The world’s best airports revealed – with only one UK entry making the top 10 and a German hub nabbing first place

DAILYMAIL.COM • 2h ago

By ALESIA FIDDLER – TRAVEL REPORTER 12:46 11 Sep 2026, updated 13:26 11 Sep 2026

2026 has been an incredibly tough year for air travel across the globe – with passengers having to navigate conflict, frequently changing travel advisories and most recently, a huge technical failure with the UK’s air traffic control.

But some airports are managing to rise above the constant chaos and continue to provide great standards for passengers passing through.

The World Consumer Airport Index 2026 by the Consumer Choice Center has revealed some of the best airports in the world through an analysis of 60 different hubs.

Considering factors such as the distance to the city centre, passenger volumes, ability to use taxi apps like Uber, access to the local metro and rail services, the report compiles a list of the top small hubs and top large hubs.

Other features include ease of connection between gates and terminals, the number of airlines, the number of destinations served and whether there is an airport hotel and more.

As for the number one airport in the world? Düsseldorf ranked best overall, and placed at the top of the small hub table.

The German airport services a whopping 67 airlines, and passengers are spoilt for choice with 171 destinations to choose from.

The airport’s security processing impressed too, and is described as ‘almost instantaneous’. Meanwhile, the airport operations are ‘efficient’.

Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport was declared the best largest hub, and was praised for its short average security waits of just three minutes.

The research also noted the hub, which serves over 57 million travellers a year, has ‘broad passenger choice’.

The index emphasised: ‘Airport size alone does not determine performance.

‘The strongest hubs are those that give passengers more airline and destination choices, provide fast and reliable security processing, maintain dependable transport and terminal infrastructure, and avoid operational restrictions that reduce convenient connections.’

Other hubs performed well, including Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, which is often used by holidaymakers heading to Rome. It was ranked the second-best largest airport.

The airport is well positioned, and the Leonardo Express train transports passengers directly from the airport to the city in just 32 minutes.

Bringing America into the mix, Los Angeles International Airport ranked third in the larger category, followed by Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport.

As for the smaller airports, Zurich placed second, and is the biggest international hub in Switzerland, providing flights to over 200 destinations.

Keeping Europe in the top three, Copenhagen ranked third, followed by Helsinki Airport in Finland and Italy’s Malpensa Airport.

The UK managed to bag a place in the top ten largest airports with London Heathrow, which ranked seventh in the category overall.

However, the research did note the hub’s ‘strict nighttime flight limits reduce the availability of overnight and early-morning connections’.

Manchester Airport ranked 14th in the smaller airport category, and London Gatwick followed in 18th.

Others, however, did not perform as well.

Seoul Gimpo International Airport in South Korea placed last in the top 35 smaller airport rankings. The research highlighted ‘weaker connectivity and declining passenger traffic contributing to its position’.

Meanwhile, Seattle-Tacoma Airport placed 25th out of the top 25 larger hubs.

Recent research by Which? named Manchester T3 as the worst airport in the UK after considering factors such as ‘Late cancellations’, ‘Check-in queues’, ‘Passport control queues’ and ‘Food and drink outlets’.

The hub received a 52 per cent customer score and was rated a paltry two stars in all categories surveyed, including ‘Cleanliness’ and ‘Seating’.

One customer declared the airport, which primarily operates Ryanair flights, ‘quite appalling for a supposedly modern airport’, reporting two-hour check-in queues due to broken machines, 20-minute queues for cafes and toilets, and also complaining that there is ‘nowhere to sit’.

In a statement to Which? following the results of the survey, Manchester Airport told the consumer champion there is a ‘project ongoing to remove and replace the old travelators’ as part of a multi-million pound refurbishment scheme.

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