Spotlight on excellence

ACI World’s ASQ Customer Experience Awards and Skytrax’s annual World Airport Awards recognise customer service excellence. We review the results and winner reaction.

It could be argued that winning either an ASQ Customer Experience Award from ACI World or being a Skytrax champion is the ultimate endorsement of an airport’s hospitality as it simply couldn’t win one if passengers were not happy with almost every aspect of their airport experience.

Yes, the awards are totally different in their format and the way they are carried out. The fact that the ASQ results are based on passenger surveys taking place on the day of travel is without doubt hugely meaningful for airports, while the programme itself allows participants to accurately benchmark themselves against others.

But there is no denying that airports place huge value on the annual Skytrax Airport Awards, and celebrate their success in it widely and loudly, arguably much more so these days than they do their success in the ASQ awards.

ASQ AWARDS AND WINNER REACTION

While there are no great surprises around the winners of ACI World’s ASQ Customer Experience Awards for 2025, arguably the fact that multiple airports shared the top accolades in the different categories showed the commitment of the world’s airports to enhancing the passenger experience.

The awards covered all size of airports from the biggest to the smallest with the range of categories including airports with ‘The Most Dedicated Staff’ and those offering the ‘Easiest Airport Journey’ to ‘The Most Enjoyable’ and ‘Cleanest’ airport.

In total, 100 airports worldwide were recognised for excellence in passenger experience – View the full list of winners – between them collecting a whopping 195 awards.

In addition, eight airports were inducted into the ACI World Director General’s Roll of Excellence, recognising their consistent delivery of top quality customer service over time.

The results come amid continued traffic growth, with global passenger volumes expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2025 and projected to rise to 10.2 billion in 2026 – placing increasing pressure on airports to deliver efficient, welcoming, and high-quality experiences at scale.

“Airports are demonstrating that passenger satisfaction can continue to rise despite growing pressure,” said ACI World director general, Justin Erbacci.

“These awards reflect the collective efforts of airport teams and stakeholders worldwide.

“As we celebrate the ASQ programme’s 20th Anniversary, we recognise two decades of trusted insights and recognition that have helped airports create better and more memorable journeys.

“Congratulations to all the ACI ASQ Customer Experience Award winners for their unwavering dedication to passenger experience.”

Highlights of the 2025 ASQ Awards include the fact that new airports accounted for 35% of the winners in several of the award categories; that nearly 707,000 passengers were surveyed worldwide, in real time; and more than half of the world’s air travellers passed through an ASQ-rated airport.

Also worthy of note is that Border and Passport Control recorded the largest satisfaction gains globally; and airport ambience and cleanliness were the strongest drivers of overall satisfaction.

The awards are sponsored by SITA, whose senior vice president of borders, Pedro Alves, commented: “Air travel is evolving at pace, with passengers expecting more seamless and rewarding experiences than ever before.

“These awards recognise the exceptional work happening across airports every day.”

ACI World notes that the 2025 ASQ results show that passengers increasingly value clean, welcoming airport environments and smooth, human-centred interactions.

It adds that Improvements in Border and Passport Control highlight the critical role of frontline staff in reducing stress and uncertainty at key moments of the journey.

These findings align closely with insights from the ASQ 2026 Global Traveller Survey Report.

At the time of going to press, North American airports accounted for the bulk of the 2025 ASQ winners to contact us and celebrate their success, with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), for example, citing the dedication of its staff for its award winning performance in the Best Airports at Departures by Size and Region category for airports handling 15 to 25 million passengers per annum.

“This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our entire AUS team and our partners who work tirelessly to enhance the passenger experience,” said airport CEO, Ghizlane Badawi.

“As we continue to expand our infrastructure and modernise our airport, we remain focused on delivering a seamless, welcoming, and efficient journey for every traveller that passes through AUS.”

In the Northeast of the country, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has revealed that the highest ever satisfaction scores at LaGuardia resulted in it being named North America’s best airport in its class for the third successive year.

“For three years in a row, LaGuardia has been rated North America’s best airport in its class by the critics who matter most – more than 30 million passengers who rely on our new world-class airport,” said Port Authority executive director, Kathryn Garcia.

“We worked diligently and thoughtfully with our partners at Delta Air Lines and LaGuardia Gateway Partners to design and deliver extraordinary new terminals, and we continue to work together to operate these terminals at the same exacting and high standards that customers deserve.”

