Europe’s top airports for customer service have been revealed – and two UK hubs made it to the top tier

For the most part, airports are highly stressful places. But sometimes, just sometimes, there are airports that make international travel feel like a breeze. Security is swift, staff are calm and helpful and there are plenty of good shops and cafés to keep you occupied while you wait for your gate to be called. 

Wouldn’t it be great if you could know exactly which airports offer that kind of experience? Well, every year Airports Council International (ACI) does the work to find out just that. Now, it’s revealed the winners of its ASQ Customer Experience Award, and two UK airports are among them. 

ACI collected feedback from 700,000 travellers who were randomly selected at gates of more than 400 airports across 110 different countries. They were asked to share their thoughts on the hub’s cleanliness, how enjoyable it is, how easy it is travel through and how dedicated the staff are. 

The top performing 20 percent of airports assessed are then handed an ASQ Customer Experience Award. Of all the hundreds of airports that ACI evaluated, two UK airports made it into the top 20 percent. Belfast International Airport and Newcastle International Airport were both crowned two of Europe’s best airports with 5m to 15m annual passengers for customer service.

Newcastle Airport was also inducted into the ACI World Director General’s ‘Roll of Excellence’, a list made of of airports recognised for consistent performance, long-term commitment and excellence. It was named the world’s best place to fly from in both 2023 and 2024, and could be getting even better in the future. The airport is set to undergo a £60 million expansion that could see its annual passenger numbers double. 

Find the full lowdown on Europe’s best airport for customer service here.

ICYMI: The best major airport in Britain in 2025, according to Which?

Plus: It’s now easier than ever to fly to this remote part of England. 

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.