Increasingly, airports are being designed not as mere transitional spaces. Instead, they're being treated as expressions of the destination's history and culture, and as restful – even inspiring – landing points for weary travellers.
Asian airports like Singapore Changi Airport and Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Satellite Terminal 1, laureates on the Prix Versailles Most Beautiful Airports in the World 2024 list, certainly get it with nature-inspired interiors and culturally informed installations on every corner. This year, they pass the torch to another two Asian airports on the 2025 list of the world's six most beautiful airports.
The first airport to be recognised by Prix Versailles is Yantai Penglai International Airport, your first port of call in Yantai, China. Specifically, Terminal 2 of the airport has been marked for its elegant and sweeping roofline, which evokes Mount Kunyu, a picturesque mountain range located between Yantai City and Weihai City. The entire terminal is flooded with natural light, illuminating the natural curves, tones, and materials that make up the interior. Prix Versailles also highlights reinterpreations of wooden ships' hulls within the terminal inspired by the Maritime Silk Road.
Osaka, Japan is a particularly popular destination this year, with many flocking to the city for the 2025 World Expo. If you're heading down, pop into the gorgeous Kansai International Airport Terminal 1, which has just been expanded and refreshed. Its capacity has now been expanded by 25%, with a smart queue management system to help manage growing crowds. Its interiors have also undergone a makeover: natural materials in hues of brown now give the space a distinctive Japanese feel.
The most beautiful airports in the world for 2025, according to Prix Versailles:
- Yantai Penglai International Airport, Terminal 2 – Yantai, China
- Marseille Provence Airport, Terminal 1 – Marignane, France
- Roland Garros Airport, Arrivals Terminal – Réunion Island, France
- Kansai International Airport, Terminal 1 – Osaka, Japan
- Portland International Airport, Main Terminal – Portland, United States
- San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 1 – San Francisco, United States
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