The World's Best Airports for Food and Drink

In April 2024, Food & Wine released its annual rankings for which airport boasts the best dining and drink options. The list, released annually, has seen some changes this year as many of the world's largest airports have undergone renovation in recent years. As the passenger experience consists of far more than just a plane ticket itself, the website ranked the food and drink options as critical components to the enjoyment of air travel. This year's list sees airports in four continents represented, with only the United States having more than one airport represented per country.

To the surprise of a few, Singapore's Changi Airport (SIN) was ranked at the top this year. SIN offers more than 100 food vendors and ranks highly on other travel lists for their shopping and entertainment experiences within the airport terminals. Some say you could "live comfortably" in the airport for all it has. Closely behind SIN was Japan's Tokyo-Narita International Airport (NRT). With local foods and the constant emphasis on using seasonal ingredients, NRT continues to be many 'foodies' favorite stop on a trip to Japan. Wrapping up the top three, Dubai International Airport (DXB) continues to grow in size and interest as a common connecting airline between Europe and countries further east, including India and Australia.

The complete list involves these airports:

1. Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
2. Tokyo-Narita International Airport (NRT)
3. Dubai International Airport (DXB)
4. London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
5. Istanbul Airport (IST)
6. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
7. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
8. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
9. San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
10. Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Amongst all the rankings, many airports are regional hubs that have undergone recent renovations. Istanbul's airport opened in its entirety in 2018, while the Dubai International Airport finished its initial build in 2013. The US-based airports are all listed in the Washington Post's top airports in the country. Other highly performing US airports for food that just missed the international list included Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) and Nashville International Airport (BNA), both rising after a series of airport investments in the Sun Belt.

On top of existing restaurants in restaurant terminals, many airports are investing in more private airport lounges. With the rise in credit card usage and loyalty programs across airlines, the demand for private or semi-private lounge space at airports has increased. Some people will live and die by the quality of the lounges, but many of them are standardized across airports. Some of the best airport lounges include the Air Emirates lounge in Dubai and the Turkish Airlines lounge in Istanbul.

Across all of these rankings, South American and African airports tend to show up less. Although there are multiple world-class airports in these regions, the collective is still in the development phase of its construction. Recently, Tocumen International Airport Panama (PTY) in Panama City completed the renovation of its international terminal with a positive critical review.