March 18, 2026, 1:31 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Which airports in Europe offer travelers the most up-to-date service, which make the experience stress-free, and where is the best place to go? The online platform Omio has ranked the most passenger-friendly airports on the continent. TRAVELBOOK presents the top 10 and highlights the results of the top three.
The portal thoroughly examined 50 airports to determine the most passenger-friendly ones. But what exactly makes an airport passenger-friendly, stress-free, and, in short, better than all the others? For Omio, the answer is multifaceted: Twelve criteria were needed to identify the most passenger-friendly airports in Europe in a study. The new liquid restrictions play a significant role. Two German airports are also among the top ten.
The Ranking
“This study examines the passenger-friendliness of selected European airports against the backdrop of current changes,” says Omio. It focuses particularly on security checks and “other processes previously considered cumbersome.” The comparison platform examined 50 international airports in Europe in January 2026 for their everyday suitability from the perspective of air travelers.
Omio leaves largely open who exactly was surveyed: “The data collection is based on reliable primary sources, supplemented by standardized traffic and route data,” the study states. Elsewhere, visitor reviews are mentioned as sources. Only “factors accessible to all passengers” were considered, Omio further explains.
The criteria examined in the area of security checks included the new liquid rules, whether electronics can remain in hand luggage, fast-track access, as well as connectivity, taxi costs, and parking costs for 24 hours. Other criteria included the flight cancellation rate, annual passenger volume, access to airport lounges, shopping options, and the quality of the on-site dining offerings. The basis for selecting the 50 airports remains unclear. Each airport could score up to 100 points, but Omio does not reveal how many they ultimately received.
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Rome Has the Most Passenger-Friendly Airport in Europe
The Aeroporto di Roma Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci (FCO), or Rome-Fiumicino for short, impresses Omio across the board. On average, 49 million travelers take off and land here each year. The Italian capital’s airport makes it easy for its travelers, especially at security checks: Liquids up to two liters per container are allowed, and laptops, tablets, and the like can stay in the bag. Those who want to get through quickly pay 10 euros for the fast track.
Additionally, the airport is reachable four times per hour within 32 minutes. A taxi ride to the city costs around 55 euros, and parking at the airport for 24 hours costs between 13 and 30 euros. The flight cancellation rate at Rome’s airport is 1.06 percent. On-site, there are 210 shopping options, and the quality of the dining offerings is particularly good, with three stars.
Málaga and Lisbon in Second and Third Place
Like Rome, Málaga’s Aeropuerto de Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP) now uses new CT scanners and allows its approximately 25 million annual travelers larger amounts of liquids and electronics to remain in hand luggage. The fast track here is only slightly more expensive at 11 euros, but a taxi ride costs only about 25 euros. This is likely due to the proximity to the city, which can be reached in just twelve minutes. Málaga also fares better with flight cancellations at 0.8 percent. In terms of shops, the Spanish airport with 52 does not match the first-place winner. The same applies to dining.
According to Omio, the third most passenger-friendly airport is Portugal’s capital airport, Aeroporto Humberto Delgado. It has not yet moved away from the 100-milliliter liquid limit, but electronic devices can already stay in the bag. Fast track also costs 11 euros here, and a taxi ride to the city is around 15 euros. There are about eight connections per hour to the Lisbon center, taking about 25 minutes. Parking at the airport itself costs between 8 and 28 euros per 24 hours. About 1.1 percent of flights are canceled in Lisbon; the airport is used by around 35 million people per year. With 44, Lisbon offers even fewer shopping options than its Spanish predecessor, but the quality of the dining is comparable.
The Ten Most Passenger-Friendly Airports in Europe According to Omio
- Rome-Fiumicino Airport “Leonardo da Vinci” (FCO)
- Málaga Airport: Aeropuerto de Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP)
- Lisbon Airport: Aeroporto Humberto Delgado (LIS)
- Barcelona Airport: Aeroport Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN)
- Prague Airport: Letiště Václava Havla Praha (PRG)
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
- Madrid Airport: Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
- Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN)
- Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI)
- Hamburg Airport (HAM)