Planning your next journey? Before booking your flights, discover which airports might turn your travel experience into an unexpected challenge. Our comprehensive analysis, based on the AirHelp Score system and real traveler experiences from Reddit’s r/travel community, reveals the most problematic airports worldwide and helps you prepare for potential travel hurdles.

Understanding the Criteria for Ranking the Worst Airports

Modern airport rankings rely on the sophisticated AirHelp Score system, which evaluates airports through multiple critical factors. These assessments combine objective metrics with authentic passenger experiences shared on platforms like Reddit’s r/travel subreddit, where travelers openly discuss their firsthand encounters with problematic airports worldwide.

• On-time performance statistics
• Customer satisfaction ratings
• Quality of amenities and facilities
• Food and retail options
• Overall passenger experience

Factors Contributing to Poor Airport Rankings

Airports that consistently rank poorly typically share several common issues that significantly impact the travel experience:

• Inadequate facilities – insufficient seating, limited charging stations, and substandard restrooms
• Chronic delays and cancellations – some airports showing on-time performance below 65%
• Poor customer service – undertrained staff, language barriers, and understaffed information desks
• Navigation challenges – confusing layouts, poor signage, and excessive walking distances
• Limited amenities – insufficient food options and retail facilities

The Impact of Airport Cleanliness and Security

Area of Concern	Common Issues	Impact on Travelers
Cleanliness	Dirty terminals, unkempt restrooms, pest issues	Health concerns, decreased satisfaction
Security	Inefficient screening, outdated equipment	Missed connections, increased stress
Safety	Poor lighting, insufficient security presence	Vulnerability concerns, anxiety

Top 10 Worst Airports in the World

Our comprehensive assessment reveals airports that consistently fail across multiple criteria, creating genuinely frustrating experiences for millions of passengers annually. These rankings consider critical factors including operational efficiency, facility quality, and customer service standards.

Airport #10: Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS)

Portugal’s main international gateway struggles with severe congestion and outdated infrastructure. Key issues include:

• Extreme overcrowding during peak hours
• Security queues extending outside the terminal
• Immigration wait times exceeding one hour
• Significant language barriers at information desks
• Below-average on-time performance metrics

Airport #9: Paris Beauvais-Tillé Airport (BVA)

Located 53 miles from Paris, this misleadingly named airport presents numerous challenges:

• Severely limited seating areas forcing passengers to sit on floors
• Poor climate control – hot summers and cold winters
• Inadequate maintenance and cleanliness standards
• Limited and overpriced food options
• Poor public transportation connections

Airport #8: Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)

Security issues plague Manila’s primary airport, creating significant bottlenecks for travelers. The facility struggles with multiple operational challenges:

• Inefficient and chaotic screening procedures
• Inconsistent application of security protocols
• Poor terminal navigation and confusing signage
• Illogical passenger flow patterns
• Unreliable Wi-Fi connectivity throughout

The passenger experience is further compromised by fundamental comfort issues, particularly in Terminal 1. Common problems include:

• Frequent air conditioning failures in tropical climate
• Poor lighting conditions throughout terminals
• Limited seating availability
• Significant discrepancies between terminal facilities
• Ongoing maintenance issues despite renovation efforts

Airport #7: Tashkent International Airport (TAS)

Uzbekistan’s primary international gateway presents significant challenges for travelers, starting with accessibility issues:

• Limited public transportation options
• Insufficient facilities for mobility-impaired travelers
• Minimal English signage and outdated information displays
• Scarce charging stations for electronic devices
• Frustratingly slow Wi-Fi connectivity

Amenity	Current Status
Dining Options	Few basic cafés with minimal selection
Shopping Facilities	Limited duty-free options
Basic Necessities	Often unavailable

Airport #6: Juba International Airport (JUB)

South Sudan’s principal airport ranks among the world’s most challenging travel experiences, characterized by:

• Undertrained staff overwhelmed during peak periods
• Significant language barriers with international travelers
• Endemic delays without clear communication
• Intermittent electricity supply affecting essential systems
• Minimal amenities and comfort facilities

Airport #5: Santorini International Airport (JTR)

Despite its premium destination status, Santorini’s airport faces severe operational challenges:

