Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 10 Best Airports in the World

What are the best airports in the world? Conde Nast Traveler presents the Reader’s Choice Awards for the Best Airports in the World. Let’s count them down from Switzerland’s largest international airport in Zurich to…read on to find out.

10. Zurich (ZRH)

As Switzerland’s largest international airport, Zurich is also the main hub for SWISS International Airlines, which operates five VIP lounges and offers frequent connections throughout Europe and beyond. More than 80 shops offer plenty of duty-free chocolate and other specialties; readers also like the variety of restaurants and bars—even grocery stores—and, if weather cooperates, an outdoor observation deck with sweeping views of the action on the runways.

9. Helsinki (HEL)

Finland’s main airport is a popular connecting hub for fliers bound for eastern Europe and Russia, with some of the fastest transfer times of any European gateway. Finnair’s popular stopover program, with discounted hotel rates in Helsinki, is luring more transit fliers to spend a few days in the burgeoning capital between flights, too. Despite its relatively small size, serving just 17 million passengers a year, the airport offers fliers a variety of services, including saunas and spas at its premium lounges.

8. Tokyo Haneda (HND)

Transpacific travelers have welcomed the addition of non-stop flights to Tokyo’s close-in airport, a mere 13 minutes via rail connection to the Tokyo subway system, versus the nearly two-hour trek to giant Narita Airport. American, Delta, United, plus Japanese carriers ANA, and JAL, now all offer direct service from U.S. gateways to Haneda, which also gets high marks for cleanliness and efficiency. Services include showers and luggage storage, and there’s a transit hotel connected to the International Terminal, which gives travelers a place to crash without having to clear passport control.

7. Copenhagen (CPH)

Copenhagen’s airport, a main hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, gets high marks for its efficiency and its stylish Danish design. Just five miles south of Denmark’s capital, a 12-minute train ride away, the airport is a favored layover point for travelers, with easy-to-arrange half-day tours. The airport itself is known for its variety of restaurants and bars, and its duty free shopping center is reportedly the largest of any in Europe. (Note: shoppers get additional discounts if they download the airport’s app.) The Hilton airport hotel right at the terminal is also a favorite of transfer passengers.

6. Hong Kong International (HKG)

Home to top-rated Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong International 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 50 destinations in mainland China alone. Stopover passengers appreciate the wide array of premium class lounges, amenities like nap rooms and an IMAX theater, and the Regal Airport Hotel attached to the main terminal, which is consistently ranked one of the world’s best airport hotels by Skytrax.

5. Dubai International (DXB)

The third busiest airport in the world overall, Dubai now claims to be the No. 1 airfield for international travelers, an audience it serves with—you guessed it—one of the world’s biggest duty-free shopping centers. As the base for flag airline Emirates, a Readers’ Choice favorite, Dubai is also served by 140 airlines as well as low-cost upstart flydubai, which handles 12 percent of the traffic. New concourses and runways now in the works will eventually expand capacity to 200 million passengers a year, with enough space to dock 100 Airbus A380s, the world’s biggest jet, at a single time.

4. Billy Bishop Toronto City (YTZ)

Few international airports are as close to their home cities as Billy Bishop; the Lilliputian landing field, situated on the Toronto Islands right offshore, is a six-minute walk from the mainland via a pedestrian tunnel that opened last year. (Passengers can also reach their flight via a ferry or a free shuttle bus.) The main base for Porter Airlines, one of our readers’ favorite international carriers, the airport should retain its cozy intimacy for some time to come: At present, it can’t handle any planes larger than a turboprop—the aircraft of choice for Porter and other regional lines.

3. Hamad International (DOH)

One of the newest major international airports, opening in 2014, Qatar Airways’ home base gets high marks for its amenities, with no fewer than eight premium lounges, plus quiet rooms and children’s entertainment zones for passengers in any airline class. For those on longer layovers, there is an hotel right inside the terminal, with half- or full-day rates available. Those not interested in resting away their time can shop (there are some 80 luxury stores), peruse artworks by anyone from Damien Hirst to Urs Fischer, and fill up on caffeine from gold-plated coffee kiosks.

2. Seoul-Incheon (ICN)

Seoul’s main international airport opened 15 years ago on reclaimed land in the port city of Incheon, and has been expanding ever since: a second passenger terminal is on track to open in 2020, with the aim of doubling capacity to 100 million passengers annually. Known for its spacious VIP lounges that serve the country’s two main airlines, Korean and Asiana (both on our top international airlines list this year), Seoul-Incheon also gains points for its amenities—fliers also appreciate the 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.

1. Singapore Changi (SIN)

That Changi has again snagged the top spot among world airports is no surprise, given that it’s home to our readers’ favorite carrier, Singapore Air, which offers frequent connections from the hub to dozens of locations in the region. The airport is almost a destination in itself, with an indoor waterfall, butterfly garden, and open-air decks and restaurants. Passengers with at least six hours to spare can take a free city tour, lounge by the swimming pool, or binge-watch flicks at the free 24-hour cinema. Traveler readers like the high-tech features like self-boarding gates and fast and free Wi-Fi, and family travelers appreciate the vast play areas.

Sources Cited: Conde Naste Traveler; Alamy