The Best European Airports In 2026: #3 Will Shock You
With over 91 million Brits travelling abroad in 2026, the pressure on airports has never been greater.¹ To help you plan, we analysed everything from flight delays to parking costs to reveal which airports offer a seamless journey, and which might delay your travel.
With so many factors influencing your trip overseas, booking an airport transfer in advance can ease the stress of delayed flights, navigating busy terminals, and waiting in slow-moving queues.
Key Takeaways
- Copenhagen Airport has the lowest average departure delay in Europe, at just eight minutes, and arrival delays average only nine minutes.
- Stockholm Arlanda offers the cheapest daily parking of all airports analysed at just €7.85 (£6.71 | $9.04).
- Glasgow Airport leads the UK with an average flight delay of only 9.6 minutes and less than one in 12 (7.66%) flights delayed over 30 minutes.
The Best Airports in Europe
1. Copenhagen (CPH) | Airport Score: 9.46/10
Travellers to Copenhagen Airport can rely on an effortless travel experience. With an average departure delay of just eight minutes, this airport outranks all other major European airports for its punctuality. Arrivals are only about nine minutes late on average, meaning you have more time to explore the Scandinavian city. Parking is stress-free and budget-friendly, averaging just €15.90 daily (£13.60, $18.32) for the closest-to-terminal option.
This airport is also known for its connectivity, with free unlimited Wi‑Fi and charging stations at every corner. While you wait for your flight here, there are over 40 restaurants and cafés to choose from. You can even try the iconic open sandwiches, smørrebrød, native to the area.
2. Stockholm (ARN) | Airport Score: 9.46/10
Arlanda Airport ranks joint first for the best airport in Europe, blending travel efficiency with the ultimate airport experience. Parking is the cheapest out of all airports in our study, at just €7.85 a day (£6.71, $9.04), making this aviation hub ideal for budget-conscious flyers. Departure delays average only 8.3 minutes, beaten only by CPH and OSL. Arrival delays are 8.4 minutes on average, and security lines often take just two minutes, putting ARN in the top five for this factor.
Arlanda is Sweden’s largest aviation hub, servicing around 26.8 million passengers annually.² The airport is home to world-class amenities, including SkyCity, which hosts restaurants like The Social Bistro and La Giraffe, shops, a pharmacy, and a chapel.
3. Palma De Mallorca (PMI) | Airport Score: 9.31/10
At PMI, a tropical location meets one of the best airport experiences in Europe. It boasts Europe’s shortest average arrival delay at 6.8 minutes, fast security lines at just one minute, and departure delays averaging 9.4 minutes.
Handling over 33 million passengers annually, Mallorca’s largest airport is undergoing a significant upgrade to streamline facilities further.³ While dining options remain limited during the current refurbishment, the introduction of fast-track lanes reduces transit delays. The travel hub is conveniently situated just eight kilometres east of Palma and acts as a gateway to beachy paradise and authentic Spanish cuisine.
4. Madrid (MAD) | Airport Score: 9.16/10
Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport delivers value for travellers seeking low stress and lower costs. With an average arrival delay of only 8.3 minutes, MAD is one of Europe’s most punctual major hubs.
Parking here is more accessible for budget-savvy flyers than at many other European city airports, at just €12.92 (£11.05, $14.88) per day, even when parking right next to the terminal. Madrid’s T4 terminal, designed by Richard Rogers, is also an architectural sight, with massive skylights, bamboo ceilings, and open-plan spaces that make even long layovers feel relaxing. For flyers with time to spare, the rooftop Mirador del T4 offers a unique viewing point to watch planes.
5. Munich (MUC) | Airport Score: 8.77/10
Munich Airport is known for its comfort and design, and flight reliability adds to its appeal, with an average arrival delay of just 7.3 minutes and departure delays averaging only 8.8 minutes. MUC is famed for unique perks, including its on-site brewery, Airbräu, where flyers can try Bavarian beer and pretzels under a glass atrium. The airport also transforms its forecourt into a Christmas market with an ice rink during the festive period.
Those using Munich airport to reach international destinations might pay more for parking than those who choose other travel hubs, with daily parking costs averaging €26.12 (£22.33, $30.09). This average cost makes it the third most expensive airport for parking that we looked at.
6. Paris (ORY) | Airport Score: 8.77/10
Travellers flying through Orly benefit from one of the fastest security lines out of all major European hubs, clearing checks in just 4 minutes on average. This makes the airport an ideal option for short-haul flights and quick city breaks. Once through, passengers can unwind in one of seven airport lounges, including three Air France lounges and the Primeclass Lounge, which holds over 100 passengers.
Paris Orly is also a great option for travellers who are conscious about sustainability, as the airport’s decarbonisation plan includes adding electric shuttle buses, boosting solar power output, and switching to greener operations.
The Best Airports in the UK
1. Glasgow (GLA) | Airport Score: 9.21/10
Glasgow Airport is the best choice for fast and affordable travel in the UK. With an average flight delay of just 9.6 minutes, it is the third-best in the UK. Only 7.66% of flights are affected by delays over 30 minutes, proving the airport’s reliability. Parking at the airport is accessible for all budgets, with rates around a competitive £13.20 per day, the second-best value in our study.
Inside, passengers can relax in one of four lounges, including the stylish Upper Deck and Lomond, for as little as £22–£25. GLA also has a British Airways lounge and an Emirates lounge for flyers using these airlines.
2. Heathrow (LHR) | Airport Score: 9.01/10
As the UK's busiest and most connected airport, Heathrow sees an average of over 1,269 daily flights and connects to 207 global destinations, beating all other UK competitors. Eight lounges across its terminals, including airline lounges, offer premium comfort and amenities. The Plaza Premium lounge in Terminal 4 has showers for passengers to freshen up and can be accessed from £41.85 per person.
