What Are the Criteria for the World's Number One Airport?

Consumer-Centered Evaluation: Singapore Changi Airport Ranks 1st
Doha Hamad Airport Emerges as Shopping Mecca, Following Close Behind
Incheon International Airport Climbs to 4th Place... Mostly 'Model Students'
Leisure Facilities and Shopping Accessibility Fall Short
"Must Develop Unique Themes and Complex Cultural Spaces"

When we travel, we use airports. From a consumer's perspective, what do they expect from an airport? When traveling to nearby countries, it is difficult to have in-flight meals, so they look for good restaurants. Transit passengers hope for a well-organized transfer guidance system. Some people wish for a quick immigration process. Based on this, there are organizations that rank airports. Skytrax is an airline service consulting company that conducts online surveys with travelers and awards various categories such as 'Airport of the Year.' Since the surveys are conducted with actual travelers, it thoroughly assesses the level of airline service from the consumer's point of view.

Incheon International Airport, which Korea proudly boasts, is evaluated as excellent in all aspects. However, it seems consumers hesitate to choose it as the Airport of the Year due to a lack of distinctive character.

This article is unrelated. On the 27th, ahead of the Chuseok holiday, the duty-free area of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport is bustling with travelers. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

This year, the airport with the best service is Singapore Changi Airport. This airport is famous for providing the best airport service, having ranked first from 2013 to 2020. From 2021 to last year, it lost the top spot to Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, but this year it regained first place.

Second place goes to Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, which held the top spot for the past two years. This airport also ranked first in the shopping category. It has many duty-free shops and shopping malls that attract transit passengers heading to Europe. The world-renowned luxury brand Louis Vuitton even opened its first-ever airport lounge here. Third place is Tokyo Haneda Airport in Japan. It was recognized as the cleanest airport and also the best equipped in terms of infrastructure such as parking facilities. These airports share a common trait: they offer many activities for travelers. Travelers prefer airports where they can eat well, enjoy themselves, and have plenty of shopping options. Changi Airport reclaimed the Airport of the Year title this year by ranking first in restaurant and leisure facility evaluations.

Singapore Changi Airport

Incheon Airport ranked fourth overall this year. It was second in 2018 but dropped to third in 2019. From 2020 to 2021, it was fourth, and last year it was fifth. It ranked first in convenience of immigration and customs and staff service. In other words, airport staff are friendly, and automated immigration procedures allow for comfortable entry and exit. It ranked third in food, safety, and infrastructure categories, but there are some areas where it is somewhat lacking compared to other airports. It ranked fifth in leisure facilities and notably eighth in shopping.

Originally, Incheon Airport should be ranked higher. In the Airports Council International (ACI) airport ranking, which is considered the other major airport evaluation alongside Skytrax, Incheon Airport's name does not appear. This is not because of poor evaluation. From 2005 to 2016, it ranked first for 12 consecutive years and then withdrew from the ranking competition after receiving a special merit award. ACI evaluates airports focusing on efficient operation. This year, in the ACI connectivity index survey, which indicates the level of airport hub status, Incheon Airport ranked third after Dubai, UAE, and Doha, Qatar. Excluding airports excluded from competition, Incheon Airport still ranks high in other categories.

What should Incheon Airport do to become an airport loved by travelers beyond being an efficient airport? Looking at the rankings by category, Incheon Airport is a 'model student.' However, it appears like a student lacking personality or distinct strengths. The categories where Incheon Airport received somewhat harsh evaluations are leisure facilities and shopping. Airports that ranked first in these two categories (Changi and Hamad) took first and second place as Airport of the Year, respectively. In other words, it is necessary to well organize a complex cultural space that combines both. Although shopping malls such as Paradise City have been established around the airport, they have not yet left a good impression on consumers.