A light-filled green paradise that calls itself a “destination unto itself”, Changi Airport in Singapore has regained its spot at the top of Skytrax’s annual ranking of the world’s best airports.
Skytrax, an airline and airport review and rating site based in UK compiles its list by surveying travelers from around the world and asking them to rate the entire airport experience — from check-in to departures and everything in between.
Singapore’s Changi Airport has topped Skytrax’s list for eight consecutive years, but in 2021 and 2022 it dropped a few places on the list as passenger numbers dropped during the pandemic, with Hamad International Airport in Doha in the Qatar taking over the top.
“Singapore Changi Airport has always been a perennial favorite with travelers and has, of course, gone downhill during the Covid-19 pandemic when operations were drastically reduced,” Peter Miller of Skytrax told the CNN .
Miller says Changi Airport “offers something for everyone” and suggests this is a “major factor” in its continued popularity.
Some of Changi’s charms include a spectacular 40-meter-high covered waterfall, a butterfly garden and an Imax cinema – not to mention more than 280 shops and restaurants, perfect for killing time during a layover.
“Singapore Changi is primarily a transit airport, and according to customer feedback, the airport performs well because it offers a wide range of facilities and amenities for all types of customers – families, business and leisure travelers alike. well cared for”, says Moleiro.
Hamad International Airport, which this year earned the No. 2 spot on Skytrax’s list, also offers amenities designed for travelers on the go – including city tours for those who spend more than eight hours waiting for their connecting flight.
This year, Skytrax’s top five list for 2023 still includes Tokyo International Airport, known as Haneda, (3rd), Incheon International Airport (4th) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (5th).
From airport dining to airport art
Skytrax also hands out other awards, including regional awards, with Changi Airport winning the Best Airport in Asia award, as well as winning the World’s Best Airport Dining and World’s Best Airport Leisure Facilities.
Changi’s local hotel, the luxury Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, was named the world’s best airport hotel for the eighth consecutive year.
Meanwhile, second-placed Hamad International Airport also won the Best Airport Buy award in World Best Airport in the Middle East and Cleanest Airport in the Middle East while Haneda Airport Tokyo ranked third, was crowned the cleanest airport overall.
Bahrain International Airport won Best Airport Baggage Delivery in the World and Incheon Airport is apparently the airport with the best staff and immigration processing.
Meanwhile, New York City’s long-maligned LaGuardia Airport continued its successful quest for rehabilitation, with its new Terminal B awarded Best New Airport Terminal in the World.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the highest-rated airport in the U.S ranking eighteenth on the Skytrax list and awarded Best Airport in North America .
Cape Town International Airport in South Africa is the best airport in Africa, Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi is the best airport in India and from the south of Asia and Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport won the award for Best Airport in South America .
This year, the Skytrax team also debuted a new category celebrating airport artistry, judged by a separate panel rather than the customer survey.
The Houston Airport System, which has one of the largest collections of public art in the state of Texas, won this award on behalf of William P. Hobby Airport and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Skytrax’s 20 Best Airports in the World for 2023
- Singapore Changi Airport
- Hamad International Airport, Qatar
- Tokyo International Airport, Haneda, Japan
- Incheon International Airport, South Korea
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France
- Istanbul Airport, Turkey
- Munich Airport, Germany
- Zurich Airport, Switzerland
- Narita International Airport, Japan
- Madrid-Barajas Airport, Spain
- Vienna International Airport, Austria
- Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Finland
- Rome Fiumicino Airport, Italy
- Copenhagen Airport, Denmark
- Kansai International Airport, Japan
- Chubu Centrair International Airport, Japan
- Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, United States
- Melbourne Airport, Australia
- Vancouver International Airport, Canada
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
