Traveling to new places is one of the best things to do to get away from work and life responsibilities. But to accomplish this, one big factor lies between you and your destination: airports.
Not all airports are created equal, with some being slow, clogged, dirty, and offering poor customer service. Well, we’ve curated a list of the world’s best airports, ranked for their cleanliness, punctuality, and outstanding customer service, that you don’t want to miss out on as your method of reaching your favorite travel destinations!
1. Narita International Airport, Japan
An international airport, Narita Airport serves the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. In 2019, the airport received the “SKYTRAX Best Airport Award” for the World’s Best Airport Staff Service, which is only presented to the airport with the highest level of customer satisfaction across the airport’s full range of services, including restaurant personnel and security staff.
Along with this esteemed award, Narita International Airport has been ranked second for the World’s Best Airport Security Processing, Best Airport for Baggage Delivery, Best Airport Dining, and Best Airport Immigration.
2. London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow (LHR) is an airport that has received and retained its status as the world’s most internationally connected airport. It is considered one of the world’s greatest, most-used, and best-connected airports.
Over one year, more than 67 million passengers travel through London Heathrow Airport, which connects to more than 90 countries.
3. Singapore Changi
Named the World’s Best Airport in 2023, the Singapore Changi Airport is also one of the most beautiful. It features vertical gardens, a rooftop pool, a rock climbing wall, a grand indoor waterfall, a butterfly garden, and Michelin-starred restaurants.
Travelers favor Singapore Changi for its outstanding dining and activity options, each featuring a refined and upstanding experience for all who visit the airport.
4. Istanbul Airport, Turkey
Ranked amongst the “World’s Top 10 Airports” in 2021, Istanbul Airport was named the best airport in Europe by Airports Council International (ACI Europe). Each year, the Istanbul Airport hosts around 90 million visitors, which has cemented its place as one of the busiest airports in the world.
The design of this busy airport was established to maximize efficiency so that passengers can quickly and easily access their gates. Throughout the airport are comfortable lounges, a hotel with blackout cabins to sync your circadian rhythm, and a museum decorated with beautiful art to upgrade your traveling experience.
5. Hamad International, Qatar
Rated the second-best airport in the world, Hamad International Airport (DOH) has won other enigmatic titles, including the World’s Best Airport Shopping and Best Airport In The Middle East in 2023. The airport prioritizes a passenger-first approach, which has consistently ranked it among the best in the world for its enigmatic capacity to ensure operational excellence.
6. Haneda Airport, Japan
For eight years in a row now, in 2023, Haneda Airport won the World’s Cleanest Airport award, and for eleven consecutive years, it has also won the World’s Best Domestic Airport award. It is one of the five busiest airports in the world and consistently manages to provide the utmost customer care, service, and cleanliness.
Within the Haneda Airport are beautiful observation decks, the Japan Airlines Sky Museum, and a hotel with first-class cabins for travelers to enjoy.
7. Zurich Airport, Switzerland
The largest international airport in Switzerland, Zurich Airport, was named the best airport in Europe by the World Travel Awards in 2023 for the 20th time. Boasting world-class services, Zurich Airport has risen to the top as one of the best for its high-class quality of products, services, and standards, which has established profound customer satisfaction.
8. Copenhagen Airport, Denmark
Honored twice at the Skytrax World Airport Awards, Copenhagen Airport is noteworthy for having the world’s best security processes and has been termed Northern Europe’s best airport. It is one of the oldest international airports in Europe, named third-best in the world by business travelers by the magazine Business Traveller. Copenhagen prioritizes flight punctuality and is one of the top performers with excellent public transport links.
9. Munich International Airport, Germany
The Munich International Airport (MUC) is the only German airport that has ranked amongst the top ten in the world. It is one of the world’s most punctual airports, with on-time flights and plenty of security and staff to keep queues moving to ensure everyone gets to their gate on time.
Munich International Airport is Europe’s only five-star airport designated for its shopping, cleanliness, facilities, staff service, food and beverages, security, and immigration.
10. Incheon International Airport, South Korea
Located in the bustling city of Seoul in South Korea, Incheon International Airport (IIA) was tagged fourth in the “World’s Top 100 Airports 2023” list by Skytrax. Many travelers use Incheon Airport as the gateway into South Korea. It acts as one of the most promising first impressions of the country with its modern design and excellent customer service.
Robin Edwards, often hailed as "The Penny Hunter" by her close circle, is not just a financial writer; she's a financial educator committed to helping people understand the value of every penny. With a background in finance and a knack for simplifying complex financial concepts, Robin has become a go-to resource for those looking to take control of their financial destiny. With her zero-based budgeting method, she's changing the way we think about money, one dollar at a time.