It’s out of 250 airports worldwide

If you have ever travelled through Dubai International Airport (DXB), you’ll know passengers are spoiled for choice with the amount of shops, be it designer or duty free, and food outlets, whether you want a quick coffee or a full meal.

Well now it’s official that DXB is the best in the world for 2025 as AirHelp has released a report ranking Dubai Airport as the number one airport for food and shops. DXB scored an impressive 9.1 out of 10 on this factor.

In overall airport rankings, Dubai Airport scored 8.14 points, securing 18th place, followed closely by Abu Dhabi Airport, ranked at 19.The 2025 AirHelp Score ranks 250 airports across 68 countries. Airports in the Middle East are climbing the ladder, with eight airports in the global top 20, a significant jump from just two in 2024.

In the report, airports were assessed in three key categories of punctuality, customer opinions, and food & shops. Cape Town International Airport in South Africa ranked the world’s top-performing airport, achieving an impressive 8.57 points overall.

The top 10 global airport ranking is as follows:
1. Cape Town Airport, South Africa
2. Doha Hamad Airport, Qatar
3. Riyadh King Khaled Airport, Saudi Arabia
4. Brasilia – President Juscelino Kubitschek Airport, Brazil
5. Muscat Airport, Oman
6. Panama City Tocumen Airport, Panama
7. Durban King Shaka Airport, South Africa
8. Salt Lake City Airport, USA
9. Bergen Flesland Airport, Norway
10. Dammam King Fahd Airport, Saudi Arabia

The AirHelp Score is a ranking of the best and worst airlines and airports in the world. AirHelp has been publishing the AirHelp Score since 2015 to help passengers better plan their flights. The Score allows passengers to see what treatment they can expect from airlines and airports based on data.

It’s a busy time of the year as expats head off on holidays or to their home countries to escape the Dubai summer, as a result, Emirates has released guidelines to help you if you’re travelling in the weeks to come.

Image: Dubai Airports