Business travel can be a very rewarding experience. From the excitement of closing an important business deal to the thrill of exploring a new city, there is much to look forward to. Business trips are usually shorter than vacations, so a smooth and stress-free airport layover can TripSome airports are better equipped for business travelers than others, and several factors contribute to ensuring comfort and ease of travel.

Photo: Courtesy of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Recently, Booking.com for Business announced the top 10 airports in the U.S. for business travel, revealing the best places to start your career. The study analyzed data from the country’s busiest airports, taking into account several factors, including the total number of lounges at each airport, the number of direct flights and how many of those flights offer business class, the number of hotels within a two-mile radius, and the overall Skytrax rating.

Other factors included the travel time required to reach the city’s business district and the number of rental cars available. All of this was used to calculate an overall business travel score for each airport.

Best airports for business travel

According to the study, the best U.S. airport for business travel is Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), which achieved a Business Travel Score of 7.98 out of 10 – more than one point higher than any other airport in the survey.

ATL offers an impressive 237 direct flights, 43.88 percent of which offer business class seats. The airport is also conveniently located just 18 minutes’ drive from downtown Atlanta, and no fewer than 40 hotels are within two miles of the airport. Business travelers can also take advantage of ATL’s 18 lounges, as well as over 100 shops and world-class restaurants.

Miami and Los Angeles

In second place are Miami International Airport (MIA) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with a Business Travel Score of 6.9 out of 10 points.

Photo: Courtesy of Miami International Airport

MIA offers 192 direct flights, but only 36.46 percent of them offer business class, while LAX offers slightly fewer routes (189), with over half (55.56 percent) offering business class.

LAX has a few more lounges, with 22, compared to MIA with 12. Both have the standard amenities you’d expect from major airports. LAX has 30 hotels within a two-mile radius, but is a 35-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles.

Photo: Main concourse of the Tom Bradley Terminal, LAX airport. Courtesy of LAX.

On the other hand, MIA has 43 hotels within a two-mile radius, and downtown Miami, an increasingly popular business destination, is just 24 minutes away by car.

From New York to Orlando

The report also revealed the airports with the best scores in each category. For example, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) offers the most lounges of any airport in the country (27). Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has the highest number of direct flights (258), but only about 22 percent of these routes offer business class.

Photo: Courtesy of Delta

Orlando International Airport (MCO) is considered the best airport with 797 rental cars available. Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas has the highest number of hotels within a two-mile radius (83), and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is closest to the local business district with an average drive time of just 10 minutes.

Flying abroad: Dubai at the top

The study also revealed which airports outside the US are best for business travel. The global hub Dubai International Airport (DXB) ranks at the top, offering 264 flight routes, 94.7 percent of which have business class.

Photo: Courtesy of Dubai International Airport

Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) came in second place, followed by Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in third place.

These are the top ten airports outside the US for business travel, according to Booking.com for Business: