How Does Sea-Tac Compare Among Airports Worldwide?

SEATTLE — Flying can be a major drag. Between the long security lines, overpriced food and inconvenient delays, it can often be quite a miserable experience. But a new report shows some airports are better than others at delivering a hassle-free experience.

The folks at AirHelp ranked 132 airports worldwide based on criteria such as how often flights arrive on time, quality of service and whether there are decent spots to eat and shop. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport ranked as the 40th best airport in the world, just ahead of McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and behind Edmonton International Airport in Canada.

Here’s a breakdown of the score:

• Overall score: 7.83/10
• On-time performance: 7.9/10
• Service quality: 7.8/10
• Food and shops: 7.8/10

With an overall score of 8.39, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, and Tokyo International Airport in Japan tied for the title of the best airport in the world. Both airports scored at least an 8.3 in every category.

No U.S. airport made the top 10. Here they are:

1. Hamad International Airport, 8.39 (tie)
1. Tokyo International Airport, 8.39 (tie)
3. Athens International Airport, 8.38
4. Afonso Pena International Airport (Curtiba, Brazil), 8.37
5. Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport (Poland), 8.35 (tie)
5. Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport, 8.35 (tie)
7. Singapore Changi Airport, 8.27 (tie)
7. Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (India), 8.27 (tie)
8. Tenerife North Airport (Spain), 8.26
9. Viracopos/Campinas International Airport (Brazil), 8.25

In America, the best airport is apparently in Atlanta.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport scored a 7.89, good for a ranking of 34th best in the world. That’s in line with figures from the Bureau of Transportation statistics, which found that from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28, Atlanta has the highest share of on-time arrivals in the country.

Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport were ranked as the next-best in the United States.

Airport revenues around the globe reached more than $172 billion in 2017, according to the latest Airports Council International economics report. Angela Gittens, the organization’s world director general, said steady growth in the number of fliers since 2010 shows the industry is not only resilient, but also demonstrates how airports serve as “growth engines” and key contributors to global trade. Passenger traffic increased 7.5 percent in 2017, despite potential economic risks she said.

“Passenger traffic remains on an upward trajectory across the globe and airports are responding to demand in both advanced and emerging economies,” Gittens said in a news release.

The group expects the number of fliers to increase nearly 30 percent from 2017 to 2022. This means investments should be made to airports to keep up with rising demand, Gittens’ organization said.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.