Europe’s Top Airports for Passenger Experience Highlighted in 2025 Awards
Geneva, Switzerland — Europe’s busiest airports aren’t just judged on flight schedules or passenger numbers — they are increasingly evaluated on how enjoyable and seamless the travel experience feels for those passing through them, a shift that recognises the importance of customer satisfaction in aviation. The latest 2025 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Customer Experience Awards, run by Airports Council International (ACI World) and based on feedback from hundreds of thousands of travellers worldwide, have named the continent’s most customer-friendly airports, revealing which hubs are excelling in service, comfort and efficiency across diverse categories.
The ASQ awards are widely regarded as one of the industry’s most credible measures of passenger satisfaction, providing an objective benchmark for airports worldwide. Travellers randomly selected at airports across the world are surveyed at departure and arrival gates, and asked to rate their experience across multiple facets — from check-in and security screening to facilities like shopping, food, cleanliness and overall ambience. These surveys capture real-time impressions of travellers’ journeys, providing a broad picture of which airports are setting a high bar for customer service.
European airports stand out across several categories in the 2025 awards, with winners ranging from major capitals to regional gateways, demonstrating that quality is not confined to the largest facilities. This year’s ASQ results underscore that excellence in customer experience is not limited to a handful of mega hubs, but can be found across a variety of airport sizes and geographies, each finding its own path to passenger satisfaction.
Major Hubs Shine in Customer Experience
In the busiest category — airports serving more than 40 million passengers annually — two of Europe’s largest travel gateways earned top honours for their strengths in departures service, proving that size need not compromise quality.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain ranked among the best, impressing travellers with efficient operations and quality services that make navigating a large facility feel manageable. As one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs, Madrid’s airport has consistently expanded amenities like lounges, food courts and retail, while also focusing on clear signage and passenger support that reduces stress.
Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Italy was another standout in the high-traffic category, earning recognition for its ability to handle massive numbers while maintaining service standards. Known for its spacious terminals and cultural flair, Fiumicino balanced scale with service, catering to millions of visitors with friendly staff and streamlined procedures that reflect Italian hospitality.
These two large airports demonstrated that even with heavy passenger volumes, customer satisfaction can remain high when service delivery and infrastructure investments are prioritised and continuously improved.
Mid-Sized Airports Exceed Expectations
Airports handling between 25 million and 40 million travellers also earned recognition for their customer experience efforts, showing that medium-sized facilities can excel:
Copenhagen Airport in Denmark, known for its Scandinavian design and ease of movement, impressed travellers with clear wayfinding and efficient connections that make transfers stress-free. The airport’s thoughtful layout reflects Danish design principles.
Vienna Airport in Austria once again proved its reputation for cleanliness and passenger-friendly services, bolstered by family-oriented facilities and thoughtful layouts that anticipate traveller needs before they arise.
Zurich Airport in Switzerland rounded out the group, earning praise for punctuality, staff professionalism and an overall sense of calm despite busy schedules, a testament to Swiss precision applied to airport operations.
These airports — each with distinct character and service strengths — show that mid-sized hubs can deliver memorable travel experiences that rival those of the largest international gateways through attention to detail.
Smaller Airports Impress Too
Even smaller airports with annual passenger figures between 15 million and 25 million caught the attention of travellers and industry observers for the quality of their service, proving that scale is not destiny.
Gran Canaria Airport in Spain, a key gateway to the Canary Islands, was recognised for its welcoming atmosphere and efficient operations that set the tone for island holidays. The airport handles significant tourist traffic with grace.
Helsinki Airport in Finland continued to build its strong reputation for passenger satisfaction, winning awards thanks to thoughtful facilities and improvements geared toward comfort and ease, reflecting Finnish design sensibilities.
Prague Airport in the Czech Republic also made the list, buoyed by positive feedback on its cleanliness, helpful staff and overall travel flow that makes the experience pleasant rather than stressful.
Together, these airports demonstrate that quality customer experience isn’t confined to capital cities or global hubs — regional and island airports can also deliver standards that delight travellers through focused effort.
Easiest Journeys and Recognitions Beyond the Main List
In addition to the main awards, several European airports were singled out for specific strengths, such as creating the easiest airport journeys — a category that matters enormously to travellers facing connections or tight schedules. This category highlighted hubs including Barcelona-El Prat, Milan Linate, and Izmir Adnan Menderes for providing smooth, straightforward travel experiences with minimal hassle and intuitive design.
The ASQ awards also include a special Director General’s Roll of Excellence, which honours airports that have consistently delivered top customer service over a five-year period, demonstrating sustained commitment. Several European facilities, such as Ankara Esenboğa and Izmir Adnan Menderes, were inducted this year, reinforcing the long-term commitment required to maintain high passenger satisfaction through good times and bad.
What the Awards Mean for Travellers
For passengers navigating Europe’s increasingly busy skies, these honours offer useful guidance on where travel experiences are most likely to be positive, helping inform choices when multiple airports serve a region. From large international hubs to smaller regional gateways, the airports recognised in the 2025 ASQ awards have demonstrated excellence in areas that matter most to travellers: staff engagement, ease of navigation, cleanliness, amenities and overall journey comfort.
As airport operators continue to invest in infrastructure and customer service, passengers can look forward to even more enjoyable journeys, making air travel less about stress and more about the excitement of the adventure ahead. The awards also encourage healthy competition among airports, driving continuous improvement across the continent.
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Conclusion
Europe’s best airports for 2025, as recognised by the ASQ awards, span the continent from Madrid to Helsinki, Rome to Copenhagen. Each has found its own formula for making travellers feel valued, proving that excellence in customer experience is achievable at any scale.
Madrid, Rome, Copenhagen, Vienna, Zurich — Europe’s airports set the standard for passenger experience.
