TOP Airports Worldwide: Barcelona-El-Prat and Düsseldorf are number one in the rankings

Today, the Consumer Choice Center released the second edition of its highly anticipated World Consumer Airport Index. This edition uses the latest statistical methods to highlight the triumphs and the challenges that airports face in a challenging geopolitical and economic environment. It splits a total of 60 airports into two groups based on passenger volumes to capture systematic differences between busier and less busy airports (which reflects the scale and services in each hub). As such, there is one ranking for the 25 largest international airports, and another for the 35 smaller global airports. 

When it comes to busier airports (those above 47.2 million passengers), Barcelona El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport leads the way, followed by Rome’s Leonardo Da Vinci-Fiumicino in 2nd, and Los Angeles Airport in 3rd.  Düsseldorf, which came first in 2025 and is now again the number one worldwide for airports with traffic of 47.2 million passengers or fewer, offering an outstanding range of amenities and services. Zurich has returned to 2nd place,  followed by Copenhagen in 3rd. 

The picture is more mixed for other well-known airports. Charles de Gaulle is ranked 5th among the busiest airports and 12th overall. Jeddah is in 6th, followed by Heathrow in 7th. Dubai retains a remarkable 10th place (22nd) despite being the direct target of drone attacks during the Iran War. For smaller-scale hubs, Finland’s Helsinki and Milan’s Malpensa are 4th and 5th, respectively (5th and 6th in the overall ratings).

Relative to last year, Tokyo’s Haneda, the previous number one, is now in 9th place, because of a relatively small selection of airlines (54 in total), stringent night-time restrictions, and very high average security wait times of 15 minutes. Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi dropped from 2nd to 4th place, due to a small but significant decline in airlines’ competitiveness. Singapore Changi went from 3rd to 15th on account of higher average delays (25% of all flights), nighttime restrictions, average security wait times of 8 minutes, difficulties connecting between terminals, and no equivalent access to national rail.

Emil Panzaru, Research Director at the Consumer Choice Center, commented on the results of the 2026 index: “Times are difficult. The Iran War has led to energy supply shocks, cutting oil supply by 10% of global consumption and almost doubling jet fuel prices. That means fewer planes can fly as airlines begin rationing supplies by eliminating underperforming routes and reducing flight frequencies. Unsurprisingly, demand for international travel has dropped, with global passenger traffic declining 3.4% year on year in early and mid-2026. In turn, general revenues from services such as dining, car parking, and retail decline as fewer passengers flow through the hub, leaving airports struggling to make ends meet. Conversely, airports that experience record increases in traffic must manage crowded spaces filled with passengers waiting for delayed flights.” 

Panzaru continued: “For consumers, the situation translates to higher ticket prices for a single journey, longer redirected flights, and more frustration owing to delays. It makes the smart choice of airport more important than ever to avoid these issues as much as possible, which is where this Index comes in. The top five airports in both rankings offer more flight options, destinations, and airlines, less hassle during arrival and departure, more restaurants, lounges, and shops, better connections to terminals, more flexible night schedules, and less downtime due to delays and security checks.”

This second edition of the World Airports Index adds 10 new worldwide entries. Rankings are based on factors ranging from location and transportation options to the number of shops and restaurants. It uses various sources of information, including airport information, annual reports, online statistics, and research from the Consumer Choice Center. Passenger traffic figures are based on the latest available information.

The entire Index can be found HERE.