View the rating of the world's Top 100 Airports for 2026, voted by air travelers around the world in the 2025/2026 World Airport Survey. The award is based on a comprehensive survey of travelers worldwide conducted between August 2025 and February 2026. The survey evaluated aspects such as customer service, shopping options, security, check-in, and more. In total, more than 575 airports were assessed.
https://www.worldairportawards.com/worlds-top-100-airports-2026/
Any opinions?
CDG is ranked way too high, and SFO too low (worse than LAX? Really?!) but I may be a bit biased on that last point.
CDG is ranked best in Europe 😅😅😅
Here is more context https://www.worldairportawards.com/a-z-airport-awards-winners-2026/
CDG as the best airport outside of East Asia is so laughable I gave up there I'm afraid
I'm often amazed at how kind and polite the people staffing security screening sites at airports outside the US are. Granted, there are many kind TSA agents (especially at the airports where I usually begin my journeys -- Greenville/Spartanburg (SC), Lexington (KY), Cincinnati), but I have encountered a lot of hostile TSA agents and airport employees at major US airports. The worst spot for this from my experience is going from the international side of an airport to the domestic side on return to the US and the required negotiation of immigration and security. On my last return, an airport employee screamed repeatedly at someone because she asked a question about which line to get into when it was no at all clear which line to get into. An authoritative, stern, loud voice aimed at all who approach the security containers seems to be the default at security, and scolding of anyone who doesn't understand the security rules is common. I have seen quite a bit of unkind, inappropriate, abusive, unprofessional behavior from TSA agents -- particularly at Atlanta. TSA culture there is horrible.
Wow Dave. I consider you a thoughtful, positive poster. So I take to heart what you have just written.
That's so sad to read that the personnel are reacting like this. This isn't how it was last time I was in the US.
This list goes way beyond best airports. With only two US airports listed, Houston and Cincinnati, on the list Mr. E posted, one has to wonder if the drop in air travelers from around the world using US airports now has affected how people vote.
Thanks for posting. Not surprising at all that Singapore is no. 1
I much rather go through the entire airport experience and process in CDG than SFO. I also would rate CDG higher than SFO. In Aug 2025 I flew back again to CDG for part 2 of the 2025 summer trip, which included again Berlin.
No recent experience with LAX, at least not in international. SFO has a direct connection to Paris, LAX does not on United. Good that " air travelers around the world" participated in producing this survey's results .
Elizabeth, I cant generalize about US airports vs European airports but my experience at Houston IAH was always above and beyond. I love the senior citizens they hire and put in cowboy hats to assist in immigration. Always sweet to the tourists and locals returning home. The immigration guys are also about as friendly as you can get.
TSA in San Antonio pretty friendly and laid back.
Security in Budapest is always friendly and helpful. Immigration, well, efficient, and polite and no issues. Maybe its why it got voted best in Eastern Europe again this time around.
There are a few airports in Europe I dread going to because of the staff, I cant say that about any in the US so far. No, I wont give the bad list, more fun to praise the good ones
Mark this was also discussed in another post, some strong feelings about the CDG ranking: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/honors-for-cdg-and-recognition
Happy to see my home airport cracked the top 10. Never had a bad experience there arriving or departing. We have even improved managing with the short number of days of snow most years that can create havoc:) International arrivals is particularly beautiful as one descends to the passport and customs area.
Mark this was also discussed in another post,
I was doing a search but did not find it. And the other post discussed CDG by headline.
Any list that ranks EWR as one of the top 100 in the world is... lacking. EWR is a pit of despair, especially compared to its greater NYC siblings - yes, even LGA is a lot better, especially since its renovation.
Frankly, I'm shocked not to see SLC on the top 100, given it's a marked improvement from the former 5-spoked dinosaur. Chieck-in is really simple, security there is great (modern design and the TSA folk there know how to deal with weird issues and large families), the shops don't charge a premium over street prices (something that the city ensured would be the case), the concourses are open and airy. The only knocks: the concourses are exceedingly long and connecting to the B concourse is a long walk.
I won't get started about CDG, though it's hardly the worst international airport I've ever been through.
