This story will highlight the best-rated airports in Europe you wouldn't mind getting stuck in. We'll also highlight some airports for which you may want to find alternatives based on reviewers' experiences.
Holidu, the search engine for holiday rentals, sought out the airports with the best reviews.
Using data from Google Maps, this study was conducted using the average Google rating and the number of reviews to create the ultimate European airport ranking.
Read on to discover these top-notch airports to book your next flight and some insider tips, including amenities and delay information.
Click here to view an interactive map and data table ranking the complete list of the best airports in Europe.
Table of Contents
5 Best Rated Airports in Europe
1. Athens International Airport, Greece
Avg. 4.4 stars, 24,467 reviews
It's official – Athens Airport is the best airport in Europe! As Greece's biggest and most known airport, ATH is located 20 miles (33 kilometers) from the city center.
Greece has gotten by relativity unscathed from the European flight mania, with most of the delays experienced at the departing airports with inbound flights to Greece.
Have a layover? You can enjoy baggage storage options, airport lounges, archaeological artifacts exhibitions, and a wide selection of restaurants and cafes. Athens Airport has so much to offer its travelers.
2. Zürich Airport, Switzerland
Avg. 4.4 stars, 14,267 reviews
Although facing backlash from the recent air traffic control glitch, Zürich Airport is one you wouldn't mind getting stuck in, and it hasn't seemed to affect its reputation.
Plus, Zürich Airport has everything you could need to kill time at the airport. Starting August 1, 2022, they will have live music on the weekends and a games lounge complete with table tennis, darts, and even a mini-golf course.
You can also check out their website for upcoming invents, including brunch on the Observation Deck, BBQs, and more. Who wouldn't want to have a layover in this adventure land?
Related: Travel Switzerland on a Budget
3. Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport, Portugal
Avg. 4.4 stars, 11,904 reviews
The third spot is Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport, also known as Porto Airport. Porto may be an excellent option to avoid the delays plaguing Portugal's largest airport, Lisbon, since mid-June.
Bloomberg reported 65% delayed and 4.8% canceled flights there since the beginning of July.
Porto Airport has an app for tracking real-time arrival and departure times and flight status, so communication is direct and in real-time.
Don't want to waste time in queues? They also have a Fast Track option, a priority channel, that allows you to get through the security faster.
They also have options for family travel with a space for children with a library, videos, and other activities to keep them entertained.
4. Alicante International Airport, Spain
Avg. 4.3 stars, 10,547 reviews
Next on our list is Alicante International Airport in Spain, the primary airport serving the Valencian Community and Murcia area.
With travelers praising its organized layout and bright, spacious design, who wouldn't want to travel through this airport.
5. Malta International Airport, Malta
Avg. 4.3 stars, 6,279 reviews
Malta International Airport is in fifth place with an average Google Ranking of 4.3; it's a quaint but well-maintained airport.
Although the airport and hub airline Air Malta got caught up in all the London Heathrow flight delays, its facilities still match those of the larger European airports.
Complete with not only restaurants, duty-free shops, and VIP Lounges, it even has a hairdresser and dental clinic.
They also boast a freshly renovated food court that offers a comprehensive food section and an upscale aesthetic.
See the other airports that made it into the Top 10 best ranking.
5 Worst Rated Airports in Europe
1. Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, France
Avg. 2.7 stars, 5,700 reviews
Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport in France hits our number one spot with an average Google rating of 2.7. The main complaints about this airport were the small size and lack of seating.
To top it off, with the recent troubles of staff strikes canceling many flights, you may want to consider some alternatives if you are planning to fly through Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport.
Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (3.9 stars / 5,041 reviews) is only 3-4 hours by train and 2-3 hours by car, or there are plenty of train and bus options available if you can't get to your destination without flying.
2. Heraklion International Airport, Greece
Avg. 2.8 stars, 10,791 reviews
Next on our list is Heraklion International Airport, with an average Google Maps rating of 2.8, most complaints being how crowded and poorly equipped the airport is for its traffic volume.
It may be worth checking out Chania International Airport (4 stars / 3,678 reviews), rated much higher and just a 2-hour drive from Heraklion.
3. Luton Airport, United Kingdom
Avg. 3 stars, 10,665 reviews
Luton Airport in London has been hit with the summer flight pandemonium, with Bloomberg reporting 66% delayed and 2.7% canceled flights since the start of July compared with London Heathrow's 51%.
To top that up, it only comes in with an average rating of 3 on Google, with most complaints seeming to be lack of public transport connections to the airport and resulting massive queues from its small size despite the high volume of travelers.
If you absolutely need to fly, it may still be worth wild to choose Heathrow (4 stars / 32,095 reviews) or Gatwick (3.8 stars / 12,953 reviews) as they are larger and have more capacity and facilities if your flight does get delayed.
However, we recommend scouting other possible travel options such as trains or buses before booking. If there are no other options, remember to arrive early at the airport and only carry hand luggage to save yourself a headache.
Related: How to Choose the Right London Airport
4. Manchester Airport, United Kingdom
Avg. 3 stars, 15,192 reviews
Manchester Airport in the UK is next on our list, with most complaints referencing rude staff and lack of organization resulting in long queues.
It may be worth your time to make your way to the Liverpool John Lennon Airport (3.9 stars / 3,087 reviews), about a 45-min drive from Manchester Airport, for a better airport experience.
5. Berlin Willy-Brandt International Airport
Avg. 3.2 stars, 16,959 reviews
The Berlin Willy-Brandt International Airport is rounding off our top five worst European airports.
Plagued from the start with a delay of nearly a decade from its planned opening date and costing 4 billion euros over budget, Berlin Willy-Brandt International Airport comes in with only a 3.2 average Google rating.
While praised for clean and modern facilities, most complaints are centered around unorganized and slow security processing, resulting in long lines.
It may be worth the time to look into alternatives, such as Dresden Airport (4 stars / 1,295 reviews), which is only an hour and a half drive from Berlin.
Methodology:
This ranking was made by extracting the average Google Maps rating and number of reviews from the top 100 busiest airports in Europe based on the number of passengers in 2019. With this data from Google Maps, we ranked each airport from highest to lowest, prioritizing those with more reviews. All airports in Russia and Ukraine and non-operational airports were removed from this ranking.
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This story is provided in collaboration with holidu.
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