Easy check-ins, short queues and enough time for a bevvy before the flight – a smooth airport experience can really make your holiday.
But when an airport experience goes sour, whether because of flight delays, unexpected security checks or missing luggage, it is by far one of the most insufferable experiences of mankind (not to be dramatic).
In effort to help passengers avoid the latter, AirHelp, a Germany-based online service that allows passengers to seek compensation for flight cancellations, delays, or overbookings, has released its list of best and worst airports across the globe. The list was crafted by studying and surveying clients’ airport experiences, with key factors being on-time flight performance, customer service and available food and retail stores.
The survey spanned airport visits from June 1 2024 to May 31 2025, and incorporates feedback from 13,500 travellers across 58 countries. So, which airports are flying high?
The only European city to make the list is Bergen Flesland Airport in Norway, ranking in ninth place with an AirHelp score of 8.27. Its on-time performance ranked at 8.4, customer opinion at 8.5 and food and retail offering at 7.6.
Doha Hamad Airport in Qatar came in second place with an average score of 8.52, a customer opinion score of 8.9, and a food and retail score of 9.
Championing in first place is Cape Town Airport with an average AirHelp score of 8.57. With a little under 11 million visitors this year, this South African airport received 8.6 for on-time performance, 8.7 for customer service and 8.3 for its food and shopping offerings. Cape Town took first place on ’s annual ranking of the best cities in the world to visit in 2025, proving that a visit to the capital is rewarding as soon as you step out of the airport gate.
As for airports to avoid, Tunis Carthage Airport in Tunisia ranked the worst with a score of 5.73. On-time performance score is a weak 5.4, but customer opinions added minimal hope with an extra point at 6.4. As for food and shops, AirHelp gave it a 6.1. Rhodes Diagoras Airport came in second worst with an average score of 6.05, followed by Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Airport at 6.21.
Will this list affect where you’ll book your next holiday? Check out the rest of the best and worst-ranked airports below.
The world’s best airports in 2025
1. Cape Town Airport, Cape Town, South Africa
2. Doha Hamad Airport, Doha, Qatar
3. Riyadh King Khaled Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
4. Brasília–Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek Airport, Brasilia, Brazil
5. Muscat Airport, Muscat, Oman
6. Panama City Tocumen Airport, Panama City, Panama
7. Durban King Shaka Airport, Durban, South Africa
8. Salt Lake City Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
9. Bergen Flesland Airport, Bergen, Norway
10. Dammam King Fahd Airport, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
The world’s worst airports in 2025
1. Tunis Carthage Airport, Tunis, Tunisia
2. Rhodes Diagoras Airport, Rhodes, Greece
3. Ho Chi Minh Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
4. Heraklion Airport, Heraklion, Greece
5. Hurghada Airport, Hurghada, Egypt
6. Antalya Airport, Antalya, Turkey
7. Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport, Lisbon, Portugal
8. Dalaman Airport, Dalaman, Turkey
9. Hanoi Nội Bài Airport, Hanoi, Vietnam
10. Sharm el-Sheikh Airport, Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt
Did you see the Greek island crowned the world’s best in 2025?
Plus: This is officially the best country on Earth, according to The Telegraph.
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