France is the busiest tourist destination in the world. Every year about 90 million foreign tourists visit France. Most of these visitors enter and leave the country by air, preferably through Paris airports. This large influx of passengers is supported by airports of excellent quality and that provide a service highly valued by their users. We can verify this in the ranking of the best airports of 2023 published by Skytrax, where several French airports appear. In fact, the best European airport is in this country. Here we tell you which are the best airports in France and what position they occupy in the world top.
French airports at the top of Skytrax
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These are the French airports that in 2023 appear on the list of the best airports in the world:
Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris CDG is the best airport in Europe according to the Skytrax ranking.
In addition, the great Parisian airport is ranked number 5 of the 100 best airports in the world. Only behind the four Asian airports (Singapore, Doha, Tokyo and Seoul), which have dominated this list for many years.
This airport has three terminals and is connected by numerous transportation lines.
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Its commercial area is quite extensive and you will find everything from jewelry stores to luxury restaurants, although there are also cheaper gastronomic options and some bars.
It is also common to come across tourist information points that help you get to know the city if that is your objective. It has an approximate area of 32,000 m2.
Paris-Orly Airport: Ranked 39 in the world
The second best airport in France -and 39 in the world- is also in the south of Paris and it is Orly.
Located 13 kilometers south of Paris, this air terminal has three runways and a cargo area.
It has a free Wi-Fi zone for all visitors and two tourist information desks. In addition, the commercial area is made up of a wide range of cafes, restaurants, ATMs, tax refund offices and currency suppliers.
Many of the shops located at this airport are duty free. It also offers services such as car rental and private transfers.
Another point to note about Orly airport is that it is very close to the Disneyland resort in Paris.
Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport: Ranked 98 in the world
This airport is famous for the architecture of its main building, which was in charge of the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava Valls. It is a monumental structure that resembles a bird when it takes flight.
Flights depart from here to more than 120 direct destinations. Lyon airport provides professional services and offers meeting rooms and even the organization of events.
The commercial area is made up of a lot of Duty Free stores, bookstores, cafeterias, restaurants, pharmacies, showers, religious centers and even a hotel.
Other French airports that stand out of the crowd
Despite not being listed in the top 100 in the world, there are a couple of airports in France that are also worth mentioning:
- Marseille Provence Airport: This airport offers all the amenities for a comfortable and efficient trip. It handles a very high volume of passengers and here you can find a wide gastronomic offer, souvenir shops, perfumes, clothes, currency suppliers, etc.
- Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport: Bordeaux Airport is not very big, yet it handles an average of more than 3 million visitors per year. It has two modules and a single building that functions as a terminal. Plans are currently under development for the Bordeaux tram to connect the airport to the city centre.
Criteria considered to elaborate the ranking
The list of the best airports in the world is prepared by a company called Skytrax. It is a consultancy that since 1999 has conducted a survey of thousands of users around the world in order to evaluate the service provided by air terminals.
For the 2023 study, people of more than 100 nationalities were surveyed and more than 550 airports were considered.
Some of the questions in this survey were oriented to the following topics:
Connections and access routes
Here are considered the facilities to enter and leave the airport, the public transport options available, availability and prices of taxis, availability of luggage carts, etc.
Building layout and amenities
Cleaning of the floors, public areas and seats of the terminal, availability of seats and rest places.
Immigration and security
Regarding the immigration process, waiting times, system and efficiency are evaluated; same criteria with respect to security control. The attitude of security personnel and the presence of billing facilities are also evaluated.
Internal facilities
Orientation and signage in the terminals, clarity in boarding calls, flight information screens, friendliness of the airport staff and language skills.
Commercial and recreational area
Bathroom and shower facilities, ease of internal transit, hygiene standards, location of VIP rooms, facilities such as nurseries, restaurants, bars, pharmacies, currency exchange suppliers, tourist information, smoking area and WiFi service.
What changes have there been to the list compared to 2022?
French airports have climbed a few positions this year compared to 2022.
The Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport, which we see today at number 5, was occupying the number 6 slot last year.
For its part, Paris-Orly Airport went from 46th place in 2022 to 39th place in 2023.
Lyon Airport debuts among the best in the world, since it is its first appearance on this list.
What is the World Airport Awards?
The World Airport Awards or World Airport Awards began in 1999 and its mission is to reward the work of air terminals that strive to provide good customer service.
The British auditor Skytrax is in charge of applying an annual survey to thousands of travelers and users who frequent more than 500 airports around the world.
Based on the results of this survey, each year they draw up a ranking of the 100 best airports in the world.
The airports participating in the study do not have to pay any type of membership to Skytrax.
Such is the reputation of this study that the selected airports have the right to carry an insignia given by Skytrax on their logo, which accredits them as one of the best of the year. We have seen the best airports in France. Here you have the best airports in Spain. And here the best airports in Portugal.
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