It's official: seven of the world's top 10 airports for layovers are in Asia

Whether you deliberately book a layover to save a few dollars or simply have no choice due to limited direct routes, stopovers can feel like the least glamorous part of travel. But airports around the world have been levelling up – turning transit time into part of the holiday itself.

If you’re wondering where to find the best layover experiences, look to Asia. According to travel experts at Airport Parking and Hotels (APH), several Asian hubs dominate the global rankings in their latest analysis.

Unsurprisingly, Singapore Changi Airport takes the top spot as the world’s best layover airport. The airport – which has been crowned World’s Best Airport by the Skytrax World Airport Awards more than ten times – scored highly for its sleep-friendly facilities, extensive dining options, and wide selection of lounges equipped with WiFi and shower amenities. After all, if a layover is inevitable, it might as well come with good food and decent sleep.

Sharing fourth place are Tokyo Haneda Airport, Incheon International Airport, and Shanghai Pudong International Airport, while Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport lands in seventh. Kempegowda International Airport and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport round out the rankings in tenth place.

Here are the top ten best layover airports in the world: 

1. Singapore Changi Airport
2. Dubai International Airport
3. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
4. Tokyo Haneda Airport
    Incheon International Airport
    Shanghai Pudong International Airport
7. Indira Gandhi International Airport
    Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
    El Dorado International Airport
10. Kempegowda International Airport
     Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport

APH also broke down the rankings for best layover food – and once again, Changi Airport leads the pack, boasting an impressive 247 restaurants and cafés. Tokyo Haneda Airport ranks third with 173 F&B outlets, while Soekarno-Hatta International Airport places sixth with 133. Ninoy Aquino International Airport comes in seventh with 131 dining options, and Shanghai Pudong International Airport ranks ninth with 126.

Here are the top ten best airports for layover food choices:

1. Singapore Changi Airport
2. O’Hare International Airport
3. Tokyo Haneda Airport
4. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
5. LaGuardia Airport
6. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
7. Ninoy Aquino International Airport
8. John F. Kennedy International Airport
9. Shanghai Pudong International Airport
10. Istanbul Airport

These rankings were based on data from several official airport websites, third-party travel resources, and public platforms, including Google Reviews. The metrics used included the average restaurant rating, availability of sleeping pods, number of lounges, daily flight count, and overall airport rating. 

You may view the full report here. 

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