20 Airports That Make Travel a Breeze

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Excited traveler at an airport
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None of us likes standing in an airport security line, fretting about whether we’ll get through it in time to make our flight. Fortunately, some airports make the process of getting to the gate a breeze.

The Airports Council International’s latest annual Airport Service Quality Awards honor airports around the world for the best customer experiences. The awards were based on 595,000 surveys of travelers.

One of the awards honors airports that rank among of the top 5% based on how easy it is for travelers to get through them. Following are those winners in North America and beyond.

Gerald R. Ford International Airport

American Airlines airplane taking off from Gerald R. Ford International Airport
cpparrothead / Shutterstock.com

Airport code: GRR

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

In 2009, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport completed a revamp of the terminal and parking areas. Needless to say, the improvements — including a 4,700-space parking garage and garage-to-terminal pedestrian bridges — have created a much better experience for travelers.

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport
Michael Moloney / Shutterstock.com

Airport code: GSP

Location: Greer, South Carolina, United States

The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport has been open for business since 1962. It was the first airport to feature lights in the pavement of runways.

Prior to the construction of GSP, the region was served by two smaller airports, one in Greenville and another in Spartanburg.

Fort McMurray International Airport

Aerial image of Fort McMurray in the province of Alberta, Canada
Russ Heinl / Shutterstock.com

Airport code: YMM

Location: Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada

In 2014, a new terminal at Fort McMurray International Airport opened. It features long-span spaces and high ceilings. In addition, the size of the laminated pine beams that support the roof make it the largest wood-framed roof on the continent.

Airports in Europe that make travel a breeze

Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport, Croatia
Aleksandra Tokarz / Shutterstock.com

The Airports Council International says more than a dozen other airports around the world make travel easy on passengers. Those in Europe are:

  • Aeroporto di Roma-Fiumicino (Rome Fiumicino, Italy)
  • Aeropuerto de El Hierro (Valverde, Spain)
  • Aeropuerto de Reus (Reus, Spain)
  • Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (Izmir, Turkey)
  • Tallinn Airport (Tallinn, Estonia)
  • Zagreb International Airport (Zagreb, Croatia)

Airports in Asia-Pacific that make travel a breeze

Singapore Changi Airport
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The airports in the Asia-Pacific region that were honored for ease of travel are:

  • Singapore Changi Airport (Singapore, Singapore)
  • Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport (Balikpapan, Indonesia)
  • Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (Ujung Pandang, Indonesia)
  • Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport (Palembang, Indonesia)
  • Supadio Airport (Pontianak, Indonesia)
  • Yogyakarta International Airport (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

Other airports that make travel a breeze

Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil, Ecuador
Steve Barze / Shutterstock.com

The other airports honored for easy traveling are as follows

Latin America-Caribbean

  • Guayaquil International Airport (Guayaquil, Ecuador)
  • Guanacaste Airport (Liberia, Costa Rica)

Middle East

  • Salalah Airport (Salalah, Oman)

Africa

  • Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (Casablanca, Morocco)
  • Marrakech Menara Airport (Marrakech, Morocco)

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