The year 2024 has been a challenging one for air travel, with the aviation industry facing strikes, technical failures, and disruptive weather conditions. This has led to many passengers feeling anxious about Easter travel. While there are many factors that are out of passengers’ control, one thing they can choose is which airport to fly from. A study released by VisaGuide.World in December ranked the most stressful airports in the world based on factors such as total number of passengers, airport size, passenger density, flight delays, and distance from the city center.
London Gatwick was ranked as the most stressful airport in the world, despite having fewer passengers compared to other airports. It has a high passenger density score, second-highest percentage of annual delays, and the highest distance from the city center at 43 kilometers. Türkiye’s Istanbul Airport came in second place, being Europe’s busiest airport with over 64 million passengers recorded in 2022. However, travelers often face difficulties navigating the airport due to its massive size of over 76 million square meters.
Germany’s Munich Airport took the third spot on the list, with significantly fewer passengers compared to Istanbul Airport. However, Munich Airport’s size is five times smaller, making it easier to navigate. The fourth spot was claimed by Denver International Airport in the United States, followed by Heathrow Airport in the fifth position. Heathrow is Europe’s second busiest airport, serving over 61 million passengers, and is even smaller than Munich Airport. Other airports in the top ten most stressful list include Los Angeles International Airport, Rome–Fiumicino International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and O’Hare International Airport.
The survey conducted by VisaGuide.World revealed that passengers are most stressed by factors such as a high number of passengers, large and crowded airports that are difficult to navigate, frequent flight delays, and being far from the city center. These concerns were used to establish the ranking of the most stressful airports in the world. While these factors may be unavoidable for passengers, choosing to fly from less stressful airports can help make the journey more relaxing. By considering the stress levels associated with different airports, travelers can make informed decisions about where to fly from in order to minimize travel-related anxiety.
