Time spent at any airport can be stressful, but it can be made so much worse when operations are chaotic, wait times get drawn out, or products or services are in short supply. And, of course, access to certain amenities goes a long way towards making the travel journey more bearable.
The results of new research commissioned by money.co.uk have just revealed the world’s best airports for travelers in 2022, and it turns out that five out of the top 10 are located in the U.S.
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The travel insurance website analyzed 50 of the globe’s busiest airports and ranked them on the basis of multiple factors, including on-time flight performance, parking and transfer costs, transfer times, and the number of onsite shops and eateries. For these purposes, 2019 data was used in order to avoid figures being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions on travel.
Below, we’ve listed the results of money.co.uk’s analysis, the scores and rankings assigned to each—along with the winners in each respective category—so you’ll know what to expect the next time your travels take you there.
World’s Best Airports Overall
| Airport | Score (out of 10) |
|---|---|
| 1. Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore | 8.32 |
| 2. Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan | 8.03 |
| 3. Mexico City International Airport, Mexico | 7.4 |
| 4. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, United States | 7.34 |
| 5. Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russia | 6.87 |
| 6. Frankfurt Airport, Germany | 6.84 |
| 7. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, United States | 6.61 |
| 8. Orlando International Airport, United States | 6.32 |
| 9. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, United States | 6.15 |
| 10. Miami International Airport, United States | 6.05 |
Airports With the Fewest Delayed Flights
Among the biggest hassles when traveling by air are potential flight delays, which could cause troublesome travel hiccups ranging anywhere from missed flight connections to missing your own wedding. Here are the top 10 global airports with the fewest delays (defined as flights that depart at least 15 minutes late):
| Airport | Total Passengers (2019) | On-time Performance |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan | 85.5 million | 86.4 percent |
| 2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, USA | 110.5 million | 82.6 percent |
| 3. Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore | 68.3 million | 82.0 percent |
| 4. George Bush International Airport, USA (tied) | 45.0 million | 80.4 percent |
| 5. Madrid Barajas Airport, Spain (tied) | 61.7 million | 80.4 percent |
| 6. Narita International Airport, Japan (tied) | 44.3 million | 80.4 percent |
| 7. Mexico City International Airport, Mexico | 50.3 million | 80.3 percent |
| 8. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, USA | 46.3 million | 80.2 percent |
| 9. Los Angeles International Airport, USA | 88.1 million | 80.0 percent |
| 10. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, USA (tied) | 50.2 million | 79.2 percent |
| 10. Miami International Airport, USA (tied) | 45.9 million | 79.2 percent |
And, here are the top picks in some of the individual categories:
World’s Overall Busiest Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport – Pre-pandemic Atlanta’s Hartfield-Jackson Airport saw 110.5 million passengers cross its terminals in a single year. The major gateway airport is home to Delta, one of the world’s largest carriers, which was operating over 1,000 flights per day to more than 200 destinations prior to the pandemic.
Airport With the Cheapest Parking
Singapore Changi Airport – US$24.96 for seven days
Airport With the Most Restaurant Options
Seoul Incheon International Airport, South Korea – 264 restaurants
Best Airport for Shopping
Mexico City International Airport, Mexico – 226 shops
Airport Closest to Its Nearest City
Mexico City International Airport, Mexico – estimated taxi transfer time of seven minutes