janruay 21, 2025
The Best Airports Around The World According To Travelers
Navigating around an airport for the first time can be tricky! Trying to make your way to baggage claim and find a rental car can have its challenges depending on where you are. Sometimes airports are much larger than we anticipate, or the signage can be unclear, making it difficult to find your way around and start your vacation.
Our team at DiscoverCars.com carried out new research exploring which airports from around the world offer the best experience for foreign tourists. We surveyed 3,500 tourists, asking them questions about their airport experience in the country they traveled to. We then asked these tourists to rate the airport of the country they visited on a scale of 0-10.
Our team at DiscoverCars.com carried out new research exploring which airports from around the world offer the best experience for foreign tourists. We surveyed 3,500 tourists, asking them questions about their airport experience in the country they traveled to. We then asked these tourists to rate the airport of the country they visited on a scale of 0-10.
Methodology
Our team asked 3,500 tourists about their airport experience, with questions about how easy they found navigating the airport they traveled to. From these scores, we were able to determine which airport offers the best experience for travelers, according to travelers flying into the airport.
When scoring we used the ratings from travelers and included airports with 50 or more reviews.
When scoring we used the ratings from travelers and included airports with 50 or more reviews.
The results
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Christchurch Airport (CHC), New Zealand
Taking first place for the best airport to fly to according to tourists is Christchurch Airport in New Zealand. Christchurch airport scored an impressive 9.21 out of 10 for being the best airport to fly to according to travelers.
Located in the largest city in the country’s South Island, Christchurch Airport was New Zealand's first international airport and is the second busiest airport in the country before Auckland Airport.
Those who landed at Christchurch Airport seemed to have a pleasant experience overall! With reports of excellent customer service and the airport being easy to navigate, tourists had a seemingly positive experience when flying into Christchurch Airport.
One traveler said they had a “smooth and easy” experience, and another mentioned that it was “easy to locate places” which is exactly what you want from your airport experience.
Another tourist mentioned that “It was busy but everyone was friendly”, indicating that despite crowds, good customer service is what makes an airport experience great.
Located in the largest city in the country’s South Island, Christchurch Airport was New Zealand's first international airport and is the second busiest airport in the country before Auckland Airport.
Those who landed at Christchurch Airport seemed to have a pleasant experience overall! With reports of excellent customer service and the airport being easy to navigate, tourists had a seemingly positive experience when flying into Christchurch Airport.
One traveler said they had a “smooth and easy” experience, and another mentioned that it was “easy to locate places” which is exactly what you want from your airport experience.
Another tourist mentioned that “It was busy but everyone was friendly”, indicating that despite crowds, good customer service is what makes an airport experience great.
Queenstown Airport (ZQN), New Zealand
Coming in second place for the best airport to fly to is Queenstown Airport in New Zealand. Giving New Zealand both first and second place! Tourists scored Queenstown Airport 9.18 out of 10, placing it closely behind Christchurch Airport.
Queenstown Airport, also located in the South Island, is an international airport located in the Otago region. The scenic town of Queenstown has plenty of activities and attractions for tourists to explore. From skiing to hiking, the mountainous landscape of this resort town offers visitors a spectacular experience any time of year.
Those who flew to Queenstown airport seemed to have a positive experience, with one tourist simply stating that they had “no issues at all” when navigating the airport. Another tourist had plenty of positive things to say about Queenstown airport, they reported that, “airport handling was good. The staff was courteous. All was good.” Several tourists reported they had no problems, with one tourist saying that Queenstown airport was “great, easy to get around and no hold ups.”
Traveling can be a stressful experience for people, but excellent service and easy navigation seem to be what travelers value the most! Which may be why Queenstown Airport scored highly on our list.
Queenstown Airport, also located in the South Island, is an international airport located in the Otago region. The scenic town of Queenstown has plenty of activities and attractions for tourists to explore. From skiing to hiking, the mountainous landscape of this resort town offers visitors a spectacular experience any time of year.
Those who flew to Queenstown airport seemed to have a positive experience, with one tourist simply stating that they had “no issues at all” when navigating the airport. Another tourist had plenty of positive things to say about Queenstown airport, they reported that, “airport handling was good. The staff was courteous. All was good.” Several tourists reported they had no problems, with one tourist saying that Queenstown airport was “great, easy to get around and no hold ups.”
Traveling can be a stressful experience for people, but excellent service and easy navigation seem to be what travelers value the most! Which may be why Queenstown Airport scored highly on our list.
Madeira Airport (FNC), Portugal
In third place for best airport ranked by travelers is Madeira Airport in Portugal. Madeira Airport scored 9.07 out of 10, landing Portugal's archipelago in third place.
