The airport experience can really make or break your long-awaited holiday. At the very least, we'll take forgettable – not amazing, but not too shabby either. And yet, there are some airports that surpass all expectations with top-notch efficiency, great retail and dining, and even some spectacular design.
We can safely say that's the case for two airports in Asia: Singapore's Changi Airport Terminal 2 and Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Satellite Terminal 1. They were just named among the six most beautiful airports in the world for 2024 by Prix Versailles, a prestigious international architectural award. The two airports stood out for their fantastic design and positive impact on traveller experiences – and it's not hard to see why.
Singapore's Changi Airport Terminal 2 just got a glow-up, reopening in November 2023 after three and a half years of expansion and upgrading works. Its most striking new feature is The Wonderfall, a 14-metre-tall digital display of a cascading waterfall in the departure hall. The rest of the terminal is a walk through nature: the carpeted floors evoke a bird's eye view of land and sea, pillars and beams drip with plants, while the south garden offers rest under an LED ceiling that changes with real-time weather conditions.
Not to say there aren't more practical enhancements too. The terminal introduced new automated check-ins, bag drops, and immigration lanes so passengers can breeze through to their gate. There's tons to do and eat too, be it playing at the bear-themed playground, 2 Bears Hideout, or shopping at the two-story Lotte Duty Free Wines & Spirits store in the transit zone.
At Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Satellite Terminal 1 (SAT-1), the design is quintessentially Thai. Mythical creatures from the legendary Himmapan forest populate the forest-inspired third floor of the terminal. There's the majestic statue of Himmapan elephants at the departure hall, and depictions of Kinnanorn, Hemaraj, and Hongsa throughout the floor.
And if you ever find yourself arriving at SAT-1, keep your eyes peeled for Khon masks, Thai kites, puppet theatres, and other objects and motifs of Thai arts and culture in the garden-like arrival hall – a nice precursor to your holiday in Bangkok.
These are the six most beautiful airports in the world for 2024, according to Prix Versailles:
- Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi
- Felipe Ángeles International Airport, Zumpango
- Changi Airport Terminal 2, Singapore
- Suvarnabhumi Airport, Midfield Satellite 1, Bangkok
- Logan International Airport, Terminal E, Boston
- Kansas City International Airport, Kansas City
The winner will be announced on December 2 at UNESCO.
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