The best airport in Europe: 2022

It is no great surprise that Zurich has again received the coveted award. After all, the Swiss airport was the best last year, at least in the eyes of the jurors who decide on the presentation of the renowned World Travel Awards.

And the year before that, and before that, and before that: the award, also known as the “Oscar of the travel industry”, went to Zurich Airport for the eighteenth time in a row. What makes him so special?

Zurich Airport has won the World Travel Award in the “Europe’s Leading Airport” category year after year since 2004, and in 2021 it again prevailed against ten other nominees. In addition to Amsterdam, Barcelona and London Heathrow, these included Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. An international jury of hotel and business experts has been presenting the prestigious award for the best airport in Europe for 27 years. In addition to customer satisfaction, she also evaluates the quality standards of products and services at the respective airports.

But what makes Zurich Airport, which always ranks high in other rankings, so popular? The passengers who rate the airport on the Skytrax website, and thus voted it number 2 of the best airports in Europe at the World Airport Awards 2021, praise the cleanliness, architecture and clarity of the building in particular. However, there is also criticism. The high prices for snacks and drinks, long queues and the majority of luxury shops are repeatedly criticized.

The future of Zurich Airport lies in the “Circle”

“The Circle” should ensure that Zurich Airport has a good chance of receiving further awards of this kind in the future. The latest construction project around Zurich Airport, which officially opened its doors to visitors at the end of 2020, was built within walking distance of the terminals and includes two hotels with a congress center, numerous shops and restaurants and the headquarters of international companies, including Microsoft and SAP.

These airports were also nominated as “Europe’s best airport”:

Amsterdam Schiphol, Netherlands
Barcelona-El Prat Airport, Spain
Berlin Brandenburg Airport, Germany
Hamburg, Germany
London Heathrow, England
Istanbul, Turkey
Lisbon Airport, Portugal
Munich, Germany
Paris Charles de Gaulle, France
Prishtina International Airport Adem Jashari, Kosovo
Rome Fiumicino Airport, Italy
Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russia
Vienna Airport, Austria

About the World Travel Awards

At the company, which was founded in 1993, an international jury of hotel and specialist experts decides on the awarding of prizes. The awards are presented at an international level in many different categories, including hotels, airlines, travel agencies and car rental companies.