This Spanish island airport has been named one of the top three airports in Europe in a new ranking, and is set for further improvements to boost passenger experience
An airport which is a major transport hub for Brits on summer holidays recently topped a new ranking of the best airports in Europe.
Based on a variety of factors assess by travel experts, the Spanish airport offers “one of the best airport experiences in Europe” when it comes to wait times and passenger experience. The travel transport experts at hoppa recently shared their annual ranking of the 10 best airports in Europe.
The teams analysed factors including average delays, the average time passengers spend waiting for security, and the number of airport lounges. Based on the findings, Palma De Mallorca airport was named the third best airport in Europe.
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According to hoppa, the airport had one of Europe’s shortest average arrival delay times, coming in at 6.8 minutes. It also had one of the fastest security lines at just one minute, and departure delays averaged only 9.4 minutes. On a scale of 10, Palma De Mallorca received a score of 9.31 from the travel experts.
The speed with which the airport manages passengers is even more impressive given how many tourists it welcomes each year. Handling over 33 million passengers annually, Palma De Mallorca is the island’s largest airport.
The airport is also undergoing a significant upgrade to streamline facilities further, with the introduction of fast-track lanes set to reduce transit delays.
The first major milestone of this project is already up and running: relocating the security checkpoint. It is now on the same floor as the check-in zone, making for a more natural and shorter flow of foot traffic..
This new area will have 44 passenger security check lines, which will be slowly put into service this winter. The Spanish airport authority claims the equipment in this new section is “state-of-the-art” and will no longer require passengers to remove electronic devices or liquids allowed from their hand luggage.
This major project is scheduled for completion in 2026. The authority also warned travellers that work carried out over the winter “will cause inconvenience that you will notice”.
The ranking comes despite tourists travelling to and from Majorca being recently subjected to significant crowding and queues at Palma De Mallorca. The delays were a result of construction work which rendered some security lanes non-operational.
Early on Sunday, August 3, Palma Airport was experiencing long queues for security and waiting times of fifteen minutes or more. The Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (AENA) airport authority shared that the long queues were a “one-off incident” and that “normal operations” soon returned.
Beyond being the largest and busiest airport on the island, it has arguably the best location too. The hub is conveniently situated eight kilometres east of Palma and “acts as a gateway to beachy paradise and authentic Spanish cuisine” according to travel experts.
While Palma Airport came in at number third, it was beat out by Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport and Copenhagen Airport which came in at second and first place respectively.
10 best airports in Europe
- Copenhagen Airport
- Arlanda Airport
- Palma De Mallorca Airport
- Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport
- Munich Airport
- Orly Airport
- Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport
- Rome Fiumicino Airport
- Düsseldorf Airport
- Barcelona Airport