Hamad International Airport is described as a lifestyle destination (image courtesy Unsplash)
Qatar’s Hamad International Airport has won world’s best airport at the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, edging out 12 times winner Singapore Changi.
The Doha airport was also named world’s best airport for shopping for the second year in a row and best airport in the Middle East for the tenth consecutive year. The awards were held this month at the Passenger Terminal Expo 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany.
The last few years have been something of a two-horse race for the world’s best title, with Singapore’s Changi and Doha’s Hamad vying for the top spot. Hamad previously won the title in 2021 and 2022.
This year, Singapore took second place, South Korea’s Incheon International Airport took third place and Hong Kong International Airport came in at 11, up 22 places. No US airports were listed in the top 20 and London’s Heathrow was voted at 21. Changi was also named as the best airport in Asia and best in the world for immigration services. Crowne Plaza Changi Airport won best airport hotel globally.
So what makes Hamad the world’s best? Described as a lifestyle destination in its own right, the expansive terminal offers shopping, dining, entertainment and relaxation as well as a world-class art collection.
In 2023 it witnessed a surge in passenger traffic to more than 45 million passengers, a 31% increase on the previous year. New airlines included Vistara, Iberia, Xiamen Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and Japan Airlines. Hamad serves more than 250 destinations, including passenger, cargo and chartered flights.
Skytrax is a London based research group and the awards were based on a global survey that took place between August 2023 and February 2024. Travellers were asked to rate airports on check in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security and immigration.
“This is a remarkable achievement for Hamad International Airport as it celebrates its tenth anniversary,” said Qatar Airways group chief executive officer, Mohammed Al-Meer. “It’s a testament to the dedication of our team and partners, who have contributed to providing passengers with the finest travel experience.”
The world’s best airports 2024 are as follows:
Doha Hamad (2)
Singapore Changi (1)
Seoul Incheon (4)
Tokyo Haneda (3)
Tokyo Narita (9)
Paris CDG (5)
Dubai (17)
Munich (7)
Zurich (8)
Istanbul (6)
Hong Kong (33)
Rome Fiumicino (13)
Vienna (11)
Helsinki-Vantaa (12)
Madrid-Barajas (10)
Centrair Nagoya (16)
Vancouver (20)
Kansai (15)
Melbourne (19)
Copenhagen (14)
Read more stories like this by signing up for our FREE weekly newsletter, straight to your inbox and packed with Hong Kong and Asia news, holiday inspiration, resort reviews and giveaways.