Vancouver airport tops in North America for 2nd year in a row, 14th of last 16

The Vancouver International Airport is seen in this photo from social media. (Twitter / Vancouver Airport)

Vancouver International Airport is the best airport in North America and one of the top 15 in the world, according to annual rankings released Wednesday.

It’s the second year in a row that YVR has claimed the top spot on the continent at the Skytrax World Airport Awards. Vancouver was also the top North American airport in the 2024 edition of the awards, while it was second in the region in 2023.

Over the last 16 years, YVR has claimed the top spot regionally 14 times, the airport said in a news release.

“I am thrilled that YVR has been recognized as the Best Airport in North America and is ranked among the world’s top airports,” said Tamara Vrooman, the airport’s president and CEO, in the release.

“This achievement is a testament to the dedication and passion of our incredible team, our valued community, and the trusted partners we work alongside every day. This award belongs to all of us.”

Asian and European airports dominate the 2025 list. YVR is ranked 13th globally, and all 12 spots above it are filled by facilities located in Europe or Asia.

Singapore Changi is the top-ranked airport in the world this year, with airports in Qatar, South Korea and Japan rounding out the top five.

Paris CDG is the highest-ranked European airport at number seven.

After Vancouver, the next-highest-ranked North American airport is Houston Hobby, which is number 27 worldwide.

Montreal-Trudeau International Airport is number two in Canada, ranking 51st overall. Toronto Pearson ranked 55th.

No other Canadian airports made the top 100.

The Skytrax World Airport Awards are based on passenger feedback, which the organization gathers through a customer satisfaction survey.

The 2025 awards are based on a survey conducted from August 2024 through February 2025, covering a wide range of topics, including check-in, arrivals, transportation, shopping, security and immigration.

Travellers from more than 100 different countries responded to the survey this year, according to the methodology section on the Skytrax website.

YVR says it generated $23 billion in total economic output in 2024, with 26.2 million travellers and more than 339,000 tonnes of goods passing through the airport.