Let’s be honest, UK airports are usually where summer holiday excitement goes to die.
You rock up with your suitcase and sun cream in a jolly mood, but you’re greeted with delayed flights, lackluster restaurant options and the most uncomfortable chairs you’ve ever had the misfortune to sit on.
And now, in a new ranking of the top 20 airports in the world for 2023, just two UK airports placed, with London Heathrow coming in at 15, and London Gatwick at 18.
Not a single English airport made the top ten, despite eight of the top ten airports being in Europe.
Edinburgh was the only UK airport remotely near the top ten, placing 11th. It did, however, take top place for cost of transfers.
The research, carried out by airline compensation consultants AirAdvisor, ranked airports based on punctuality, Google reviews, distance from the city, shop rating, and the cost of transfers.
These ratings from each category were then combined to produce an overall score.
But if our UK airports are so dire, then where will you have the best travel experience?
Well the best airport according to AirAdvisor is Athens. Eleftherios Venizelos Airport took first place, receiving very high scores for punctuality and it’s shopping offering.
Coming in hot in second place is Palma de Mallorca – a much loved destination for Brits on their summer holidays – and rounding out the top three best airports was Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport.
All airports in the top ten bar two were in Europe, while Los Angeles International Airport ranking fifth and Orlando International Airport ranking seventh.
LAX received very good scores for punctuality, a vital factor in the airport experience.
Madrid Barajas (4) received high praise for its shopping experience, while Venice Marco Polo (12) and Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (16) got high scores for distance from the city.
Venice did unfortunately receive the worst rating for cost of transfers.
On the other hand, Stansted, in the lowly 21st position, received the lowest ranking in the category of distance from the city. Anyone that’s schlepped out the so-called ‘London’ airport won’t be surprised by that one.
Berlin Brandenburg airport ranked the worst of all 23 airports that were included in the study.
Sneaking in at second worst is Paris Charles De Gaulle, as the least punctual airport.
Tenerife Sur (10) was the worst performer for it’s shopping experience while Bordeaux Merignac had the worst Google reviews.
Anton Radchenko, chief executive of AirAdvisor, said: ‘Most of us only consider our choice of airport as a point of convenience – selecting a departure that is closest to our home.
And airports are rarely a consideration when selecting a holiday destination, but they can significantly impact your holiday experience. Especially if flights are delayed or luggage is lost.’
The best (and worst) ranked airports
- Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport
- Palma de Mallorca
- Rome Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport
- Madrid Barajas
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Barcelona El Prat
- Orlando International Airport
- Dublin Airport
- Amsterdam Schiphol
- Tenerife South (Tenerife Sur)
- Edinburgh Airport
- Venice Marco Polo
- Faro Gago Coutinho Airport
- New York JFK
- London Heathrow
- Nice Cote d’Azur Airport
- Bordeaux Merignac
- London Gatwick
- Frankfurt Airport
- Manchester
- London Stansted
- Paris Charles De Gaulle
- Berlin Brandenburg
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
MORE : What’s in the Middle of Lidl this week? Top picks from the middle aisle
MORE : The Bournemouth stag do saga is a masterclass in how not to treat your groom
MORE : Asking For A Friend: I hate my friend’s partner, should I tell them?
Get need-to-know travel news, inspiration and advice from Metro every week.
Sign up here…
For all the latest Lifestyle News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
