The best Airport on the Planet

[CarolF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarolF]

Skytrax's rankings, which are in their 14th year, are based on a survey that asks airline passengers to rank airports across 39 different categories, from shopping to security. Over 12m passengers filled out the survey this year, according to the company. And despite Skytrax's website's suffering from a bad case of Seemingly Random Capitalisations, the awards are worth taking seriously. Some travellers might find the tenth place of London Heathrow surprising, but much of that is driven by the opening of Terminal 5 and the airport's impressive shopping options. (Every London airport except Luton made the top 50.)

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulli...rport-rankings

Here are the World's top 100.

http://www.worldairportawards.com/Aw...013/top100.htm

[Dori Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dori]

We have been in three airports this week- Incheon, Vancouver and Toronto. Our favourite would have to be Vancouver. It is a beautiful airport and has a very welcoming feel to it. Incheon would be my next favourite. It is easy to navigate and offers entertainment throughout the day. Toronto ranks way down the list for me. I find it cold and uninviting (and I live in Toronto!).

I would be interested in knowing the faves of other TUG experts.

Dori

[mav Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Dubai for DH and I. Could not believe the service we received there. When we leaving Dubai and reached security, the workers put our luggage on the belts for us and also took them off after they went thru the scanners. We then proceeded to passport control and the lines were PRETTY long. We no sooner got to a line when a sheik came from out of a glassed in area BEHIND where you get in line. He took our passports to his office, checked them, and personnally took us thru a separate area, had our passports stamped and we were thru! AMAZING! Never had to go thru the line. As we headed to the gate and Star Alliance lounge area we had only taken about 10 steps when a tram came and asked where we were headed. He took us to an elevator and told us what floor to exit on. We got off the elevator, took about 10 steps and another tram came along. He asked us where we were headed and we told him the same thing. He then took us to the lounge on the tram, asked when boarding time was We told him and he said we would pick us up at the lounge and take us to the gate. He was waiting when we exited the lounge about an hour later. He dropped us at the gate after a VERY long tram ride. What a walk that would have been! The airport was beautiful! We have NEVER had service like that. We felt like movies stars! AMAZING!

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Dori, I totally agree with you! I really like the airport in Vancouver, it's visually appealing, efficient, diverse and customer-friendly. Toronto is the exact opposite.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

I am only interested in how quickly and easily can I get in and out of the airport. That is why the ONT airport in Ontario California is my favorite by far. We can always get through security in less than 5 minutes, excellent nearby parking, and it is just a couple minutes to the 10. I have been to many many airports in the US, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the Panama. I am not interested in shopping in airports and airport restaurants aren't that important.

[buzglyd Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close buzglyd]

I'll take Palomar airport in Carlsbad thank you.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I am only interested in how quickly and easily can I get in and out of the airport. That is why the ONT airport in Ontario California is my favorite by far. We can always get through security in less than 5 minutes, excellent nearby parking, and it is just a couple minutes to the 10. I have been to many many airports in the US, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the Panama. I am not interested in shopping in airports and airport restaurants aren't that important.

I agree with you on this.
Get me in and out as quickly as possible.
Ft. Lauderdale is a quick in/out airport.
Also like Greensboro, NC & La Romana.

[CarolF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarolF]

Dubai for DH and I. Could not believe the service we received there. When we leaving Dubai and reached security, the workers put our luggage on the belts for us and also took them off after they went thru the scanners. We then proceeded to passport control and the lines were PRETTY long. We no sooner got to a line when a sheik came from out of a glassed in area BEHIND where you get in line. He took our passports to his office, checked them, and personnally took us thru a separate area, had our passports stamped and we were thru! AMAZING! Never had to go thru the line. As we headed to the gate and Star Alliance lounge area we had only taken about 10 steps when a tram came and asked where we were headed. He took us to an elevator and told us what floor to exit on. We got off the elevator, took about 10 steps and another tram came along. He asked us where we were headed and we told him the same thing. He then took us to the lounge on the tram, asked when boarding time was We told him and he said we would pick us up at the lounge and take us to the gate. He was waiting when we exited the lounge about an hour later. He dropped us at the gate after a VERY long tram ride. What a walk that would have been! The airport was beautiful! We have NEVER had service like that. We felt like movies stars! AMAZING!

Changi Singapore was always the stop on the way to Europe for us. Loved being able to swim a few laps in the pool to relax before for the next flight. Dubai has now replaced Changi, so I'm pleased to hear it was a good experience for you Mav. Did you by chance use or see their pool? I know it is an international airport but just wondering if there would be a need for conservative dress whilst swimming.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Memphis was always my favored gateway airport in the US when I flew NW, as it was easy to navigate, had great Memphis barbeque (3 restaurants specializing in it!), and very easy immigration and customs. I was not so happy with my choices at CO when I moved to them after the DL takeover of NW, and at my current airline of choice, AA, the gateway options are better than CO but not nearly as good as Memphis was with NW. As to airports for point of origin, I always liked Kinston when DL flew from there back in the days I flew DL, because it was small and easy to navigate, very quick security line, and best of all, free parking! You could even park within easy walking distance of check-in.

As to surveys, this one does not fit well with other surveys. Heathrow often turns up on surveys of the WORST airports, as do Frankfurt and Paris. One survey of travel writers ranked Heathrow as the worst airport in Europe. I remember one guidebook that described Banesa airport (the LCC airport) in Bucharest after a makeover as still ''the second worst airport in Europe, only because nothing can be worse than Heathrow''. Some long threads on FlyerTalk after some of those past surveys showed many experienced flyers rated Heathrow and Frankfurt as bad airports. One, I well remember, described Frankfurt as a ''cross between a maze and a dungeon''. Some of my German colleagues have spoken of how they always try to fly through the Munich gateway to avoid Frankfurt which they did not want to have to fly through if they could help it. Personally, I would rate Munich as a decent airport, but not as high as this survey would suggest. Frankfurt is an airport I avoid. As I now fly AA, it is impossible to avoid Heathrow, but I find as an AA Plat, Heathrow is much easier to tolerate sitting in the great BA Galleries lounge. I am sort of neutral as to Paris CDG, as I do not see it as bad as many flyers do.

I would generally agree with this survey as to Amsterdam, Helsinki, Copegnhagen, Dusseldorf, Cologne, and Gatwick, which are good airports. I would concur that Vienna, Zurich, Stockholm, and Prague should be on the list, but they should be in higher positions. Cape Town and Jo'Burg are okay, but I would not rank them quite as high as this survey does.

[mav Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Changi Singapore was always the stop on the way to Europe for us. Loved being able to swim a few laps in the pool to relax before for the next flight. Dubai has now replaced Changi, so I'm pleased to hear it was a good experience for you Mav. Did you by chance use or see their pool? I know it is an international airport but just wondering if there would be a need for conservative dress whilst swimming.

No, I did not realize they had a pool at the Dubai airport, but I am not surprised. It was REALLY an amazing experience! I don't think dignitaries would have received much better treatment!
Another fantastic place was the Turkish Airlines Club Lounge at the Istanbul Turkey Airport WOW!!!!! Like a vacation! in itself!