Singapore’s Changi Airport has lost its number one spot at Skytrax’s annual ranking of the world’s best airports at the World Airport Awards after holding reign for nearly a decade. Doha’s Hamad International Airport, which has been climbing the ranks for years, has been rewarded with the number one spot in 2021 in the “World’s Best Airport” category. This year, Changi placed third, much the dismay of many superfans.
Doha’s ascendance concurs with hard work from its flagship airline, Qatar Airways. The Qatari government has invested much in its national carrier and its airport. According to CNN, travellers on Qatar Airways who have a connecting flight at HIA can enjoy free city tours, gratis accommodation and food (depending on the length of the layover) and a VIP transfer service where airline employees meet visitors as they de-plane and guide them seamlessly through the airport and onto their connecting flight.
The World Airport Awards are voted for by customers in a global airport satisfaction survey conducted from August 2020 until July 2021. Here’s the list of the top 10 in the “World’s Best Airport” category:
1. Hamad International Airport (HIA)
2. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
3. Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
4. Incheon International Airport (ICN)
5. Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT)
6. Munich Airport (MUC)
7. Zurich Airport (ZRH)
8. London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
9. Kansai International Airport (KIX)
10. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
