Istanbul Airport Ranks 3rd Best Airport for Layovers

November 24, 2022

Most people choose to fly direct when booking a flight, however, this cannot always be the case and your trip may call for a layover.

Layovers can be a great way to discover a new destination. Whether you have a few hours to wander the streets of Paris and grab a croissant, or an evening to take advantage of the nightlife in Tokyo, layovers are a fun way to check out a new city to see if you’d like to return in the future.

A study by ParkSleepFly has revealed the top 10 best airports in the world for layovers.

Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan, ranks as the best airport in the world to enjoy a layover. It has an excellent 4.59/5 hygiene rating to pair with an excellent choice of food and beverages. The service and shopping choices are also great, with several designer fashion shops, including Burberry, Chanel and Hermès. There are also 31 hotels within 2 miles of the airport.

In runner-up position is Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. This airport offers excellent amenities, with shopping and staff service hitting 4.5/5 each. The airport also boasts a customer satisfaction score of 6.00/10, a significantly high score for a busy airport.

Istanbul Airport, in Turkey, ranks as the third best airport to enjoy a layover, with scores for amenities consistently over 4.00/5. Istanbul Airport provides a huge choice of 87 hotels within a 2-mile radius, and its Luxury Square offers a wide variety of world-famous luxury and designer products.

The top 10 best airports in the world for a layover

Rank	Airport	Food & Beverage /5	Hygiene /5	Staff Service /5	Shopping Facilities /5	Customer Satisfaction /10	Hotels within 2 miles	Annual visitor numbers	Layover Score /10
1	Tokyo Haneda Airport	4.00	4.88	4.50	4.50	8.00	31	25,876,429	8.67
2	Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport	4.17	4.38	4.50	4.50	6.00	18	33,207,337	8.44
3	Istanbul Airport	4.17	4.13	4.17	4.50	3.00	87	36,988,563	7.22
4	Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport	4.00	4.25	4.00	4.25	5.00	9	36,358,185	6.67
5	Xi’an Xianyang International Airport	4.00	3.88	4.00	3.75	6.00	3	30,173,312	5.78
6	Indira Gandhi International Airport	3.83	3.50	4.00	3.75	5.00	265	37,139,957	5.67
7	Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport	3.33	3.50	3.50	3.25	8.00	8	35,766,284	4.11
7	Charles de Gaulle Airport	3.83	3.50	3.67	3.75	3.00	25	26,201,698	4.11
7	Dubai International Airport	3.83	3.00	3.50	3.75	4.00	87	29,110,609	4.11
10	Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport	3.83	3.50	3.50	4.00	5.00	0	28,163,820	3.89

Best US airports for layovers

1. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport- Layover Score – 7.22/10

Ranking as the best airport for a layover in the US is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, hitting a layover score of 7.22/10. The airport offers great hygiene and service practices and there is a good selection of 33 hotels within 2 miles of the airport to choose from.

Seattle to Los Angeles is the most popular flight out of this airport. Yet, whilst you wait you can gaze upon the stunning Mount Rainier, visible from the comfort of the Airport’s terminals.

2. George Bush Intercontinental Airport – Layover Score – 6.11/10

George Bush Intercontinental Airport ranks as the second-best US airport for a layover with a score of 6.11/10. George Bush Intercontinental sees excellent ratings across amenities, hygiene, and services. There is only 1 hotel within 2 miles of the airport though, so be sure to book in advance. The most popular flight out of George Bush is to Los Angeles.

3. Denver International Airport – Layover Score – 6.00/10

In third place is Denver International Airport with a score of 6.00/10. Denver has more shopping choices than George Bush International, and the airport also scores well for its food and beverage offerings (4.17/5).

Denver is one of the busiest US airports, servicing almost 60 million people each year. Denver Airport offers a memorable and exciting experience as you investigate its four murals, all of which have been a favorite topic of conspiracy theorists.

You can view the full research here