TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Skytrax World Airport Awards 2026 were announced on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, with five Asian airports ranking in the top five of the world’s best airports list.
According to Business Insider on Thursday, March 19, Singapore Changi Airport retained its title as the world’s best airport in the annual awards organized by London-based aviation consultancy Skytrax.
Changi is known for its passenger-friendly facilities, including what is widely promoted as the world’s largest indoor waterfall, as well as self-service check-in counters and biometric authentication systems designed to speed up immigration procedures.
The airport served a record 69.98 million passengers last year, surpassing its previous high of 68.3 million recorded in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the accolade, Changi also faced criticism last year, including complaints from travelers over slow baggage handling on arrival. The airport operator later apologized and pledged to ensure a smoother experience for passengers.
Ranked second in the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2026 was Incheon International Airport in South Korea, followed by Tokyo Haneda Airport in Japan, Hong Kong International Airport, and Tokyo Narita Airport in Japan.
One notable absence this year was Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. According to Business Insider, the airport withdrew from the awards following disruptions to regional air travel caused by the Iran war.
An airport spokesperson told Business Insider that the safety and well-being of passengers, staff, and their families remained the airport’s top priority.
Hamad International ranked second in the world in 2025 and held the top spot the year before.
The rankings, released on March 18, are part of the annual World Airport Awards 2026, which are based on a global passenger satisfaction survey assessing airport experiences across a range of service and product indicators.
These include check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration, and gate departure procedures. The survey covered travelers from more than 100 countries and was conducted between August 2025 and February 2026.
The remaining airports in the top 10 were Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, Rome Fiumicino Airport in Italy, Istanbul Airport in Turkey, Munich Airport in Germany, and Vancouver International Airport in Canada.