It took the famed Changi Airport two years to climb back up to clinch the title of world’s best airport once again.
London-based research firm Skytrax yesterday announced this year’s prestigious list of Earth’s best airports and Singapore’s Changi Airport has claimed the number-one spot for the 12th time.
The airport, which saw its glorified indoor waterfall starting Twitter wars earlier this year, saw a dip in its rankings during the pandemic, coming in third last year and in 2021 .
The Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, and the Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, which have been shuffling around in the top three spots with Changi Airport since 2020, came in second and third this year, respectively.
The two airports broke Singapore’s eight-year winning streak, which ran from 2013 to 2020. But let’s be honest – neither of them boasts Changi’s most bragworthy amenities such as a butterfly garden, a concrete “rainforest”, a 24-hour IMAX theater or even a Pokemon Center.
The awards are based on votes by air travelers who assess customer service and facilities at over 550 airports. This year’s survey was done between August last year up til last month.
Skytrax said its global surveys are “independent” and are not influenced by any airport or third-party organization.
Changi Airport was also named the best airport in Asia, best for leisure amenities and best for airport dining. Its Crowne Plaza hotel also scored the world’s best airport hotel award for its eighth consecutive year.
The 30 to 40 million passengers estimated to pass through Changi this year is still about 80% of pre-Covid-19 levels, although that number is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by next year, according to Skytrax chief executive Edward Plaisted.
The World’s Top 20 Airports for 2023
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
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