Not all airports are created equal. Some are soulless, clinical spaces with little more than bright blueish lighting and endless corridors. They are nothing but a functional building from which to launch your next adventure, be it a weekend away with friends or a big solo trip in a new, far-flung destination. Others, however, can make your vacation experience special from the outset.
Getting to or from a travel destination can be an exhausting experience, not least because of the stressful airport experience which can make traveling a real chore. If you’ve ever been stranded at an airport for more than a few hours because of a long layover or a delayed flight, you know how frustrating and boring it can be. However, stopovers have become considerably less miserable in certain airports that seem to get it right by taking their services and amenities up a serious notch.
The good airports are the ones we look forward to, despite all the lines and bureaucracy. They’re the ones with world-class shopping malls packed with haute boutiques, high-quality dining venues, appealing food and drink – a champagne bar, perhaps, or a micro-brewery with a taproom – and unique spaces that offer more than simply a place to sit and charge your devices.
Perhaps they have exhilarating leisure facilities from movie theaters to golf courses and rooftop pools, indoor gardens, rooftop terraces with runway views, designated quiet zones that come under the form of zen gardens, museums, and luxurious spas, or even entire adventure playgrounds to keep the kids happy while you’re waiting for your flight to be called.
Here are the 20 best airports in the world.
- Singapore Changi Airport
- Hamad International Airport
- Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
- Incheon International Airport
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Istanbul Airport
- Munich Airport
- Zurich Airport
- Narita International Airport
- Madrid-Barajas Airport
- Vienna International Airport
- Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
- Rome Fiumicino Airport
- Copenhagen Airport
- Kansai International Airport
- Chubu Centrair International Airport
- Dubai International Airport
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Melbourne Airport
- Vancouver International Airport