ROC Airport Is Up for Best Small Airport Again — Vote Before October 5
The Short Version
- ROC placed 10th, 7th, and 6th in three consecutive years of the USA TODAY 10Best Best Small Airport contest — a consistent upward arc driven by real investment in the terminal.
- A $38 million terminal revitalization completed in December 2025 — part of a $230 million statewide program — added new jet bridges, a parking guidance system, and an expanded Frederick Douglass Cultural Area.
- ROC set a 15-year passenger record in 2024 with 2.6 million travelers across 8 airlines and 28 destinations, and added five new nonstop routes in 2025 including Nashville and Raleigh-Durham.
- The expert nomination stage is finished — public voting through October 5 is the only thing that determines whether ROC places first or repeats at sixth.
- One vote per device per day is allowed at 10best.usatoday.com/qr/64254/; winners are announced October 14.
For most Pittsford and Monroe County residents, ROC is the airport — the place where trips start and end, where you pick up family members, where the region connects to the rest of the country. For the fourth year in a row, it's on the ballot for the USA TODAY 10Best Best Small Airport award. Voting opened September 7 and runs through October 5. Monroe County Executive Adam Bello is putting a specific number on this year's goal: number one.
Four Nominations, Three Top-10 Finishes — and an Improving Trajectory
Four Nominations, Three Top-10 Finishes — and an Improving Trajectory
Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport is nominated for the fourth consecutive year for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Award for Best Small Airport. The contest works in two stages: a panel of travel editors selects 20 nominees nationally, and then public voting determines the ranked top 10, announced October 14. The expert stage is finished. ROC made the cut. From here, readers decide.
ROC placed 10th, then 7th, then 6th in three consecutive years — a consistent climb that reflects real investment, not just local loyalty.
"ROC finished at #6 in voting last year — it's time to go to number one."
— Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, Monroe County press release, September 8, 2026
What the Best Small Airport ROC Has Built
What the Best Small Airport ROC Has Built
The ranking climb has a direct explanation. ROC completed a $38 million terminal revitalization in December 2025 — part of a $230 million statewide program covering nine upstate New York airports. New jet bridges, a parking guidance system, redesigned ticketing and baggage areas, and an expanded Frederick Douglass Cultural Area all came out of that project.
ROC served 2.6 million travelers in 2024 — a 15-year record — across 8 airlines and 28 destinations with 33,033 weekly seats. New nonstops added in 2025 included Nashville, Charleston, Raleigh-Durham, Fort Myers, and Wilmington.
How to Vote — One Click, Once a Day, Until October 5
How to Vote — One Click, Once a Day, Until October 5
In USA TODAY 10Best, the expert panel chose the nominees. Public voting determines the winners. Voting runs through October 5, 2026, with the top 10 announced October 14. One vote per nominee per day is allowed from any device — phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop.
The direct link: vote for ROC at USA TODAY 10Best. The deadline is October 5.
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