Rome’s Fiumicino airport has been ranked among the top 10 airports in the world, according to a study by AirAdvisor. The airport stands out for its service standards and commercial offerings.
The study analyzed 23 international airports used by American and British travelers, cross-referencing Eurocontrol data and over 1.1 million passenger reviews. Fiumicino ranked 6th globally and is the only airport in the analysis to have received 5 Stars from Skytrax.
The overall ranking is led by London Heathrow, followed by Dublin and Tenerife Sud. Fiumicino also took the top spot, tied with London Heathrow, for shopping experience. Venice Marco Polo ranked 11th, tied with Barcelona.
Operational punctuality accounts for 40% of the final score. The average punctuality rate of the analyzed airports was 74%, with Bordeaux-Mérignac achieving 83.5% and Paris Charles de Gaulle scoring 61.1%.
According to AirAdvisor CEO Anton Radchenko, airports that experience chronic delays do so due to structural reasons, such as capacity limits and ground handling issues. Radchenko advised travelers to consider an airport’s reliability when planning summer trips to avoid disruptions.
Radchenko said, “Gli aeroporti che registrano ritardi cronici lo fanno per ragioni strutturali. I limiti di capacità, le criticità nelle operazioni di assistenza a terra e la gestione delle rotazioni nei terminal sono problemi che richiedono tempo per essere risolti.”
It’s worth looking at how Fiumicino’s ranking compares to other European airports. Several airports have made significant improvements to their infrastructure and services, which may have contributed to their high rankings.
The top 10 airports in the ranking are: London Heathrow, Dublin, Tenerife Sud, Palma de Mallorca, Los Angeles, Rome Fiumicino, Amsterdam Schiphol, Orlando, Athens, and Bordeaux. Fiumicino’s high ranking is a notable achievement, given the airport’s size and traffic volume.
In terms of pure numbers, the ranking is based on a score out of 20, with London Heathrow scoring 16.94 and Fiumicino scoring 13.49.
- London Heathrow (LHR) – 16.94
- Dublin (DUB) – 16.74
- Tenerife South (TFS) – 14.81
- Palma de Mallorca (PMI) – 14.63
- Los Angeles Int’l (LAX) – 13.79
- Rome Fiumicino (FCO) – 13.49
- Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) – 12.72
- Orlando Int’l (MCO) – 12.27
- Athens Venizelos (ATH) – 12.26
- Bordeaux Mérignac (BOD) – 12.15
Fiumicino’s strong showing in the ranking reflects the airport’s efforts to improve its services and infrastructure. As the airport continues to grow and expand, maintaining its high standards and ranking will be a challenge.
Airports like Fiumicino must balance growth with reliability, and travelers can benefit from understanding these factors when planning their trips, including considering the impact of vulnerable passengers on airport operations.