Singapore’s Changi Airport has retained its title as the Best Airport in World at the 2026 Skytrax World Airport Awards. This is the 14th time, and the second consecutive year, the airport has won the accolade.
Simply The Best
The airport also won awards for the World’s Best Airport Dining, the World’s Best Airport in the 60-70 million passenger category, the World’s Best Airport Immigration Service and the Best Airport in Asia.
Changi Airport Group (CAG) chief executive officer, Mr Yam Kum Weng, received the awards at a ceremony held in London on March 18.
Changi Airport won the Best Airport in the World award in 2000, 2006, 2010, then eight consecutive years from 2013-2020, the longest winning streak since the World Airport Awards began in 2000. It reclaimed the crown in 2023, before winning the award again in 2025 and now in 2026.
A spokeswoman for CAG said Changi is honoured to be named the world’s best airport during this challenging time for aviation and thanked the airport’s passengers and partners for their continued trust and support.
She said it remains committed to consistently delivering a world-class experience and redefining the future of travel as it prepares for the next phase of growth with Terminal 5, which will open in the mid-2030s. In 2025, the airport handled 69.98 million passengers.
Asia Dominates
Seoul Incheon Airport is ranked at No 2 globally in 2026, and won a coveted title as the World’s Most Family Friendly Airport.
Tokyo Haneda Airport ranks No 3 globally and received three major awards as the World’s Cleanest Airport (Major Airport), the World’s Best Domestic Airport and for having the World’s Best Airport PRM & Accessible Facilities.
Hong Kong International Airport moved up to No 4 globally, and received the much coveted award for the World’s Best Airport Washrooms and also collected the award for the World’s Best Airport Security Processing.
Japan’s Narita International Airport, which came in fifth, also won the top award for the World’s Best Airport Staff. It won the award in 2019 and 2024.
Chubu Centrair International Airport, Nagoya, was a repeat winner of the World’s Best Regional Airport award, and the Best Regional Airport in Asia title. Japan’s Aso Kumamoto Airport also won the award as the World’s Best New Airport Terminal.
Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport enjoyed a repeat success in the 2026 event, by winning a top award for the World’s Best Airport Baggage Delivery.
Japan’s New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido won a major award as the World’s Cleanest Airport (for up to 30 million passengers).
In the Best Airport Hotel categories, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport collected the award as the World’s Best Airport Hotel and the Best Airport Hotel in Asia.
The world’s top 20 airports of 2026 were:
- Singapore Changi Airport
- Incheon International Airport
- Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
- Hong Kong International Airport
- Narita International Airport
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Rome Fiumicino Airport
- Istanbul Airport
- Munich Airport
- Vancouver International Airport
- Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
- Chubu Centrair International Airport
- Dubai International Airport
- Riyadh Airport
- Vienna International Airport
- London Heathrow Airport
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
- Fukuoka Airport
- Zurich Airport
- Bahrain Airport
The 2026 World Airport Awards ceremony started with the latest SKYTRAX Airport Star Rating presentations:
Rome Ciampino Airport: awarded the 4-Star Regional Airport Rating
Punta Cana International Airport: awarded the 4-Star Airport Rating
Fukuoka International Airport: awarded the 5-Star Regional Airport Rating
Haikou Meilan International Airport: awarded the 5-Star Airport Rating
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport: awarded the 5-Star Airport Rating
London’s Heathrow Airport received a major award for the World‘s Best Airport Shopping.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport collected the award as the World’s Most Improved Airport with an impressive global rating improvement on previous years, and reflecting the recent opening of their newly upgraded international Terminal 2.
Paris CDG Airport enjoyed success winning the awards as the Best Airport in Europe for a fourth successive year, and their sister airport Paris Orly Airport took the top award as the Best Regional Airport in Europe.
Terminal 2 at Kansai International Airport replicated some earlier year success, winning the award for the World’s Best Low-Cost Terminal.
Houston Airport System remains a dominant force by winning the award for the World’s Best Airport Art for the fourth successive year.
Rome Fiumicino Airport is named the Best Airport in Southern Europe, Helsinki Vantaa Airport the Best Airport in Northern Europe, and Budapest Airport again wins the Best Airport in Eastern Europe title.
Munich Airport won the Awards for the Best Airport Staff in Europe, and as the Best Airport in Central Europe.
Cape Town Airport is the major award winner in Africa, receiving two awards – as the Best Airport in Africa and Best Airport Staff Service in Africa.
Delhi International Airport wins the award as the Best Airport in India & South Asia, and Hyderabad Airport received the award for Best Airport Staff Service in India & South Asia. Bangalore Airport collected the award for the Best Regional Airport in India & South Asia.
Grand Hyatt at SFO received the award as the Best Airport Hotel in North America for the second time, and Hilton Munich Airport received the Best Airport Hotel in Europe award.
The Pullman Brisbane Airport won the award as the Best Airport Hotel in Australia & Pacific region, and the Taj Bangalore was a repeat winner of the award as the Best Airport Hotel in India & South Asia.
Hyatt Regency Shenzhen was named the Best Airport Hotel in China, Le Méridien Cairo Airport the Best Airport Hotel in Africa, with the Movenpick Bahrain collecting the award as the Best Airport Hotel in the Middle East.
The awards are based on passenger voting through a global customer satisfaction survey that covers more than 550 locations. Questionnaires were completed by over 100 nationalities of airport customers during the survey period from August 2025 to February 2026. The survey evaluated the customer experience across airport service and product key performance indicators: from check in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security/immigration through to departure at the gate.
In light of the ongoing conflict in the region, Hamad International Airport withdrew from PTE World 2026 and the World Airport Awards 2026. The airport said that the safety and well-being of passengers, staff and their families remains its priority, and thanked aviation partners and stakeholders for their continued support.
Andy Probert is a freelance journalist whose work about global travel news, aviation, business and human-interest features has appeared internationally in print and digital formats.