The airport earned an overall passenger satisfaction score of 4.38 out of five, which is 2.7% higher than its score in 2018.

Before LaGuardia’s transformation, passengers in the same ASQ survey rated LaGuardia (LGA) as the worst airport in North America with a score of 3.54.

Elsewhere in the US, the 2025 ASQ Customer Experience Awards programme recognised Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) with three “Best” awards as part of its annual programme.

Specifically, SLC was named as one of the Best Airports in North America at Departures by Size and Region (25-40mppa); Most Enjoyable Airport in North America along with Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), and Orlando International Airport (MCO); and Cleanest Airport in North America along with Gerald R Ford International Airport (GRR) and GSP.

“Being honoured with an ASQ Customer Experience Award shows SLC’s commitment to enhancing our passengers’ experience,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director, Salt Lake City Department of Airports.

“This recognition is shared with the many employees – from the airport to airlines to TSA and other tenants – who work tirelessly day in and day out to deliver a reliable, high-quality airport experience.”

Equally happy is Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which for the fourth-consecutive year has been recognised for its outstanding customer experience in the Best Airports in North America at Departures by Size and Region in the Over 40mppa category.

“Receiving this award for the fourth year in a row is especially meaningful as it coincides with the largest construction programme in our airport’s history,” said Ken Buchanan, DFW’s executive vice president, chief revenue officer.

“Even as we modernise and expand, our commitment to delivering an exceptional experience never wavers. This recognition shows that our customers feel that dedication.”

Reflecting on Ontario International Airport once again receiving the Best Airport at Departures in North America award (5-15mppa), CEO, Atif Elkadi, said: “What makes this recognition extraordinary is that it comes directly from the people we serve.

“Our team shows up every single day committed to delivering a world-class experience defined by care, efficiency and hospitality. This award belongs to the frontline employees, airline partners, custodial staff, and concessionaires who treat every passenger like a guest. At ONT, we don’t take trust for granted; we earn it every single day.”

North of the border in Canada, Toronto Pearson retained its Best Airport at Departures by Size and Region in the Over 40mppa category for second consecutive year, and the seventh time in eight years.

Deborah Flint, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, stated: “It is an honour to receive this ASQ award for the second consecutive year.

“This achievement is a direct reflection of the passion and dedication of our employees, who show up every day and every night, demonstrating their commitment to our customers and delivering excellence.

“This recognition further strengthens our commitment to transforming Toronto Pearson into one of the most advanced, sustainable and passenger-friendly airports in the world.”

In Europe, Rome Fiumicino continued its winning streak, maintaining its status as the Best Airport at Departures by Size and Region in the Over 40mppa category for the ninth successive year.

Rome Ciampino was also honoured in Europe’s Best Airport at Departures in the 2-5mppa category for the third consecutive year.

In addition to Best Airport by Size, Rome Fiumicino was also recognised for Most Dedicated Staff, Easiest Airport Journey, Most Enjoyable Airport and Cleanest Airport in Europe, excelling in customer experience across the entire passenger journey from efficiency and hospitality to cleanliness and overall comfort.

Marco Troncone, CEO of Aeroporti di Roma, enthused: “In recent years, we have consolidated a position of excellence in Europe in terms of service quality, and today we are competitive in a market that has become fully global.

“With traffic demand continuing to grow, confirming European leadership for the ninth consecutive year also means taking on an even greater responsibility: continuing to invest in innovation, processes and infrastructure.

“To ensure high travel standards and support rising demand – which in 2025 already brought us to a record of over 55 million passengers across Fiumicino and Ciampino – a medium-to long-term vision for infrastructure development is essential.

“This is why we consider it fundamental and urgent to continue along the path set out in our Airport Development Plan: a choice that can no longer be postponed if we want to strengthen the country’s international connectivity, support tourism and the economy, and further establish Leonardo da Vinci Airport as a strategic platform for global transit flows.”

Elsewhere in Europe, for the seventh time, Helsinki Airport was named as the Best Airport at Departures in the 15–25 million category.

“Helsinki Airport is a strategically important international hub for Finland, and this recognition shows that our passengers find our airport to be smooth, comfortable and of a high standard,” says Laura Inttilä, senior vice president of Helsinki Airport.