Madeira Airport is known informally as Funchal Airport and is also called Cristiano Ronaldo Airport, as it’s named after one of Portugal’s most influential football players. The airport is located in Santa Cruz, in one of Portugal's autonomous regions, Madeira.
Madeira is known for its scenic landscapes, fortified wine, and flora and fauna. Madeira is home to a pre-historic laurel forest, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The stunning landscapes and scenery combined with the wine and delicacies make Madeira a top tourist destination.
We found that tourists had mainly positive experiences when navigating Madeira's airport, with one tourist saying that “the airport has all the amenities we need and is a comfortable place to wait for a flight.” Often what you’ll be doing most in an airport is waiting, so having a comfortable place to wait with everything you need is excellent.
However, there were a few reports of there being long queues in this airport, with one tourist claiming there was a “long passport queue.” But other than this, plenty of tourists reported no issues with Madeira's airport, with many having a pleasant experience!
Madeira Airport is known informally as Funchal Airport and is also called Cristiano Ronaldo Airport, as it’s named after one of Portugal’s most influential football players. The airport is located in Santa Cruz, in one of Portugal's autonomous regions, Madeira.
Madeira is known for its scenic landscapes, fortified wine, and flora and fauna. Madeira is home to a pre-historic laurel forest, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The stunning landscapes and scenery combined with the wine and delicacies make Madeira a top tourist destination.
We found that tourists had mainly positive experiences when navigating Madeira's airport, with one tourist saying that “the airport has all the amenities we need and is a comfortable place to wait for a flight.” Often what you’ll be doing most in an airport is waiting, so having a comfortable place to wait with everything you need is excellent.
However, there were a few reports of there being long queues in this airport, with one tourist claiming there was a “long passport queue.” But other than this, plenty of tourists reported no issues with Madeira's airport, with many having a pleasant experience!
Lanzarote Airport (ACE), Canary Islands
In fourth place is Lanzarote Airport, with travelers giving this airport a score of 8.91 out of 10. Lanzarote is one of Spain’s Canary Islands, which are located off the west coast of Africa. The Canary Islands are a popular holiday destination, with around 3 million tourists arriving each year.
Lanzarote is home to a variety of beaches, including some volcanic black sand beaches, as well as tropical blue lagoons. The hot and sunny weather and volcanic landscapes make this Canary Island a fantastic place to visit.
Lanzarote Airport is located in San Bartolomé, Las Palmas, which is southwest of Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote. Tourists reported that getting through this airport was very quick, with several tourists claiming their experience was “very good.” One tourist told us that, “the airport and passport control was quick and easy to get through.” After a flight, the last thing you want is to be held up in the airport, but it seems that this wasn’t a problem for many in Lanzarote!
Lanzarote is home to a variety of beaches, including some volcanic black sand beaches, as well as tropical blue lagoons. The hot and sunny weather and volcanic landscapes make this Canary Island a fantastic place to visit.
Lanzarote Airport is located in San Bartolomé, Las Palmas, which is southwest of Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote. Tourists reported that getting through this airport was very quick, with several tourists claiming their experience was “very good.” One tourist told us that, “the airport and passport control was quick and easy to get through.” After a flight, the last thing you want is to be held up in the airport, but it seems that this wasn’t a problem for many in Lanzarote!
Fuerteventura Airport (FUE), Canary Islands
Claiming fifth place is Fuerteventura Airport with a score of 8.89 out of 10 from travelers. Fuerteventura is the second Canary Island to make our top 5 best airports, following Lanzarote Airport. Fuerteventura is known for its white sand beaches and year-long warm weather and is a popular spot for watersports.
Fuerteventura Airport is located in El Matorral, which is just 5km southwest of Puerto del Rosario, the capital city. The airport has one terminal and operates flights to over 80 countries around the world.
Tourists rated Fuerteventura Airport highly, with one tourist saying they had a “super experience" and that “everything was quick and smooth.” Similar to Lanzarote Airport, tourists seemed to have an overall positive airport experience.
Fuerteventura Airport is located in El Matorral, which is just 5km southwest of Puerto del Rosario, the capital city. The airport has one terminal and operates flights to over 80 countries around the world.
Tourists rated Fuerteventura Airport highly, with one tourist saying they had a “super experience" and that “everything was quick and smooth.” Similar to Lanzarote Airport, tourists seemed to have an overall positive airport experience.
The rest of the top ten
Below are the airports that make up the rest of our top 10.
In sixth place is Athens Airport (ATH), with a score of 8.88 out of 10. Greece’s capital is a popular tourist spot, especially for those interested in ancient history.
