Toronto Pearson Airport was just recognized as one of the top airports in the world, according to a new ranking.
To determine how airports rank worldwide, the Consumer Choice Center has introduced its first-ever World Consumer Airport Index, building on its 2024 European edition.
To rate how passenger-friendly airports are, the Center used a points-based system that evaluated factors such as passenger traffic growth over the past four years, access and availability to ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, public transportation connections, the variety of shops and restaurants, and the number of airlines operating at each airport, among other criteria.
Metrics such as passengers per lounge, jet bridge availability, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) clearance times were excluded from the index, as inconsistent data and uneven infrastructure, especially at smaller airports, can lead to misleading comparisons.
Toronto Pearson was awarded a score of 136.5 putting it in the top 30 largest passenger-friendly airports in the world. That score slotted it in 20th place, tied with Brazil’s São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport.
While Toronto Pearson secured a spot on the list, the index took issue with its night flight restriction program, which limits the number of flights between 12:30 a.m. and 6:29 a.m. through a “night flight budget” aimed at reducing nighttime noise while managing rising regional demand.
Toronto Pearson manages its night flight limits by pre-assigning 80% of the available slots in advance. The remaining 20% are reserved for unexpected delays caused by weather, mechanical issues, security concerns, or other essential operational needs.
However, the index criticized Toronto Pearson for adopting that approach, as it didn’t allow the airport to readjust on the fly amid two separate storms and a plane crash in February, which caused flight delays and disruptions for passengers.
The index said, “Accidents and weather are not within an airport’s control, but what is in their control is adopting a rigid night-flight system that makes it harder to adapt to changing circumstances, instead of implementing more general noise abatement measures.”
Despite that, Toronto Pearson beat out the likes of Chicago’s O’Hare, Denver International, Dallas-Fort Worth, Munich and London Gatwick. So, at least Toronto has those bragging rights.
The top 20 largest passenger-friendly airports in the world
- Tokyo Haneda
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
- Singapore Changi
- Benito Juárez Mexico City and Barcelona El Prat (tied 4th)
- Los Angeles International
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mumbai
- Charles De Gaulle and London Heathrow (tied 8th)
- Dubai International Airport and Frankfurt Airport (tied 10th)
- King Abdulaziz (Jeddah)
- Roma Fiumicino
- Madrid–Barajas and Antalya Airport (tied 14th)
- Shanghai Pudong
- Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, Amsterdam (Schiphol), and Seoul Incheon (tied 17th)
- São Paulo-Guarulhos and Toronto Pearson International (tied 20th)
The Consumer Choice Center is a nonprofit organization that focuses on consumer policy issues worldwide. It advocates for principles such as individual choice, market competition, and evidence-based regulation.
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