Barcelona and German Dusseldorf Airports: The Best in the World

Barcelona Airport in Spain and Düsseldorf Airport in Germany topped a new global ranking of the best airports based on passenger experience, according to criteria that include the speed of security screening procedures, flight delay rates, ease of access, connectivity to public transport, and the diversity of airlines and destinations. According to the latest edition of the “Consumer Airports Index,” published by the Consumer Choice Center—an international organization focused on consumer rights, choices, and the analysis of influential policies—airports were divided into two categories based on annual passenger traffic, enabling comparisons among airports of similar operational scale, as reported by Euronews.

The first category includes large airports handling more than 47.2 million passengers annually, led by Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport. The second category comprises airports handling fewer than 47.2 million passengers annually, led by Düsseldorf Airport. The index also considers the presence of an on-site hotel and the speed of security screening procedures, awarding additional points to airports where wait times at security checkpoints are under three minutes, as well as to those that do not impose flight restrictions during nighttime hours.

The ranking relies on indicators related to passenger experience, including: the number of destinations served and airline diversity, ease of access to the airport and connectivity to public transport, mobility between gates and departure lounges, and flight delay rates.

Top 10 Large Airports (“More than 47.2 million passengers annually”):

1. Barcelona, Spain

2. Leonardo da Vinci, Italy

3. Los Angeles International, United States

4. Suvarnabhumi, Thailand

5. Charles de Gaulle, France

6. King Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia

7. Heathrow, United Kingdom

8. Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas, Spain

9. Haneda, Japan

10. Dubai International, United Arab Emirates

Top 10 Small Airports (“Fewer than 47.2 million passengers annually”):

1. Düsseldorf, Germany

2. Zurich, Switzerland

3. Copenhagen, Denmark

4. Helsinki, Finland

5. Milan Malpensa, Italy

6. Oslo Gardermoen, Norway

7. Munich, Germany

8. Vancouver International, Canada

9. Brussels, Belgium

10. Berlin Brandenburg, Germany