Have you ever visited an airport on a layover that you wished would last longer? Travelers who have found themselves in Singapore’s Changi Airport won’t find this question odd. The 2016 edition of the Airports Survey carried out by Sleeping in Airports bears out the truth of this, with Changi claiming the top spot.
This result is of course unremarkable because Changi Airport is the clear consensus favorite. Earlier this year, Skytrax and ASQ had already declared Changi King of the Skies, as it were. In fact, there hasn’t been a credible threat to Changi’s position in years. Helping it retain its top ranking are its butterfly and orchid gardens, cinema experiences, street food halls and free foot massages. Joining Changi at the top are two more Asian airports, Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea and Haneda International Airport in Tokyo. All three were recognized for being efficient, clean, fun and friendly. Skytrax had Incheon and Changi tied for first place.
“What ultimately unites these terminals together is that coming to them is the opposite of a chore,” editors of Sleeping in Airports write.
“Rather, passengers are often found wishing their layover could continue for just a little longer so that they can check out the IMAX theater, the aquarium, the indoor jungle, the multi-story slide, the spa, or something that they haven’t even thought of yet.”
For the survey, travelers were asked to rank their experiences based on factors such as comfort, services, food options, immigration and security, customer service and cleanliness.
Of note, the only airport in North America to crack the top 10 list is the Vancouver International Airport in Canada.
Here are the top 10 airports in the Sleeping in Airports survey:
- 1. Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore
- 2. Incheon International Airport, Seoul, South Korea
- 3. Haneda International Airport, Tokyo, Japan
- 4. Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei, Taiwan
- 5. Munich International Airport, Germany
- 6. Kansai International Airport, Osaka, Japan
- 7. Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver, Canada
- 8. Helsinki Airport, Finland
- 9. Tallinn Airport, Estonia
- 10. Zurich Kloten International Airport, Switzerland