ACI World’s ASQ Customer Experience Awards and Skytrax’s annual World Airport Awards recognise customer service excellence. We review the results and winner reaction.

It could be argued that winning either an ASQ Customer Experience Award from ACI World or being a Skytrax champion is the ultimate endorsement of an airport’s hospitality as it simply couldn’t win one if passengers were not happy with almost every aspect of their airport experience.

Yes, the awards are totally different in their format and the way they are carried out. The fact that the ASQ results are based on passenger surveys taking place on the day of travel is without doubt hugely meaningful for airports, while the programme itself allows participants to accurately benchmark themselves against others.

But there is no denying that airports place huge value on the annual Skytrax Airport Awards, and celebrate their success in it widely and loudly, arguably much more so these days than they do their success in the ASQ awards.

ASQ AWARDS AND WINNER REACTION

While there are no great surprises around the winners of ACI World’s ASQ Customer Experience Awards for 2025, arguably the fact that multiple airports shared the top accolades in the different categories showed the commitment of the world’s airports to enhancing the passenger experience.

The awards covered all size of airports from the biggest to the smallest with the range of categories including airports with ‘The Most Dedicated Staff’ and those offering the ‘Easiest Airport Journey’ to ‘The Most Enjoyable’ and ‘Cleanest’ airport.

In total, 100 airports worldwide were recognised for excellence in passenger experience – View the full list of winners – between them collecting a whopping 195 awards.

In addition, eight airports were inducted into the ACI World Director General’s Roll of Excellence, recognising their consistent delivery of top quality customer service over time.

The results come amid continued traffic growth, with global passenger volumes expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2025 and projected to rise to 10.2 billion in 2026 – placing increasing pressure on airports to deliver efficient, welcoming, and high-quality experiences at scale.

“Airports are demonstrating that passenger satisfaction can continue to rise despite growing pressure,” said ACI World director general, Justin Erbacci.

“These awards reflect the collective efforts of airport teams and stakeholders worldwide.

“As we celebrate the ASQ programme’s 20th Anniversary, we recognise two decades of trusted insights and recognition that have helped airports create better and more memorable journeys.

“Congratulations to all the ACI ASQ Customer Experience Award winners for their unwavering dedication to passenger experience.”

Highlights of the 2025 ASQ Awards include the fact that new airports accounted for 35% of the winners in several of the award categories; that nearly 707,000 passengers were surveyed worldwide, in real time; and more than half of the world’s air travellers passed through an ASQ-rated airport.

Also worthy of note is that Border and Passport Control recorded the largest satisfaction gains globally; and airport ambience and cleanliness were the strongest drivers of overall satisfaction.

The awards are sponsored by SITA, whose senior vice president of borders, Pedro Alves, commented: “Air travel is evolving at pace, with passengers expecting more seamless and rewarding experiences than ever before.

“These awards recognise the exceptional work happening across airports every day.”

ACI World notes that the 2025 ASQ results show that passengers increasingly value clean, welcoming airport environments and smooth, human-centred interactions.

It adds that Improvements in Border and Passport Control highlight the critical role of frontline staff in reducing stress and uncertainty at key moments of the journey.

These findings align closely with insights from the ASQ 2026 Global Traveller Survey Report.

At the time of going to press, North American airports accounted for the bulk of the 2025 ASQ winners to contact us and celebrate their success, with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), for example, citing the dedication of its staff for its award winning performance in the Best Airports at Departures by Size and Region category for airports handling 15 to 25 million passengers per annum.

“This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our entire AUS team and our partners who work tirelessly to enhance the passenger experience,” said airport CEO, Ghizlane Badawi.

“As we continue to expand our infrastructure and modernise our airport, we remain focused on delivering a seamless, welcoming, and efficient journey for every traveller that passes through AUS.”

In the Northeast of the country, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has revealed that the highest ever satisfaction scores at LaGuardia resulted in it being named North America’s best airport in its class for the third successive year.

“For three years in a row, LaGuardia has been rated North America’s best airport in its class by the critics who matter most – more than 30 million passengers who rely on our new world-class airport,” said Port Authority executive director, Kathryn Garcia.

“We worked diligently and thoughtfully with our partners at Delta Air Lines and LaGuardia Gateway Partners to design and deliver extraordinary new terminals, and we continue to work together to operate these terminals at the same exacting and high standards that customers deserve.”

The airport earned an overall passenger satisfaction score of 4.38 out of five, which is 2.7% higher than its score in 2018.

Before LaGuardia’s transformation, passengers in the same ASQ survey rated LaGuardia (LGA) as the worst airport in North America with a score of 3.54.

Elsewhere in the US, the 2025 ASQ Customer Experience Awards programme recognised Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) with three “Best” awards as part of its annual programme.

Specifically, SLC was named as one of the Best Airports in North America at Departures by Size and Region (25-40mppa); Most Enjoyable Airport in North America along with Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), and Orlando International Airport (MCO); and Cleanest Airport in North America along with Gerald R Ford International Airport (GRR) and GSP.

“Being honoured with an ASQ Customer Experience Award shows SLC’s commitment to enhancing our passengers’ experience,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director, Salt Lake City Department of Airports.

“This recognition is shared with the many employees – from the airport to airlines to TSA and other tenants – who work tirelessly day in and day out to deliver a reliable, high-quality airport experience.”

Equally happy is Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which for the fourth-consecutive year has been recognised for its outstanding customer experience in the Best Airports in North America at Departures by Size and Region in the Over 40mppa category.

“Receiving this award for the fourth year in a row is especially meaningful as it coincides with the largest construction programme in our airport’s history,” said Ken Buchanan, DFW’s executive vice president, chief revenue officer.

“Even as we modernise and expand, our commitment to delivering an exceptional experience never wavers. This recognition shows that our customers feel that dedication.”

Reflecting on Ontario International Airport once again receiving the Best Airport at Departures in North America award (5-15mppa), CEO, Atif Elkadi, said: “What makes this recognition extraordinary is that it comes directly from the people we serve.

“Our team shows up every single day committed to delivering a world-class experience defined by care, efficiency and hospitality. This award belongs to the frontline employees, airline partners, custodial staff, and concessionaires who treat every passenger like a guest. At ONT, we don’t take trust for granted; we earn it every single day.”

North of the border in Canada, Toronto Pearson retained its Best Airport at Departures by Size and Region in the Over 40mppa category for second consecutive year, and the seventh time in eight years.

Deborah Flint, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, stated: “It is an hon...

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