A new study has revealed the 20 most luxurious airports in the world – and Australia’s busiest hub, Sydney Airport, is among them.
Conducted by the UK’s AllClear Travel Insurance, the study started with 1,800 airports across the globe, before creating a shortlist of 69 hubs based on those with a minimum of 10 passenger lounges.
Each airport was then scored on various factors like their number of high-end shops, nearby luxury hotels, lounges and amenities like champagne bars or caviar houses for passengers to relax in while they wait to board their flights.
The result is a list of hubs that aren’t just airports, but almost destinations in their own right – places where premium travellers would almost welcome a long delay.
So which hubs offer the most luxury – where waiting for your flight feels more like a VIP experience than a layover?
According to this study, Dubai International is the world’s most luxurious airport, boasting its own 5-star hotel inside the airport itself, an outdoor swimming pool, gym, cinemas, gardens and a plethora of restaurants.
With over 70 four and five-star hotels located within a three-mile radius of the airport, Dubai earned a “luxury score” of 83/100.
Just behind Dubai on the list is London Heathrow, which achieved a luxury score of 82 out of 100.
Europe’s busiest airport, Heathrow is recognised as having one of the biggest selection of lounges and most of the world’s top luxury retail brands.
The third most luxurious airport is Doha International, which scored 73/100.
With its various water features, Doha scored well for the high number of four and five-star hotels within its vicinity, as well as boasting many luxury brands like Hermès and Montblanc.
Scoring 66 out of 100, Paris Charles de Gaulle is deemed the fourth most luxurious airport, scoring highly for its luxury brands, its in-terminal hotel and great transport links to the city.
Topping the Asia-Pacific region, in fifth place on the list, is Sydney Airport. Beating global hubs like Hong Kong, Tokyo Narita and even Singapore Changi (widely regarded as the world’s best overall airport), Sydney Airport scored particularly well for its range of luxury retailers (including Cartier, Rolex and Armani). Australia’s busiest hub scored 61/100.
The 20 airports that offer the best luxury experience
| Rank | Airport | Lounge score | Luxury brand score | Champagne & caviar score | High-end hotel score | Total Luxury Score /100 |
| 1 | Dubai International Airport | 24 | 19 | 10 | 30 | 83 |
| 2 | London Heathrow Airport | 30 | 28 | 10 | 14 | 82 |
| 3 | Hamad International Airport | 13 | 23 | 10 | 27 | 73 |
| 4 | Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport | 17 | 28 | 10 | 12 | 66 |
| 5 | Sydney Airport (T1) | 16 | 30 | 10 | 5 | 61 |
| 6 | Singapore Changi Airport | 19 | 29 | 10 | 3 | 61 |
| 7 | Suvarnabhumi International Airport | 30 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 55 |
| 8 | Hong Kong International Airport | 13 | 26 | 10 | 3 | 52 |
| 9 | Frankfurt Airport | 19 | 22 | 10 | 1 | 52 |
| 10 | Narita International Airport | 19 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 49 |
| 11 | New York John F. Kennedy International Airport | 22 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 48 |
| 12 | Incheon International Airport | 18 | 25 | 0 | 3 | 45 |
| 13 | Munich Airport | 15 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 45 |
| 14 | Zurich Airport | 12 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 44 |
| 15 | Tokyo Haneda International Airport | 22 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 42 |
| 16 | Los Angeles International Airport | 18 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 40 |
| 17 | Toronto Pearson International Airport | 12 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 37 |
| 18 | Beijing Capital International Airport | 20 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 37 |
| 19 | Osaka Kansai International Airport | 12 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 37 |
| 20 | Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport | 12 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 36 |
In December 2023, Sydney Airport reported that Australian passenger traffic had finally reached pre-pandemic levels (or close enough to it).
Read our review of the Sydney Airport lounge that’s the antidote to Qantas’ Chairman’s Lounge.
Also, check out our review of the Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Doha Airport.
