Singapore Changi Airport has once again topped Skytrax’s ranking of the world’s best airports, which was revealed at the 2023 World Airport Awards ceremony on 15 March.
This is the 12th time the iconic airport has won the title, awarded annually by the UK-based airline and airport research firm. Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, and Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, ranked second and third, respectively, on the list.
More about Skytrax’s World Airport Awards
Win for Changi Airport indicates return to popularity with international passengers
Singapore Changi Airport was named No.1 in the world for eight consecutive years from 2013 to 2020, setting the record for the longest winning streak since the institution of the awards in 2000.
But due to the pandemic, the airport lost the crown to Hamad International Airport and Haneda Airport in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Apart from topping the global ranking, Singapore Changi Airport was also named the Best Airport in Asia by Skytrax. It also won awards for World’s Best Airport Dining and World’s Best Airport Leisure Amenities.
The Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, an on-site luxury hotel, was named the World’s Best Airport Hotel for the eighth consecutive year as well as Best Airport Hotel in Asia.
Skytrax chief executive Edward Plaisted said in a statement that the win for Changi Airport raises hopes of it reaching its pre-pandemic capacity by 2024.
“After being severely hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is pleasing to note that passenger numbers at Changi Airport are now at about 80 percent of pre-Covid-19 levels, and expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2024,” Plaisted said.
Changi Airport Group chief executive Lee Seow Hiang said in the statement, “This recognition is great encouragement for our airport community, who stood firmly together to battle the challenges of COVID-19 over the past two years.”
To prepare its list of world’s best airports and other awards that it hands out, Skytrax surveyed travellers from across the world asking them to rate their airport experience, starting from check-in to departure. The survey for the 2023 awards were done between August 2022 and February 2023.
The awards ceremony was held at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Incheon, Delhi, Cape Town airports among winners of other awards
Hamad International Airport won multiple honours. Among them were Best Airport in the Middle East, Cleanest Airport in the Middle East and World’s Best Airport Shopping. The overall cleanest airport honour went to Haneda Airport.
As for other airports, South Korea’s Incheon Airport was recognised with the World’s Best Airport Staff and Best Airport Immigration Service awards. On the other hand, Bahrain International Airport was awarded World’s Best Airport for Baggage Delivery.
Regionally, Delhi Airport was named the Best Airport in India and South Asia, Cape Town International Airport was awarded for being the Best Airport in Africa and Cleanest Airport in Africa awards, and El Dorado International Airport in Bogota won the Best Airport in South America award. The Best Airport in North America award went to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the US.
Skytrax introduced a new award for appreciation of airport art in its 2023 honours. Its winner is judged by an expert panel and not based on a survey. The inaugural honour went to the Houston Airport System. According to CNN, the award was received by the Houston Airport System on behalf of William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Houston Airport for having the largest collections of public art in the state of Texas.
Top 20 world’s best airports for 2023 according to Skytrax:
1. Singapore Changi Airport
2. Hamad International Airport (Doha)
3. Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
4. Incheon International Airport
5. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
6. Istanbul Airport
7. Munich Airport
8. Zurich Airport
9. Narita International Airport
10. Madrid-Barajas Airport
11. Vienna International Airport
12. Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
13. Rome Fiumicino Airport
14. Copenhagen Airport
15. Kansai International Airport
16. Chubu Centrair International Airport
17. Dubai International Airport
18. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
19. Melbourne Airport
20. Vancouver International Airport
Check the full list of winners here.
(Hero and featured image credits: Samuel Toh/Unsplash & Joe Green/Unsplash)
Manas Sen Gupta
Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.
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