Musement gives you an overview of 10 of the world’s best airports and gives you some tips on how to spend your time there.
Holidays do not start when you reach your destination, but as soon as you walk out the door. That’s why it’s important to plan smartly, know what to expect and make the most of your time. For example, some travelers opt for an overnight train ride or take advantage of a connecting flight to stop over and discover an additional city. Others sometimes find themselves stuck at the airport due to a delayed or canceled flight and despair of the time lost. Let them get it wrong, it’s not always bad news! At least not in these 10 airports.
Whether your time at the airport is just the time of check-in and scheduled boarding, several hours or the entire night, here’s a glimpse of 10 airports around the world where it’s difficult to get bored.
1. Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
For the seventh consecutive year, Singapore’s Changi Airport was named the world’s best airport in Skytrax’s World Airport Awards last April. In Singapore-Changi the stopovers are a real pleasure! And we’re not just talking about duty-free shops or free WIFI; there’s an IMAX cinema, gardens, a waterfall and indoor forest, and a sports hall with showers, to name just a few. If your connection lasts more than 5.5 hours, take advantage of one of the two free two-and-half-hour tours of Singapore.
2. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Last year, Business Traveller awarded Amsterdam Schiphol Airport the prize for Europe’s best airport. Amsterdam’s airport has several meeting rooms, a hairdresser and even a clinic.
3. Hamad International Airport (DOH)
Hamad International Airport in Doha, which has won numerous awards as the Middle East’s best airport, standing out for its top-of-the-range service and its particularly luxurious terminal. The architecture surprises and seduces voyeurs as much as the particularly modern and innovative installations. The collection of works of art and art installations in the various terminals is particularly valuable.
4. Munich Airport (MUC)
Munich‘s airport is known for its cleanliness and comfort. In Terminal 2, it is even possible to nap in a real bed in complete privacy. Napcabs are cabins designed to offer passengers a relaxing, cozy and quiet space where they can catch 40 winks away from the airport’s hustle and bustle.
5. London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
The fourth busiest airport in the world and one of the world’s largest, London’s Heathrow is more than 70 years old and just keeps getting better. From bookstores like W.H. Smith to stack up on reading material to plenty of shops to browse (or even go on a spree!) to outposts of London classics like Harrod’s and Fortnum & Mason, you might just find yourself wishing for extra airport time.
6. Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND)
Tokyo Haneda Airport is the nearest international terminal to the Japanese capital. The airport’s best selling point is its proximity to the center of Tokyo. Since 2010, work and expansions have been carried out repeatedly in order to make life easier and better for travelers and in the run-up to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
7. Zurich Airport (ZRH)
Zurich Airport is ideal for hyperactive people who are in transit for several hours. From the airport, you can reach the center of Zurich in just 12 minutes (there’s a train every 10 minutes) or even stay at the airport and sign up for a guided tour that learn about the world of air traffic. You can also rent bicycles or rollerblades to reach one of the many runways surrounding the airport, or even buy something to grill and have a barbecue in the nearby countryside.
8. Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Seoul International Airport is a particularly recent development. Inaugurated in 2001 in preparation for the 2002 Football World Cup, it opened its second terminal in 2018, born under the sign of technology, innovation and modernity. At Incheon International Airport, everything is optimized for passenger comfort, fluidity and speed.
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9. Dubai International Airport (DXB)
The luxurious airport in Dubai is complete with showers (for those connecting on long-haul flights), snooze cubes, Zen gardens, excellent eats and even better shopping — complete with an outpost of the city’s famed gold souk. Whether you’re in the airport for a short or long stopover, you’ll relish your time there for sure.
10. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
Built on an artificial island, the airport in Hong Kong is one of the main gateways to Asia. It houses a small aviation museum, the Aviation Discovery Centre, an IMAX cinema, an indoor gulf and a host of incredible restaurants.