Doha's Hamad International Airport (HIA) has been crowned the world's best airport at the annual Skytrax Awards, dethroning the 12-time champion, Singapore Changi Airport.
The airport also clinched the title of 'world's best airport shopping' for the second time in a row and 'best airport in the Middle East' for the tenth consecutive year.
Hamad International has a history of success, having previously won the title twice, with its last victory in 2022. CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer expressed his delight at the timing of this year's award, coinciding with the airport's milestone 10th year of operations.
"This year, HIA celebrates its milestone 10th year of operations, and we are truly honoured that passengers have voted us the best airport in the world for a third time," said Al Meer.
"Skytrax prestigious awards reflect the dedication of our employees who every day help innovate and maintain our leading position," he added.
Following closely behind Singapore's Changi Airport, Seoul Incheon Airport secured third place, with Tokyo's Haneda and Narita airports rounding out the top five.
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Among the New Zealand airports, Auckland was the sole representative in the top 100 ranking, climbing to 45th place from 51st. It also claimed the fifth spot in the category for Best Airports catering to 5 to 10 million passengers.
For the second consecutive year, Melbourne was crowned the best airport in the Australia/Pacific region, surpassing Brisbane and Auckland. Christchurch secured the 8th spot, with Wellington following closely in 10th.
Skytrax World Airport Awards: Top 10 airports of 2024
The Skytrax World Airport Awards, which have been held since 1999, are based on passenger satisfaction surveys covering a range of categories, including check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration, and departure.
Here's the list of world's top 10 airports of 2024, alongside last year's rankings:
1. Doha Hamad Airport, Qatar (2)
2. Singapore Changi Airport (1)
3. Seoul Incheon Airport, South Korea (4)
4. Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan (3)
5. Tokyo Narita Airport, Japan (9)
6. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, France (5)
7. Dubai Airport, UAE (17)
8. Munich Airport, Germany (7)
9. Zurich Airport, Switzerland (8)
10. Istanbul Airport, Turkey (6)
What awards did India get?
Delhi International Airport retained 36th rank in the list and clinched the title of 'best airport in India and South Asia once again. Meanwhile, its GMR parent, Hyderabad International Airport, was named 'best airport staff service in India and South Asia' and rose to 61th place from being the 65th best airport in 2023.
Bangalore International Airport also excelled, winning the award for 'best regional airport in India and South Asia' and leaping 10 ranks to 59 from 69 last year. Additionally, JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity was awarded as the 'best airport hotel in India and South Asia'.
India's growing influence at Changi Airport
Official data from the Changi Airport Group (CAG) revealed a significant milestone for India as it secured the fifth position among the top five largest passenger markets at Singapore's Changi Airport. This development, unveiled in January, underscores India's growing prominence in the aviation sector despite Covid-19 pandemic-induced challenges.
In 2023, Indonesia claimed the top spot in Changi Airport's passenger market, with Malaysia, Australia, and Thailand following suit.
Prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, Changi Airport witnessed robust passenger movements, registering 68.3 million passengers. The surge in 2023 traffic, marking an 83 per cent increase from 2022, reflected a resilient rebound amidst global recovery efforts.
Throughout 2023, around 328,000 flights departed from or landed at Changi Airport, although this figure slightly decreased from the pre-pandemic levels of 382,000 flights in 2019.
The last quarter of 2023 showcased remarkable progress, with 16.1 million passenger movements recorded, surpassing 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. December emerged as the busiest month, witnessing 5.8 million passengers traversing through the airport, equivalent to 91 per cent of December 2019 traffic.
Highlighting the peak of activity, December 22 marked Changi Airport's busiest day of the year, accommodating 203,000 passengers within its terminals. The month also saw 30,400 flights landing at or departing from the airport, reflecting a steady resurgence in air travel activity.