Reacting from a global perspective, TAV Airports reports that four of its gateways collected ASQ Awards – Ankara Esenboğa and İzmir Adnan Menderes in Turkey; Tbilisi (Georgia) and Skopje (North Macedonia).

The 2025 success of Ankara Esenboğa and İzmir Adnan Menderes has led to them being inducted into the ACI World Director General’s Roll of Excellence, which recognises airports that have won multiple ASQ awards over a five-year period within the past decade.

TAV Airports CEO, Serkan Kaptan, enthused: “As TAV Airports, we work to deliver the best travel experience across the 15 airports we operate in eight countries by closely monitoring passengers’ evolving needs and expectations. Passenger satisfaction lies at the heart of all our operations.”

The winning airports will officially receive their prizes at 2025 ASQ Customer Experience Awards Ceremony, which will take place at the ACI World Airport Experience Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, from August 31 to September 4, 2026.

SKYTRAX AWARDS

Singapore Changi (SIN) was named Airport of the Year at the 2026 World Airport Awards held at PTE World in London on March 18.

Incheon (ICN); Tokyo Haneda (HND), Hong Kong (HKG) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) completed the top five.

Top ratings were awarded to Fukuoka Airport (5-Star Regional Airport); Haikou Meilan (5-Star Rating); and Shanghai Hongqiao (5-Star Rating).

Other airports faring well in the 2026 Skytrax awards included Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO); Munich (MUC); Bengaluru-Kempegowda (BLR); London Heathrow (LHR) and Helsinki (HEL).

Talking about Quito winning ‘Best Regional Airport in South America’ for the 11th year running as well as ‘Cleanest Airport in South America’, Ramón Miró, president and CEO of Quiport, said: “This achievement is the result of the joint effort of the entire airport community.

“Every operation, every service, and every interaction with passengers matters. This recognition encourages us to continue raising our quality standards.”

Munich Airport won two awards, ‘Best Airport in Central Europe’ and ‘Best Airport Staff in Europe’ at the 2026 World Airport Awards. MUC CEO, Jost Lammers, enthused: “I am very proud of this outstanding award and would like to extend a special thank you to our passengers for their trust and loyalty.

“This recognition once again confirms our commitment to premium service, efficiency, and passenger-friendly infrastructure. We remain committed to consistently investing in measures to enhance the passenger experience.

“I am particularly pleased about the Skytrax recognition for ‘Best Airport Staff in Europe”, which pays tribute to the exceptional dedication and expertise of our staff. This is the third time we have received this prize since 2023.”

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) was recognised as the ‘Best Regional Airport in India & South Asia’ for the third consecutive year by Skytrax.

Hari Marar, managing director and CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), enthused: “Our continued recognition at the Skytrax World Airport Awards reflects the strength of our long-term vision and consistent focus on passenger experience.

“At BLR Airport, our focus is on building for the future, where design, technology and sustainability come together to create a seamless passenger journey.”

Heathrow was officially crowned the best airport in the world for shopping and made significant upward progress in Skytrax’s rankings for the world’s best airports, rising six places to 16th.

Fraser Brown, Heathrow’s retail director, noted: “Winning the Skytrax award for World’s Best Airport Shopping, and one of the best airports in the world, is a proud moment for everyone at Heathrow.

“Because these awards are voted for directly by passengers, this recognition validates what we see every day – our teams delivering a world‑class retail experience in one of the most operationally constrained airport environments in the world.”

Helsinki was named Best Airport in Northern Europe for the tenth time while Budapest (BUD), Kansai (KIX) and Santiago (SCL) – part of VINCI Airports’ global airport network – won ‘Best Airport in Eastern Europe’, ‘Best Low-Cost Airline Terminal’ (Kansai Terminal 2) and ‘Best Staff in South America’ respectively, the latter for the second year running.

Rémi Maumon de Longevialle, CEO of VINCI Airports, stated: “It is a source of collective pride that eight airports in the network, located in different geographies, have been recognised by ACI and Skytrax in categories as varied as infrastructure quality, staff hospitality, passenger journey, and cleanliness.

“These numerous awards demonstrate once again the commitment of the teams at the airports run by VINCI Airports to innovate in order to offer the best possible experience to travellers.”

The Skytrax World Airport Awards recognise airports that deliver outstanding customer experience across key touchpoints, including check-in, arrivals, transfers, retail, security, immigration and departures.