The 'best airport in the world' revealed with 2kms of conveyer belts, themed air bridges and a robot named Pepper
Love them or hate them, airports are something to endure if we are travelling for business or for pleasure.
They can also be intimidating places for some travellers who find it stressful to navigate them, finding gates, keeping an eye on boards, getting through security and listening out for announcements.
A great airport makes the whole process far more pleasant. And the best airport in the world has been revealed in a new poll of travellers.
DiscoverCars.com have carried out new research exploring which airports around the world offer the best experience, according to reviews left by passengers.
A total of 3,500 left feedback, and ranked the airport they visited on a scale of 1-10. Only countries that received 50 or more reviews were included.
And the winner was Christchurch Airport in New Zealand which scored 9.21 out of ten.
New Zealand's second largest hub scored 9.21 out of ten and has themed air bridges, a robot named Pepper to guide people through security and saw more than 6 million passengers last year. The airport also has more than 2 km of conveyer belts to move luggage.
The top five also includes three Spanish airports in destinations favoured by Scots holidaymakers and another NZ hub.
1. Christchurch Airport (CHC)
In first place for the best airport to fly to according to travellers is Christchurch Airport in New Zealand. Christchurch Airport scored an impressive 9.21 out of 10 for offering the best airport experience.
DiscoverCars.com found that travellers who landed in Christchurch Airport seemed to have a pleasant experience overall, as their research revealed reports of excellent customer service and the airport being easy to navigate.
One traveller reported having a “smooth and easy experience” at Christchurch Airport, with another traveller saying that it was “easy to locate places.”
2. Queenstown Airport (ZQN)
Queenstown Airport in New Zealand came in second place, with a score of 9.18 out of 10 from travellers.
DiscoverCars.com found that those who flew to Queenstown Airport seemed to have a positive experience overall. Similar to Christchurch Airport, one traveller who landed in Queenstown said that this airport was “great, easy to get around and no hold ups.” It seems that travellers value easy navigation and quick service, which might explain why this airport was rated highly.
3. Madeira Airport (Funchal) (FNC)
In third place is Madeira Airport in Portugal, scoring 9.07 out of 10 . The research revealed that traveller had an overall positive experience at this airport, with one traveller saying, “the airport has all the amenities we need and is a comfortable place to wait for a flight.” Indicating that Madeira Airport offers a comfortable and accommodating experience.
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4. Lanzarote Airport (ACE)
In fourth place is Lanzarote Airport, with travellers giving this airport a score of 8.91 out of 10 . This Canary Island is a popular holiday destination, with around 3 million tourists arriving each year.
Lanzarote Airport received a high rating from travellers, with several reporting that their airport experience was “quick” and that “passport control was quick and easy to get through.” Travellers seemed to value the speed in which they got through the airport, which might be why Lanzarote Airport ranks in the top 5.
5. Fuerteventura Airport, (FUE)
In fifth place is Fuerteventura Airport with a score of 8.89 out of 10 from travellers. Similarly to fellow Canary Island Lanzarote, those that travelled to Fuerteventura Airport reported that “everything was quick and smooth.” Highlighting the importance of a speedy airport experience.
Aleksandrs Buraks, Head of Growth at DiscoverCars.com said: "We were interested to see which airports around the world offer the best experience for travellers.
"Flying can be a stressful experience for many people, so having trouble in the airport once you land is the last way you want to start your trip!
“From our research, we found that travellers valued a smooth and easy experience when getting through the airport, which is something that both the New Zealand airports in our top 5 offered.
“Having no issues, and an overall speedy experience seemed to be what travellers wanted the most from their airport experience. Which makes sense, as when landing or departing from an airport, you want to start your holiday or get home as quickly as possible!”
