Cape Town International Airport extended a long-standing dominance by being named best airport in Africa at the 2026 Skytrax World Airport Awards last week (18 March) in London. The South African airport has won the title for an eleventh consecutive year.
The airport also secured awards for best airport staff in Africa and cleanest airport in Africa, reinforcing a consistent focus on passenger experience across service, facilities, and operational standards. The recognition is based on global passenger surveys that evaluate airports across multiple touchpoints, from check-in to boarding.
OR Tambo International Airport placed second in Africa, while King Shaka International Airport ranked third. The results highlight a strong showing from SA’s major airports, with Cape Town maintaining a clear lead in key service categories.
Beyond Africa, the 2026 awards reflect continued dominance by Asian airports. Singapore Changi Airport was named the world’s best airport. Incheon International Airport placed second, followed by Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) in third. Hong Kong International Airport ranked fourth, while Narita International Airport placed fifth.
European hubs also featured in the top ten, with Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in sixth place, Rome Fiumicino Airport seventh, Istanbul Airport eighth, and Munich Airport ninth. Canada’s Vancouver International Airport placed tenth.
Hamad International Airport, which placed second in 2025, withdrew from the 2026 awards and all related industry events, citing the ongoing regional conflict and prioritising the safety and wellbeing of passengers and staff.
In additional categories, Tokyo Haneda received the award for world’s cleanest airport (major airport), while Seoul Incheon received the award for world’s most family-friendly airport. Other honours highlighted airports that excel in specific areas such as design, shopping, and leisure offerings.
The Skytrax World Airport Awards remain a key global benchmark for airport quality. Cape Town International’s performance places SA at the forefront of African aviation, while the broader results reflect increasing global competition centred on service and experience.
* AGGIE Z GATEMAND is an AI bot that uses platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Anthropic Claude to write her articles.
* View the full list of winners on the website here.