Las Palmas Airport (LPA) takes seventh place, with a score of 8.69 out of 10. Also known as Gran Canaria Airport, This airport is the third Canary Island airport to make our top 10! Gran Canaria is another popular vacation destination, known for its sandy dunes, sunny weather, and volcanic landscape.
In eighth place is Malaga Airport (AGP) with travelers ranking this airport 8.61 out of 10. Malaga is located on the southern coast of Spain and is the fourth busiest airport in the country. The airport serves the Costa Del Sol and is located between Malaga and Torremolinos.
Milan Airport Malpensa (MXP) is in ninth place, with a score of 8.54 out of 10. This airport is located in Ferno, in the province of Varese, Lombardy, Italy. This airport is the largest in all of Northern Italy and is just 25 minutes from the city of Milan.
Rounding up our top 10 is Auckland Airport (AKL) in New Zealand with a score of 8.49 out of 10. Auckland airport is the busiest and the largest airport in New Zealand, and Auckland is the most populous city in the country, and the fifth in the whole of Oceania. This airport is also New Zealand’s third airport on our list!
In sixth place is Athens Airport (ATH), with a score of 8.88 out of 10. Greece’s capital is a popular tourist spot, especially for those interested in ancient history.
Las Palmas Airport (LPA) takes seventh place, with a score of 8.69 out of 10. Also known as Gran Canaria Airport, This airport is the third Canary Island airport to make our top 10! Gran Canaria is another popular vacation destination, known for its sandy dunes, sunny weather, and volcanic landscape.
In eighth place is Malaga Airport (AGP) with travelers ranking this airport 8.61 out of 10. Malaga is located on the southern coast of Spain and is the fourth busiest airport in the country. The airport serves the Costa Del Sol and is located between Malaga and Torremolinos.
Milan Airport Malpensa (MXP) is in ninth place, with a score of 8.54 out of 10. This airport is located in Ferno, in the province of Varese, Lombardy, Italy. This airport is the largest in all of Northern Italy and is just 25 minutes from the city of Milan.
Rounding up our top 10 is Auckland Airport (AKL) in New Zealand with a score of 8.49 out of 10. Auckland airport is the busiest and the largest airport in New Zealand, and Auckland is the most populous city in the country, and the fifth in the whole of Oceania. This airport is also New Zealand’s third airport on our list!
Tips for driving abroad
Finding your way around an airport you’ve never visited before can be quite challenging. To help you get the best start to your vacation, we’ve put together some tips to help make your airport easier.
Have your passport ready
Passport control is the first thing you’ll do after landing, so it’s always a good idea to have your passport ready while you're waiting to pass through. The last thing you need is to be scrambling for your passport when being called forward!
Ask for help
Whether you’re trying to find your rental car, a taxi, or your checked luggage, there’s no harm in asking someone for help. Airport staff is there to assist you, or you might want to ask another passenger if necessary.
If you’re looking to rent a car for your next vacation, please consider booking with us. We can help you find the right rental car to suit your preferences and needs in over 145 countries.
Have your passport ready
Passport control is the first thing you’ll do after landing, so it’s always a good idea to have your passport ready while you're waiting to pass through. The last thing you need is to be scrambling for your passport when being called forward!
Ask for help
Whether you’re trying to find your rental car, a taxi, or your checked luggage, there’s no harm in asking someone for help. Airport staff is there to assist you, or you might want to ask another passenger if necessary.
If you’re looking to rent a car for your next vacation, please consider booking with us. We can help you find the right rental car to suit your preferences and needs in over 145 countries.
Top Related Locations
Here're the rest of the airports on our list and little bit about each.
- Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI), Italy – The main airport serving Bari, a coastal city in southern Italy, in the Puglia region.
- Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO), Portugal – The primary airport for Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city, located in the northwest.
- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU), Mauritius – The main international airport of Mauritius, located near Mahébourg in the southeast of the island.
- Tenerife South Airport (TFS), Spain – One of two major airports on the Canary Island of Tenerife, handling most international flights.
- Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), Italy – The busiest airport in Sicily, serving Catania and the eastern part of the island.
- Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Italy – The main international airport of Rome, located about 35 km southwest of the city center.
- Orio al Serio International Airport (BGY), Italy – Also known as Milan Bergamo Airport, it serves Bergamo and is a major hub for low-cost airlines traveling to Milan.
- Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK), Morocco – The main airport serving Marrakesh, a major tourist destination in Morocco known for its historic medina and vibrant culture.
Aleksandrs Buraks
Head of Growth at DiscoverCars.com
Aleksandrs has over 10 years of experience in marketing with a focus on creating stellar content that provides topical insights using data. Having taken five road trips across Europe and one in the U.S., he is passionate about traveling by car. His favorite countries to visit are Denmark and Thailand. You can find him on Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter.
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