There is a growing interest in the passenger experience at the airport. Particularly, the relevance of passenger satisfaction has been emphasized. However, although different research approaches have been used, there is still a gap related to understanding the several relationships between aspects associated with passenger satisfaction with the airport. In this study, a comprehensive conceptual model, which includes the relationships between key antecedents and consequences of passenger satisfaction, was developed and examined. Using structural equation modeling analysis, several findings concerning passenger expectations, airport service quality, switching costs for changing airports, and passenger loyalty towards the airport are stressed. •The relationships between the antecedents and consequences of passenger satisfaction with the airport were examined.•A causal model comprised different aspects of the passenger perceptions of the airport as a service experience.•Passenger expectation regarding the airport experience is mostly associated with the idea of a minimum tolerable performance.•Stresses the relevance of the existence of switching costs for passenger loyalty in a multi-airport region.