While long waits between flights are often seen as the worst part of long-haul travel, it doesn’t have to be. Worldwide, airports are investing heavily in lounges, dining, sleep zones and more to provide more facilities to make these extended stops more enjoyable.
To help identify the best airports for layovers, Airport Parking & Hotels in its latest research, created an index that scores the top 50 busiest airports around the world across several comfort factors. The criteria include the number of daily flights, the number of lounges & their average cost, the airport’s sleepability rating, Wi-Fi access, total number of restaurants & cafes and the average price for food.
Together, these combined to create a final Layover Score, highlighting the airports that offer the most comfortable all-round stopover experience.
Key findings:
- Asia leads globally for layover experience, with airports in Singapore, China, India, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia consistently ranking highly across food, sleepability and lounge affordability.
- Singapore Changi Airport ranks as the world’s best layover airport with the highest score of thanks to excellent sleepability, dining options and strong facilities.
- Dubai International Airport offers the second highest number of lounges in the index, with 23 lounges, helping it secure second place overall.
- Beijing Daxing International Airport is the best airport for sleeping, with the highest sleepability score, ahead of Changi and Incheon.
- Singapore Changi Airport ranks best for food choice, offering an unmatched 247 restaurants and cafés, giving travellers the widest range of dining options of any airport in the study.
Best layover airports in the world
The index reveals the world’s best airports for layovers, taking into account the key factors that help make waiting for your next flight more comfortable and enjoyable.
- Singapore Changi Airport
The index reveals Singapore Changi Airport as the best layover airport, due to its combination of excellent sleepability rating, huge dining choice with 247 restaurants and cafes, 16 lounges and available wifi and shower rooms. Changi performs well across most metrics, making it the most well-rounded stopover airport in the world.
- Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport ranks second, driven largely by its impressive 23 lounges available, the highest number of any airport in the top 20 list. Passengers also benefit from some of the most affordable food options in the index, with an average price of approximately £7.70 and over 50 restaurants or cafes to choose from.
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport takes third place and is the only North American airport to rank in the top 10. The airport has a strong food offering with 165 restaurants and cafes, 18 lounges, available wifi and two shower rooms. Atlanta provides a surprisingly comfortable layover experience for such a busy hub, making it an appealing option for passengers who want both variety and convenience during their stopover.
- Tokyo Haneda Airport
Tokyo Haneda Airport ranks fourth, excelling in both affordability and passenger satisfaction. Its average food prices of £6.80 are among the most budget-friendly in the top five, complemented by 173 restaurants and cafes, wifi and two shower rooms. The airport also has a strong sleepability rating.
- Incheon International Airport, Seoul
Incheon International Airport is in joint fourth position with Haneda. It stands out for customer satisfaction and is recognised as an airport that facilitates a good night’s sleep. With 70 restaurants and cafes and 10 lounges for travellers to access, Incheon has a lot to offer for a layover stop off.
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Shanghai Pudong International was also in joint fourth place. The airport has a solid sleepability rating, alongside a wide choice of 126 restaurants and cafés, giving travellers plenty of options during longer waits. With 6 lounges available, Wi-Fi access and shower facilities on site, Pudong performs consistently well across multiple comfort and convenience metrics, making it a reliable stopover option for international travellers.
Best layover airports for sleeping
When it comes to finding a quiet place to switch off during a layover, the index places Beijing Daxing at the top, with reviewers commenting on the comfort of the armchairs and low lighting in the evening. This is followed closely by Singapore Changi, which has free-to-use rest areas and Incheon.
European and North American airports also feature in the top ten, with Munich, San Francisco, Orlando and Denver providing a reasonable level of comfort for passengers needing a break between flights.
Most affordable airport lounges
The findings show that China dominates the list of the world’s most affordable airport lounges, with Xi’an Xianyang International Airport offering the lowest average price at just £15.
Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Beijing Capital and Guangzhou also appear in the top five, reflecting consistently good value across major Chinese hubs. Tokyo Haneda provides the most affordable lounge access outside China at £18.80, alongside Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport at the same price point.
Best airports for layover food
Singapore Changi Airport ranks first overall, offering an unrivalled 247 restaurants and cafés, giving passengers the widest choice of dining options during a layover. Chicago O’Hare follows closely with 210 venues, while Tokyo Haneda ranks third with 173.
US airports feature prominently throughout the top 10, with Atlanta, LaGuardia, and John F. Kennedy all offering more than 125 dining options, while Asian hubs including Jakarta, Manila and Shanghai also perform strongly. Istanbul rounds up the Top 10 with 118 dining outlets.
