The top three best airports in Canada may surprise you
The best airports in Canada have been revealed, and they’re not what you’d expect.
AirHelp, an air passenger rights and flight claim compensation service based in the United Kingdom, has released its ranking of the world’s best airports.
“Whether you’re organizing a well-deserved vacation or just want to see how your local terminal stacks up against the competition, the AirHelp Score is your go-to snapshot of how the world’s biggest and best-known airports stack up,” reads the report.
The company analyzed 279 airports from 76 countries this year using its internal flight database and direct feedback from passengers. The three key factors the ranking considers are on-time performance, passenger experience, and facilities and comfort.
Although Canadian airports didn’t perform so well on the global list, AirHelp also ranked the top three best by country.
The two biggest airports in Canada actually tanked on the global ranking, and didn’t even make the top three in the country. Vancouver International Airport placed 230th globally, while Toronto Pearson Airport got the 263rd spot.
The smaller to midsize hubs ended up coming out on top.
In Canada, Winnipeg Richardson Airport (YWG) nabbed first place with an AirHelp overall score of 7.47. It got an on-time performance score of 7.3, an experience score of 8.3 and a facilities and comfort score of 7.2. It placed 165th globally.
Winnipeg Airports Authority
According to the Winnipeg Airports Authority, YWG averaged about 4.3 million passengers in 2024, which is nearly 11,800 passengers daily.
One interesting fact about YWG that could have contributed to its high experience score is its introduction of a Hug Rug in 2013.
Winnipeg Airports Authority
Located at the base of the elevator in the arrivals area, it was initially meant for special occasions, but quickly became a beloved feature for families and loved ones to have a special place to connect.
AirHelp placed Edmonton International Airport (YEG) in the second spot with an overall score of 7.47. Despite having the same score as Winnipeg, it scored lower in some categories.
Edmonton International Airport
It got an on-time performance score of 7.6, an experience score of 7.5 and a facilities and comfort score of 6.9. It placed 166th globally.
YEG is the fifth busiest airport in Canada and the largest major airport by land mass at just under 7,000 acres, according to its site. In 2024, it received 7.9 million passengers.
The third-best airport in Canada is Calgary International Airport (YYC). It received an overall AirHelp score of 7.45 and placed 171st globally. It got an on-time performance score of 7.2, an experience score of 8.4 and a facilities and comfort score of 7.4.
Skorzewiak/Shutterstock
AirHelp named Panama City Tocumen Airport as the number one hub in the world. Check out the full ranking on AirHelp.