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Providing a standard level experience at all major European airports is an assumption that does not reflect reality. Some European hubs boast Google Maps scores above 4.4, while others can barely reach 3.0. This review will focus on which airports receive accolades, which ones fall short, and what travelling in 2025 tells us about the differences.
The difference in rating for best and worst airports in Europe is shocking. In the European Airport Index by holiday rental platform Holidu, which analyses Google Maps scores for the 100 busiest airports, the difference is over two stars.
On one side, there is Istanbul Airport in Turkey and the Porto Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport with 4.4 stars on thousands of reviews. Meanwhile, at the other side is Heraklion International Airport in Crete, which sits at 2.6 stars while servicing millions of passengers a year.
This article will analyse which are the best and worst-rated airports in Europe, according to Holidu, what the comments of passengers reveal, and the all-important scores.
What Makes a Great Airport?
The Holidu index employs two criteria: the average star rating as recorded on Google Maps, and the total number of those reviews. It is possible that missing reviews and just a few stars could result in an inflated score.
In contrast, an airport that gets tens of thousands of reviews is almost certainly going to have strong feedback consistently to maintain the top-ranking position.
Passengers reiterate a specific list of things that drive the high ratings. These include Terminal cleanliness, adequate bathroom facilities, an absence of significant queue times, an organised security line, and properly designed boarding areas.
Also, textiles and supportive bridals, substantial ground transportation opportunities, and a comprehensive range of retail and catering outlets assist greatly. Also, the friendliness of the staff is frequently regarded as a strong positive contributor.
On the other hand, the low ratings stem from the overwhelming feelings of being cramped, helped by outdated facilities, insufficient bathrooms, a poor layout, and a lack of proactive management. Over the years, patterns that emerge indicate basic needs, comfort, and clarity.
Top-Rated Airports
1. Istanbul Airport, Turkey
Google rating: 4.4/5 from over 100,000 reviews
Located in one of the busiest cities in the world, the Istanbul Airport is a remarkable piece of architecture. The airport, along with the river and value, manages to dazzle travellers with modern design, large size, with plenty of facilities, and organised ground transport.
It is one of the busiest hubs, taking over 70 million travellers in a year, and managing a significant amount of their approval. Reviewers say that the airport has passport and security that is efficiently organized, and the terminals are easy to navigate.
2. Francisco de Sa Carneiro Airport, Porto (Portugal)
Google rating: 4.4/5 from over 26,000 reviews
Results from reviewers demonstrate that the Porto has improved in ranking over the years and is now among the very best. People comment about the friendly staff, the organisation of the entire layout of the segment, and above all, the terminal’s systematic cleanliness.
The terminal’s shape and size is rather small compared to other airports in Madrid and Lisbon, but other travellers view this as an advantage as it allows for the terminal to be quickly exited. Other travellers tend to comment that the most outstanding part of the experience in other international airports is the smooth boarding and exceptionally lesser queuing time.
3. Athens International Airport (Greece)
Google rating: 4.3/5 from over 40,000 reviews
For an airport of its size, Athens International is remarked to be speedy and efficient in every single segment of Airport Security as well as Customs, so much so that people have commented about their expectations in comparison to reality.
People have commented on the numerous and vast shopping as well as the best dining options, serving as a reminder that this airport is very much capable of maintaining good reviews. Signage is very useful in this airport, since people are able to find their desired exit rather quickly, and people have easy access to the public transport city connections.
4. Prague Vaclav Havel And Zurich Airport
Both cities, Prague and Zurich, hold an average score of 4.3, owing to the stars given by thousands of people. The passengers taking flights to Prague appreciate its smooth arrangements and the swift check-in, while Zurich is appreciated for its cleanliness, punctuality, low cost and transport connectivity to the city.
This all clearly shows how both middle-scale and large-scale airports, with proper management, focus on ease, satisfaction and comfort, do very well.
Lowest-Rated Airports
1. Heraklion International Airport (Greece)
Nicknamed “One of the most beautiful islands of Greece”, Crete is very well known for its stunning scenery and captivating blue waters. Because of this, it is a tourist attraction to many.
Google has reviewed this Airport and gives it a low score of 2.6 from over 20, 000 reviews. Over the years, a lot of people have attempted to criticise this airport, but it has failed to do so.
During the summer, a lot of people complain about how cramped and crowded this airport is, and also state how, in general, it is poorly maintained.
Because it is the “main gateway” to Crete, thousands of people complain about how understaffed this airport is during the summer, and say it is not equipped for the tourist invasion.
2. Bordeaux-Merignac Airport (France)
Serving the stunning country of France with the value low-cost airline Transavia, this is one of the most popular light flights in the market. With a low score of 2.8 from 13,000 people, it is clear this airport has a lot to improve on.
Passengers highlight security check issues, which cause customers to spend a longer period of time in the airport. Most staff and crew do not seem to know about ongoing flights, and this causes discomfort to passengers.
3. Manchester, Charleroi, and Berlin Willy-Brandt
Each one of these airports scored an equal mark of 3.1 – 3.2 out of 5. While each of these received tens of thousands of reviews, we do understand that most of them had the same issues in common these being long waits during the security checks, delayed flights, and the complicated, labyrinth-like layouts of the premises.
With regard to complaints, even though Manchester serves as one of the largest airports in the UK, it is predominantly accused of not managing peak demand. As for the recently opened Berlin Willy-Brandt, complaints about the scale of its oversized bottlenecks and facilities have come in since its 2020 opening.
As for the Brussels-South Charleroi, that serves as the prime domain of budget airlines, even the reviews about its facilities point to overcrowding and very few added amenities.
