✈️ Top 10 airports for comfortable connections
Direct flights are convenient and fast, but not all destinations can be reached immediately. Most often, travelers need to use the services of several airports at once to get to their chosen location. Connecting flights have their advantages – they are often cheaper and allow you to see a new city. When planning your route and purchasing tickets, think in advance about what you will do during the transfer and how to spend your free time most comfortably. And to make the choice easier, we have collected the best airports for transfers.
Important information:
Large airports have a huge passenger flow, new flights arrive literally every minute. The consequence of this is gigantic queues. Allow at least 2 hours to complete all checks and complete paperwork.
All modern airports are located outside cities. If you want to have time to visit them, find out the schedule and cost of transport in advance, and also calculate the travel time.
If you don’t want to explore a new place, you don’t have to leave the airport. The largest ones have everything you need for a comfortable stay for several days: a hotel with an hourly rate, shops, recreation areas, cafes.
Carefully study the legislation of the country in which you are planning a transplant. In most countries, you cannot leave the transit zone unless you have a suitable visa. In this case, passengers can only stay in a certain part of the airport. Also, in rare cases, even for a transfer you need a separate visa.
Capital International Airport, Beijing
This airport is one of the busiest in the world, but at the same time very modern and thoughtful. More than 1,000 flights depart from here every day. It was built 20 km from the center of Beijing, but it is connected to the metro and bus. It has three terminals.
There are sockets installed near the waiting areas , and more than 200 elevators and escalators are open. There is also a room for travelers with disabilities. Separately, it is worth noting the baggage handling system, which greatly simplifies and speeds up the passenger boarding process. The route of things is carefully monitored using cameras and monitors. After registration, suitcases move at a speed of 10 ms. Thanks to this, arrivals can pick up their bags within 5 minutes after they are unloaded from the plane.
A recreation area has also been thought out. There are more than 50 food establishments of various levels in Terminal 3: from fast food to haute cuisine. Here you can find both traditional Chinese dishes and breakfast and lunch options from European cuisine. Passengers can also be easily served in shops and banks located here. To buy souvenirs or change currency, you don’t need to leave the terminal at all.
In addition, Terminal 3 surprises with its design. All rooms are filled with light, traditional Chinese decorative elements and images illustrating the history and culture of the country are noticeable in the design. But the highlight of the airport is the winter garden, which replicates the style of the imperial gardens of the Summer Palace.
If you have more than 12 hours for a transfer at this airport , then feel free to go to Beijing. The main thing is to have time to look at the Forbidden City, stroll along Wangfujing pedestrian street and try real Chinese delicacies.
We wrote about how China appears to tourists here, and where is the best place to spend a vacation in the Middle Kingdom, we talk in this article.
Istanbul International Airport (Third Airport), Istanbul
This airport was personally opened by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in 2018. The construction of a new hub was necessary for the city – the other two simply could not cope with the load, and it was impossible to expand them due to dense residential development. The third was built in the European part of Istanbul, 35 kilometers from the city center. It is planned to become the largest in the world, and the expected passenger flow is up to 200 million people per year.
Its main advantage is its novelty. The building itself is clean, bright and spacious. Thanks to the well-thought-out layout, queues for check-in and arrival are relatively short and quick. National motifs can be seen in the interior; many thematic photo zones have been installed. There is even a Turkish bazaar section. Passengers have access to special sleeping areas, shower rooms and separate rooms for animals.
The airport is connected to Istanbul by buses and the M11 metro line. Go explore the heart of Turkey if you have about 10 hours for a transfer, because the journey to the center will take at least one and a half. In the remaining time you will have time to see the main attractions of the ancient city – Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque. And be sure to go to authentic cafes to taste oriental sweets and Turkish coffee. Another option to have an interesting time is to take a ride along the Bosphorus and see iconic places from the water.
Changi Airport, Singapore
The only airport in Singapore has been ranked first in the best rankings more than a dozen times. Over 40 years of operation, it has received more than 300 international awards confirming the high quality of passenger service. Now there are 4 terminals here, another one is planned to open in the 2030s.
The main feature of the airport is the Jewel shopping and entertainment complex, in the center of which is the tallest artificial waterfall in the world. Streams of water rush down, creating an absolutely amazing atmosphere. Everything around is surrounded by greenery, and there is a train running between the terminals. Various activities are provided at the Changi Canopy Park. You can even walk on the grid at the height of the 5th floor. In addition, the airport has a cactus and water lily garden, an orchid garden and a Japanese carp pond, a sunflower garden and even a butterfly garden.
In addition to the amazing interior, a section for passengers’ relaxation has also been thought out: several hotels, spa salons, sleeping areas with free soft loungers, cinemas, shops and cafes. If you don’t want to stay at the airport and you have 10 free hours, then go explore the city.
From Changi you can get there by metro or bus. See the iconic Marina Bay Sands, ride one of the world's tallest Ferris wheels, visit the futuristic gardens and stroll along the promenade. The main attractions of Singapore were written about here.
Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam
The main airport of the Netherlands has received important awards more than once over its more than hundred-year history. It is Europe's most important air gateway, serving millions of passengers a year. Since it is built as a single terminal with different halls, the building itself is included in the list of the largest in the world.
They take the creation of a comfortable atmosphere seriously here. The recreation area has TVs, a library, and a playroom for children. In addition to shops and restaurants, you can visit exhibitions from famous Dutch museums and go up to the rooftop observation deck to see the takeoff and landing of airships with your own eyes. Here you can even get married and immediately go on your honeymoon!
But the main advantage of Schiphol is its proximity to the center of Amsterdam. You can get from the airport to the city in just 15 minutes by train. The train station is located directly below the airport. If you have 5 free hours, feel free to go explore the capital. During this time, you will have time to stroll along Dam Square, ride along the canals, admire the colorful houses and try national dishes at the street stalls.
We wrote about which Dutch museum is on the list of the most unusual in the world here, and how to spend an unforgettable bachelorette party in Amsterdam can be read in this article.
Dubai International Airport, Dubai
This is the largest civil airport in the United Arab Emirates, built 4 km from the historical center of Dubai. Passengers are served in 3 terminals, connected by a common transit area and buses. Inside, the airport is more like a luxury shopping and entertainment center.
Numerous shops, a swimming pool, more than 25 restaurants, zen gardens, sleep capsules, health clubs and spas – all this will allow you to relax and tune in for a long flight. If you have 6 free hours, feel free to go out into the city. The easiest way to get there is by taxi in 20 minutes or 40 by metro.
Head straight to the UAE's most famous buildings – the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall. In the latter you will be captivated by a 150-meter singing fountain, an ice skating rink and hundreds of stores of various brands. But the main thing is to climb to the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper to see the city in full view. What else you must see in Dubai, read here.
Paris – Charles de Gaulle, Paris
This largest airport in France has been operating for half a century. The first oldest, puck-shaped terminal is a classic piece of Cold War engineering, while the newer terminals 2 and 3 are built using modern technology and are constantly being improved.
This is not just an airport, but a real exhibition hall with various sections for passengers of all ages. Children will enjoy the playgrounds, young people will enjoy the free areas with Playstation and gaming touch screens, and adults will appreciate the exhibitions from Parisian museums with paintings and art objects located in the second terminal. They are updated every six months.
You can get from the airport to the capital of France by several types of public transport: trains, metro, buses. The journey will take at least 30 minutes, so only explore Paris if you have at least 8 hours to spare. The choice of attractions is huge, the most interesting of them have been written about here, but the main thing is to see the magnificent Eiffel Tower with your own eyes!