From Check-In to Take-off : Ranking the World's Premier Airports

1. Singapore Changi Airport 

Changi takes the top spot this year, and it's fittingly home to your favorite carrier, Singapore Airlines. In addition to being an ideal gateway to dozens of locations in the region, Changi has emerged as a destination in its own right: In 2019, the airport debuted the Moshe Safdie-designed Jewel, which includes indoor forests and waterfalls and the 14,000-square-foot Canopy Park, all under a massive glass dome. Elsewhere, you’ll find open-air decks, the world’s first airport butterfly garden, a free 24-hour movie theater, and even a rooftop pool and hot tub overlooking the runways.

2. Istanbul Airport 

For centuries, Istanbul has sat at the crossroads of international trade and travel, so it’s only natural that the Turkish city has finally stepped into its position as a global transport hub in the age of air travel as well. Opened in 2018 amid great fanfare—and bold ambitions to become the world’s biggest airport—the new IST gets praise for its modern design by Grimshaw Architects, which has netted awards for its emphasis on efficiency and sustainability. With high-tech touches like a fleet of robots to direct passengers through the 818-million-square-foot hub and runway capacity to move a total of 90 flights per hour, the airport is poised to take off as a major global player.

3. Seoul Incheon International Airport 

Seoul’s main international airport opened 21 years ago on reclaimed land in the port city of Incheon and has been expanding ever since: A second passenger terminal debuted in 2018, part of the airport’s aim to double its capacity to 100 million passengers annually. Primarily serving the country’s two main airlines, Korean and Asiana, Incheon International also earns points for its spacious VIP lounges and amenities, including an indoor skating rink, a spa, and a “Cultural Street” with local cuisine and dance performances. While it’s 30 miles from the capital, a high-speed rail link makes the trip from terminal to city center in 43 minutes.

4. Hamad International Airport 

Doha’s airport is a major connecting hub for Qatar’s eponymous home airline (also a Readers’ Choice pick), and in many ways it feels more like a resort hotel than a bustling transportation hub, with amenities that include a fitness center, squash courts, and an indoor swimming pool. It’s gotten high marks for its premium amenities, with a wide choice of lounges, plus quiet rooms and child’s entertainment zones for passengers in any airline class. For those on longer layovers, there’s an upscale hotel right inside the terminal, with half- or full-day rates available, and if your shoulders are feeling a little tense after that long-haul flight, you can stretch your muscles at the hotel’s golf simulator.

5. Zurich Airport 

As Switzerland’s largest international airport, Zurich is also the main hub for Swiss, which operates business-class and first-class lounges—and those clubs are no joke, thanks to Champagne and whiskey bars. Looking for a place to buy some duty-free chocolate? There are dozens of shops here to browse. Readers also like the variety of restaurants and bars, and if the weather cooperates, there’s an outdoor observation deck with sweeping views of the action on the runways.

6. Hong Kong International Airport 

Hong Kong’s international airport offers fast connections to the city from its island aerie, via an Airport Express that whisks travelers from terminal to city center in 24 minutes. It’s also one of the region’s top connecting hubs, with service to dozens of destinations in mainland China alone. Passengers on a layover appreciate the wide array of premium class lounges, amenities like nap rooms, and the Regal Airport Hotel, which Skytrax consistently ranks as one of the world’s best airport hotels. Beyond mere convenience, the Regal includes seven bars, restaurants, and patisseries and the Thai-inspired OM Spa, which offers treatments like an aromatherapy massage with blue chamomile, ylang ylang, and rosemary.

7. Tokyo Haneda Airport 

For years, Tokyo’s Haneda was primarily a domestic airport, but it's gaining long-distance flights—and a strong international following. What accounts for its popularity? Simply put, it’s not Narita, the country's bustling international hub that's a 45-mile drive from the capital, notorious for, among other things, the $200 cab fare it takes to get there. Haneda, by contrast, is just ten miles from the city center, but it's not just proximity that wins over fliers: Haneda gets high marks for the comfort and cleanliness of its terminals, a wide array of shopping and dining options, and fast and efficient transportation links to downtown Tokyo.

8. Dubai International Airport 

Dubai International Airport is so staggeringly enormous that its Terminal 3 alone covers 18.4 million square feet, ranking it the second-largest building in the world by floor space. Unsurprisingly for a city that loves luxury, the airport also houses one of the world’s biggest duty-free shopping centers, and over the years it’s hosted such attention-grabbing amenities as a resident DJ program. As the base for flag carrier Emirates, a Readers’ Choice favorite, it is also served by scores of international airlines, and it’s long been a popular stopover destination for North American travelers heading to East Asia or the South Pacific. Amenities like zen gardens and nap pods help pass the time on a layover of any length.

9. Helsinki Airport 

Originally built for the 1952 Summer Olympics, the airport has expanded significantly over the decades, but still retains a trademark Nordic edge; in fact, the terminals are filled with nods to the city’s design heritage, including stores like the textile giant Marimekko and the Finnish luxury brand Balmuir. If you’re traveling with kids, stop at Moomin Cafe, which is decorated with characters from Finnish illustrator Tove Jansson’s beloved comic strip and serves a comforting menu of pancakes and blueberry milkshakes. And even the chairs scattered throughout the terminals have a lovely connection to local culture: They’re designed by such Finnish luminaries as Alvar Aalto, Eero Aarnio, Yrjö Kukkapuro, and Ilmari Tapiovaara.

10. Indira Gandhi International Airport 

India's largest airport is also its best, according to our readers. A favorite for its efficiency, this is the only airport in the country with four major runways—which in part explains how so many passengers are able to pass through the premises without a hitch. That there are crowds at times should come as no surprise, but what really matters is that said throngs (over 37 million passengers came through in 2021, for example) get where they need to go.