Here are the world’s best airports for customer experience, according to passengers
Travelers wait to check-in at the American Airlines counter at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Dec. 27, 2022. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
MONTREAL - San Francisco and Dallas’ international airports were recently named two of the world's best for customer experience, while airports in South Carolina and Michigan were recognized for a number of offerings as the industry transitions out of the pandemic.
The Airport Service Quality Awards were announced on Monday, recognizing airports worldwide for their cleanliness, food and shopping offerings, ease of navigating, as well as other factors that go into creating a great traveler experience.
The best airport awards for customer experience are given out by size and region. Additionally, four new categories were added this year: Airport with the Most Dedicated Staff, Easiest Airport Journey, Most Enjoyable Airport, Cleanest Airport.
These new categories "emphasize staff dedication, cleanliness, and an easy and enjoyable airport journey for customers" as the industry evolves out of the COVID-19 era, according to Airports Council International (ACI) World, which handles the awards.
"The new categories not only reflect the growth of the program but also the evolution of passenger needs," Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general of ACI World, said in a statement. "It is a non-negotiable—airports must listen closely to the voice of customers so we can continue to serve people and communities in a sustainable and resilient way."
In total, 75 airports received ASQ awards, which are based on more than 465,000 surveys of passengers collected in 2022.
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World’s best large airports
When it comes to large airports – defined as more than 40 passengers traveling through each year – Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and San Francisco International Airport were among the 10 named.
Here they are, grouped by region:
Asia-Pacific
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai, India)
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (Guangzhou, China)
- Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi, India)
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport (Shanghai, China)
- Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (Shenzhen, China)
- Singapore Changi Airport (Singapore, Singapore)
Europe
- Aeroporto di Roma-Fiumicino (Rome Fiumicino, Italy)
- Istanbul Airport (Istanbul, Turkey)
North America
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (Dallas, United States of America)
- San Francisco International Airport (San Francisco, United States of America)
North America’s best airports
When it comes to airports with the best customer experience in North America, several made the list.
Here are those airports, grouped by size:
Under 2 million passengers per year
- Fort McMurray International Airport (Fort McMurray, Canada)
2 to 5 million passengers per year
- Gerald R. Ford International Airport (Grand Rapids, United States of America)
- Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (Greer, United States of America)
5 to 15 million passengers per year
- Indianapolis International Airport (Indianapolis, United States of America)
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (New Orleans, United States of America)
- Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee, United States of America)
15 to 25 million passengers per year
- San Jose Mineta International Airport (San Jose, United States of America)
25 to 40 million passengers per year
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (Detroit , United States of America)
- Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport (Minneapolis, United States of America)
Over 40 million passengers per year
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (Dallas, United States of America)
- San Francisco International Airport (San Francisco, United States of America)
Airports in South Carolina, Michigan recognized
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in South Carolina won awards in all the new categories, including "most dedicated staff," "easiest airport journey," "most enjoyable airport" and "cleanest airport."
Meanwhile, Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was also awarded for its dedicated staff, ease of going through the airport, and cleanliness.
Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport was recognized for its offerings, such as restaurants, shops, entertainment, and overall efforts to make the waiting time more enjoyable for travelers.
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This story was reported from Cincinnati.