Although high volume has its downside, about 1.98% of flights this year were cancelled, which is higher than average. Despite this, fewer than one in 10 (8.80%) flights were delayed by 30 minutes or more since the start of the year, lower than the average across all UK hubs in our study.
3. Gatwick (LGW) | Airport Score: 8.94/10
Gatwick is one of the best UK airports for connectivity, punctuality, and travel experience. It ranks second for airport links, with 185 routes and lounges, six across both terminals, trailing only behind Heathrow. On average, Gatwick sees over 624 daily flights, which is far more than most UK regional airports, although less than half that of Heathrow.
However, Gatwick is much easier to navigate than Heathrow, with just two terminals and rail links like the Gatwick Express, Southern, and Thameslink trains that connect the transport hub to London.
4. Luton (LTN) | Airport Score: 8.67/10
London Luton Airport is a modern and popular travel hub that connects the UK to many European destinations. With two premium lounges, No1 Lounge and My Lounge, travellers can relax comfortably with buffet dining options, drinks, runway views, and a games room. The airport supports 108 flight connections, ranging from short to long-haul routes.
The airport is also reliable, with just 0.26% of flights cancelled this year, and easy to reach. The Luton DART, which was introduced in 2023, connects the airport to Luton Airport Parkway station and London St Pancras International.
5. Belfast International (BFS) | Airport Score: 7.71/10
Belfast International is Northern Ireland’s busiest airport and the primary connection between Northern Ireland and 43 international destinations. Its low flight cancellation rate of just 0.74% so far this year reflects its reliability for travellers. Belfast International also has our study's third most affordable parking option, costing £14.18 per day when parking for eight days at the closest car park to the terminal.
BFS airport's convenience is boosted by regular bus and coach services that connect it to Belfast city, Lisburn, and Derry, including the Airporter, a direct shuttle service between the airport and Derry.
Chris Harrington, Managing Director at hoppa, comments:
“Searching for a suitable parking space can add unnecessary anxiety to your journey. Pre-booked airport transfers eliminate those uncertainties.”
“A door-to-door transfer gives you control and peace of mind with fixed pricing and timing. It also eliminates the worry of meeting airport shuttle times and is ideal for family and business travellers alike.”
Key Benefits of Transfers:
While the airport you use can significantly impact your travel experience, booking a transfer is just as important. Flight delays and cancellations can affect anyone, and knowing that your travel to and from the airport is guaranteed can help ease flight anxiety.
1. Reliability During High-Demand Periods
During busy travel times, airport car parks often reach full capacity or apply surge pricing. A pre-booked transfer guarantees drop-off exactly when and where you need it, meaning there is no need to compromise on parking location.
2. Time-Saving for Early or Late Flights
Airport transfers operate on your schedule, not the airport shuttle’s timings. For travellers on early-morning departures or late-night arrivals when city-to-airport shuttles may run infrequently, transfers ensure a faster, safer, and more reliable experience.
3. Transparent Pricing
While daily parking may appear affordable, added fees for overstay minutes, premium spots, or parking during peak hours can quickly add up. Transfers provide fixed, upfront pricing, making them ideal for budget-conscious flyers or those booking in advance.
Methodology
For UK airports, we sourced the average daily flights, including departing and arriving, using the UK Civil Aviation Authority Punctuality Statistics, looking at flights from January to April 2025.
We calculated the number of flights matched across all months divided by 120 (the total number of days covered). We also sourced the average delay in minutes, calculating the average delay of departing and arriving flights of all months in the period, rounded to one decimal place.
We sourced the percentage of cancelled flights, including departing and arriving flights, by calculating the number of cancelled flights as a percentage of the number of matched flights in the period, rounded to two decimal places.
We sourced the percentage of flights delayed by 30 minutes or more by calculating the number of departing and arriving flights delayed as a percentage of the number of matched flights in the period, rounded to two decimal places.
We sourced the number of airport links for each UK airport, including international and domestic, using the UK Civil Aviation Authority UK Airport Data for January 2025, looking at Table 12.
For European airports, we sourced the average arrival and departure delay of all flights between January and April 2025 using the Airport Performance Network Europe Punctuality Report for January, February, March, and April. We rounded all figures to one decimal place.
We sourced the average security wait time at each European airport at peak times using QSensor on July 19th 2025. We looked at the reported wait time for 08:00 on a Monday, as the busiest day to travel, sourced from Eurocontrol.
We sourced the number of lounges across all terminals at each airport using each airport’s official website on June 18th 2025. We included airline lounges and excluded workspaces and quiet areas.
We sourced the average cost of parking per day using each airport’s official website on June 18th 2025, for UK airports and on June 19th 2025, for European airports. We selected the parking option with the shortest walk to the terminal, not including premium options. Where an airport had more than one terminal, we calculated the average cost of the closest parking option to each terminal. We entered the parking period from June 28th, 00:01 to July 5th, 23:59, or as close as possible to these times. We divided the total figures by eight to calculate the average daily cost of parking. Where applicable, we selected parking for two adults. All costs were sourced in local currency, and for European airports we used Google Finance to convert currencies to GBP, EUR and USD on June 20th 2025, 07:46.
We gave each UK and European airport a score out of 10 for each factor analysed before calculating an average score out of 10 for each airport across all factors.
Sources
¹ The Office for National Statistics: Estimates of visits and spending abroad, 2024.
² Routes Online Stockholm Arlanda Airport, accessed June 24th 2025.
³ Aena Palma de Mallorca, accessed June 24th 2025.
