From New Delhi to Helsinki: Here are the world's 10 best airports of 2023

9. Helsinki Airport | The airport was originally built for the Summer Olympics of 1952 where KD Jadhav won India its first-ever individual Olympic medal! Seven decades later, the airport continues to retain its trademark Nordic charm and vibe! The airport is a mini shopping mall in itself and includes stores of textile giant Marimekko, luxury brand Balmuir, and the Moomin cafe, which serves delicious pancakes and blueberry milkshakes! The chairs at the terminal also have a connection to the local culture and are designed by luminaries like Eero Aarnio, Yrjö Kukkapuro, and Ilmari Tapiovaara. (Image: Reuters)

8. Dubai International Airport | One of the preferred travel and migration destinations for Indians, Dubai Airport is so huge that one of its terminals is 18.4 million square feet in size! Goes without saying, it has one of the world's biggest duty-free shopping centers. What more can a shopping enthusiast ask for? The base of one of the world's most popular airlines, Emirates, it also serves as a stopover for flights to and from the East and the West. (Image: Reuters)

7. Haneda Airport (Tokyo, Japan) | A 45-mile drive from Japan's capital city Tokyo, and a $200 dollar cab fare was all it took to recognise the potential of Haneda, which was initially just a domestic airport. However, the burn-your-pocket fare and distance made it gain international flights and followers. Currently, the airport is only 10 miles from the city center and is also popular for the cleanliness of its terminals and the comfort it offers. More brownie points for the shopping and dining options it offers, along with efficient transport links to downtown Tokyo! (Image: Reuters)

6. Hong Kong International Airport | What do look for in an international airport? Faster connectivity to the city, multiple travel destinations, lounges that ensure your layover time goes by in a jiffy, and a comfortable hotel so that you're saved from the burden of travel. Hong Kong's airport ticks all these boxes and more. It connects you to the city in just 24 minutes through an Airport Express. Its Regal Airport Hotel has been consistently voted among the best airport hotels globally, along with premium-class lounges and nap rooms. The Thai-inspired OM Spa, which offers an aromatherapy massage, will for a split second make you forget the fact that you're in an airport! (Image: Reuters)

5. Zurich Airport (Switzerland) | We are only halfway through the list and if the first five airports offered so much, imagine what the top five have to offer. Starting with Zurich Airport, which is the largest international airport in Switzerland. It is also the hub for Swiss Airlines, which operates business and first-class lounges. The champagne and whiskey bars in those lounges are the highlight of their offering. Weather permitting, the airport also has an outdoor observation deck coupled with dozens of shops, restaurants, and bars! (Image: Reuters)

4. Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar) | Fasten your seatbelts, folks! You are about to be transported to a resort. Well, the description of this airport will resemble one. The base of Qatar Airways and a major connecting hub to the Middle East, the Hamad International Airport houses a fitness center, squash courts, and an indoor swimming pool! It also has lounges, quiet rooms, and entertainment zones for all passengers. It also has an upscale hotel inside the terminal for passengers with long layovers; here you can spend half a day or even an entire day at leisure. It also has a golf simulator! If you aren't spoilt for choice here, then we don't know where you would be! (Image: Reuters)

3. Incheon International Airport (Seoul, South Korea) | This airport which opened 21 years ago is on a mission to double its capacity to 100 million passengers annually. It is built on reclaimed land in the port city of Incheon. Aside from spacious VIP lounges, which are possibly a constant at every major airport, some amenities you'd find include an indoor skating rink (yes, you read that right), a spa, and a 'cultural street' that offers local cuisine and dance performances. Distance, of course, is an issue with its 30-mile journey, but that's covered too! South Korea's high-speed rail network takes only 43 minutes to transport you to the city center! (Image: Reuters)

2. Istanbul Airport (Istanbul, Turkiye) | Istanbul has been the transit point between Europe and Asia for centuries. Therefore, an airport here had to make it to this list! The new terminal was opened amidst a gala celebration in 2018 and is an 818 million square feet hub. Designed by Grimshaw Architects, the airport lays a lot of emphasis on efficiency and sustainability. With an aim to become the world's biggest airport, it currently has the capacity to handle 90 flights per hour. (Image: Reuters)

1. Changi Airport (Singapore) | If Singapore Airlines has been voted as the world's best airline, there should be no prizes for guessing that the world's best airport happens to be its hub! In addition to being an airport that acts as a gateway to multiple Southeast Asian destinations, as well as to those in the Pacific, it is a tourist spot in its own way! It introduced the Jewel Changi Airport in 2019, which includes indoor forests, waterfalls, and the 14,000 square-foot Canopy Park housed under one massive glass dome. It is also home to the world's first airport butterfly garden, a free 24-hour movie theatre, a rooftop pool, and a hot tub! You can spend an entire day there and still not see everything we've just listed out! (Image: Rukmani Krishna)