D&B Mitchell Group at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Victory Grill by OTG Management at Newark Liberty International Airport
- Smashville by Newslink at Nashville International Airport
Best Bar Experience – Medium/Small Airports
- BrewDog by HMSHost at John Glenn Columbus International Airport
- Beercode by Paradies Lagardère at Pittsburgh International Airport
- Brasseur de Montreal by HMSHost at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
- Catch One by SSP America at Dallas Love Field
- Big Rig Kitchen & Brewery by SSP America at Ottawa International Airport
- Brewery X at Ontario International Airport
Best Casual Dining Concept – Large Airports
- Tacos, Tequilas and Whiskey by Skyport Hospitality and JAF Concessions at Denver International Airport
- Pharmacy Burger Parlor by HMSHost at Nashville International Airport
- Fox & Flight by Paradies Lagardère at Boston Logan International Airport
- Lucky Buns by The Grove at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Nowitski by D&B Mitchell Group at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Summer House Santa Monica by Delaware North at Orlando International Airport
- Soleil Brasserie by OTG Management at LaGuardia Airport
- Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Kitchen + Bar by SSP America at Newark Liberty International Airport
Best Casual Dining Concept – Medium/Small Airports
- The Spot by Areas USA at William P. Hobby Airport
- Greenleaf Kitchen & Cocktails by Mission Yogurt at John Wayne Airport
- Nascar Drafthouse by HMSHost at St. Louis Lambert International Airport
- Canadian Brewhouse by SSP America at Edmonton International Airport
Best Local-Inspired Restaurant Concept – Large Airports
- Salty’s at the SEA by Concessions International at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- ACME Feed & Seed by Skyport Hospitality at Nashville International Airport
- Lucky Buns by The Grove at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- The Peached Tortilla by Delaware North at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Midwood Smokehouse by HMSHost at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- Calista Taverna by OTG Management at LaGuardia Airport
- Eastward Long Island Kitchen by SSP America at John F. Kennedy International Airport
Best Local-Inspired Restaurant Concept – Medium/Small Airports
- The Spot by Areas USA at William P. Hobby Airport
- Summit House by Avolta at Calgary International Airport
- Uccello’s Ristorante by Paradies Lagardere at Gerald R. Ford International Airport
- Skyline Chili by United Concessions at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport
- Taps Fish House by Mission Yogurt at John Wayne Airport
- The Leagues by Concessions Solution Group at Kansas City International Airport
Best Local-Inspired Store – Large Airports
- Local Marketplace by Airport Retail Group at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
- Goo Goo Shop by Hudson at Nashville International Airport
- The Neighborgoods by WH Smith North America at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Green Apple Books by Hudson at San Francisco International Airport
- San Franpsycho at San Francisco International Airport
- Six Points Market by WH Smith North America at O’Hare International Airport
Best Local-Inspired Store – MediumSmall Airports
- Charter Oak Emporium by Paradies Lagardère at Bradley International
- Plenty Mercantile by Paradies Lagardère at Oklahoma City International Airport
- Made In KC by WH Smith North America at Kansas City International Airport
- Shoppes at Whyte by WH Smith North America at Edmonton International Airport
Best Quick-Serve Restaurant Concept – Large Airports
- Hattie B’s by Skyport Hospitality at Nashville International Airport
- Jimmy John’s by PhaseNext Hospitality at Boston Logan International Airport
- Half Moon Empanadas at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Vessell Kitchen by Paradies Lagardère at Salt Lake City International Airport
- Fat Sal’s/Yakuma by Crews Hospitality at Los Angeles International Airport
- Ampersand by AMPM Hospitality at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Lucky Louie Fish Shack by 1915 KCHouse Concepts at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Eggy Weggy/Trinity Burger by OTG Management at LaGuardia Airport
Best Quick-Serve Restaurant Concept – Medium/Small Airports
- Velvet Taco by LaTrelle’s Management Corporation at William P. Hobby Airport
- Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers by Paradies Lagardère at Gerald R. Ford International Airport
- Sambazon by Bambuza Hospitality Group at John WayneAirport
- Angie’s Subs by HMSHost at Jacksonville International Airport
- Guy’s Deli by Miller Marketing & Distribution at Kansas City International Airport
- La Bottega by SSP America at Ottawa International Airport
Best Passenger Service
- Clockwork AI Robot Manicure
- Gameway
- Minute Suites
- Uber Rideshare Wayfinding/ClearChannel
- Be Relax
- ReachTV
Best Lounge Experience
- The Club SFO by Airport Dimensions at San Francisco International Airport
- The Club at DFW by Airport Dimensions at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Other Awards;
Best Sustainability Initiative In Airports
- Areas USA – Energy Initiatives
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International – HydroStations (Pentair and Hope Hydration)
- Paradies Lagardère – TerraCycle Glove Recycling Initiative
- Delaware North and Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International – “Bee the Difference” Campaign
- John Wayne Airport – Edible Food Donation Program
- OTG Management – Green Restaurant Association Partnership
DE&I TrailBlazer
- Andrea Albo of Denver International Airport
- Atif Elkadi of Ontario International Airport
- Deven Rand of NorthAmerican Concessions/Chicago Midway International Airport
Outstanding Woman In Leadership – Operator
- Katherine Lam of Bambuza Hospitality
- Cindy James of LaTrelle’s Management Corporation
- Donata Russell Ross of Concessions International
- Nancy Knipp of Airport Dimensions
- Catalina “Kika” Collazo of Newslink
Outstanding Woman In Leadership – Airport
- Jennifer Simkins, Assistant VP, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- Pamela DeChant, Senior VP of Concessions at Denver International Airport
- Elisa Grey, Chief Revenue Management Officer, Ontario International Airport
- Tracy Conner-Harris, VP of Concessions, Orlando International Airport
- Lisa Lankford, EVP and Chief Strategy Officer, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
- Cheryl Nashir, Director of Revenue Development and Management, San Francisco International Airport