• Dangerous overcrowding in single terminal during summer
• Insufficient indoor space forcing outdoor waiting
• Unsanitary bathroom conditions during peak hours
• Overflowing trash bins and poor general cleanliness
• Limited food outlets with excessive queues
• Poor crowd management creating chaotic environment

Airport #4: Port Harcourt International Airport (PHC)

Nigeria’s Port Harcourt International faces critical security and infrastructure challenges:

• Inadequate lighting creating security concerns
• Frequent power outages affecting critical systems
• Compromised perimeter security
• Regular air conditioning failures in tropical climate
• Substandard or absent basic amenities
• Chaotic check-in procedures
• Persistent baggage handling problems

Airport #3: La Guardia Airport (LGA)

Despite serving one of the world’s most visited cities, New York’s La Guardia faces persistent operational challenges that frustrate both tourists and business travelers. The airport’s accessibility remains problematic, with limited ground transportation options creating confusion for Manhattan-bound passengers. Inside, ongoing construction has transformed terminals into a complex maze of temporary walkways and redirections.

• Insufficient charging stations for passenger volumes
• Overpriced dining options with limited variety
• Inadequate seating during peak hours
• Confusing terminal navigation due to construction
• Limited ground transportation options

Airport #2: Kuwait International Airport (KWI)

Kuwait’s primary international gateway consistently ranks among the worst airports globally due to significant service deficiencies and operational issues:

• Notoriously slow check-in processes with insufficient staffing
• Poor communication from gate agents regarding delays
• Below-standard on-time performance
• Insufficient seating throughout the facility
• Limited food outlets with overwhelming queues
• Terminal operating beyond designed capacity

Airport #1: Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport (HLP)

Jakarta’s secondary international airport ranks as the world’s worst with an AirHelp Score of just 6.63 out of 10. The facility demonstrates systematic failures across all major criteria:

• Chronic delays and poor on-time performance
• Severe passenger processing bottlenecks
• Non-existent reliable Wi-Fi
• Minimal food and shopping options
• Pervasive cleanliness issues
• Poorly maintained restrooms
• Overwhelmed staff during moderate passenger volumes

Improving the Passenger Experience at the Worst Airports

While these airports rank among the most challenging globally, many are actively implementing improvements to address passenger concerns. Data from AirHelp Score evaluations and firsthand accounts from Reddit’s r/travel community reveal effective strategies for gradual transformation of problematic hubs.

Travelers can enhance their experience at poorly-ranked airports through strategic planning:

• Book flights during off-peak hours to avoid congestion
• Download entertainment before travel
• Carry portable chargers
• Pack essential supplies
• Maintain realistic expectations

Strategies for Enhancing Airport Facilities

Improvement Area	Implementation Strategy
Infrastructure	Terminal expansion and bathroom renovations
Technology	Digital wayfinding systems and automated check-in kiosks
Connectivity	Enhanced Wi-Fi infrastructure and increased charging stations
Passenger Flow	Improved signage and terminal navigation systems

Addressing Security and Customer Service Challenges

Security improvements represent a critical focus area for airports striving to elevate their global rankings. At Port Harcourt International, enhanced training programs for security personnel are effectively addressing inconsistent screening procedures, while modern screening equipment installations are increasing throughput capacity at key checkpoints. These upgrades significantly reduce the lengthy queues that often lead to missed connections and heightened passenger stress. Tashkent International has made notable progress through redesigned security checkpoint layouts that optimize passenger flow.

• Enhanced security personnel training programs
• Modern screening equipment installations
• Redesigned checkpoint layouts
• Increased throughput capacity
• Streamlined passenger flow systems

Customer Service Enhancement	Implementation Location	Impact
Language training	Juba International	Improved navigation for international travelers
Digital information systems	Beauvais-Tillé	Real-time flight updates and reduced anxiety
Communication protocols	Halim Perdanakusuma	Better handling of disruptions and delays

Customer service initiatives are delivering immediate improvements in passenger experience across these facilities. At Juba International, language training for frontline staff addresses critical communication barriers, while Beauvais-Tillé’s implementation of digital information systems provides crucial real-time updates. Halim Perdanakusuma’s new transparent communication protocols during disruptions represent significant progress in addressing historical passenger frustrations. While these transformative initiatives require time to fully mature, they mark substantial progress in addressing the fundamental issues that initially placed these airports among the world’s worst.