Anyone who has passed through Singapore’s Changi Airport will not be surprised to learn that it has been recognised as the world’s best airport – for the fifth year in a row. The annual Skytrax World Airport Awards recognises the top airports on the planet, based on the results of millions of international passenger surveys.
The top gong was well deserved. Among the facilities spread across Changi’s three terminals are two 24-hour movie theatres screening the latest blockbusters for free, a rooftop swimming pool and a rooftop cactus garden, home to more than 40 species of cacti and succulents. There’s a butterfly garden, sunflower garden, children’s play area, and an entertainment deck where you can make the most of Xbox 360 and a Kinect station. There’s complimentary wi-fi throughout, dozens of restaurants and bars, and all manner of shopping experiences. There are spas and massage chairs, hotel rooms and relaxation pods. Small wonder, then, that Changi also took home the award for the World’s Best Airport for Leisure Amenities.
It’s a hard act to beat, although a number of other airports are giving Changi a run for its money. Tokyo’s International Haneda airport moved from fourth place on the list to second place, while Doha’s Hamad International Airport jumped from 10th place in 2016 to 6th place on this year’s list.
The top European airport on the list was Munich at number four, while the top North American airport was Vancouver at number 13.
There were five Australian airports in the top 100, including Brisbane (16), Sydney (23), Melbourne (30), Adelaide (69) and Perth (71), while only one New Zealand airport made it onto the list: Auckland (22).
Skytrax handed out awards in a variety of other categories as well, covering everything from cleanliness (Tokyo Haneda took home the top award) to the most improved (Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport) to dining (Hong Kong) and shopping (London Heathrow).
SKYTRAX TOP-10 AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD 2017
- Singapore Changi Airport
- Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
- Incheon International Airport (Seoul, South Korea)
- Munich Airport (Germany)
- Hong Kong International Airport
- Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar)
- Chubu Centrair Nagoya (Japan)
- Zurich Airport (Switzerland)
- London Heathrow Airport
- Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
