One Canadian airport ranks among the global top 10 for first time in over a decade

The Vancouver International Airport has just ranked among the top 10 best airports worldwide, in Skytrax’s 2026 World Airport Survey.

A wide array of factors contributed to this ranking, including immigration system efficiency, terminal comfort and staff friendliness, and check-in facilities.

Out of over 500 airports across the globe, three Canadian transit locations have placed among the top 100—with millions of passengers weighing in to reach this result.

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Skytrax, an international air transport rating organization that publishes the annual World Airport Awards, announced the results of its 2026 World Airport Survey in London, England, on March 18, 2026.

The top 10 airports across the globe

The top 10 list this year consists primarily of airports located across Asia and Europe, with just one North American airport among the highest ranked.

The only Canadian airport to make it on the top 10 list, Vancouver International Airport snuck in just above the cut-off—climbing up from the 13th place ranking it held in 2025 to its current 10th place spot.

This is the first time a Canadian airport has placed in the top global 10 airports since 2014—which coincidentally, was also Vancouver International Airport (coming in at ninth place).

Rank	Country	Airport	Airport code
1	Singapore	Singapore Changi Airport	SIN
2	South Korea	Incheon International Airport	ICN
3	Japan	Tokyo Haneda International Airport	HND
4	China	Hong Kong International Airport	HKG
5	Japan	Tokyo Narita International Airport	NRT
6	France	Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport	CDG
7	Italy	Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport	FCO
8	Turkey	Istanbul Airport	IST
9	Germany	Munich Airport	MUC
10	Canada	Vancouver International Airport	YVR

Skytrax notes that this is Canada's second busiest airport, behind Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), which placed 55th out of 100 this year—the same rank it held in 2025.

Aside from Vancouver International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport, the only other Canadian highlight was Montreal, which came in 46th place (up from 51st place in 2025)

The Vancouver International Airport links British Columbia—one of Canada's most desirable immigrant destinations—to over 110 destinations around the world.

In its ranking for best airports in North America specifically, Vancouver placed first, with Montreal and Toronto Pearson following in seventh and 10th place, respectively.

Methodology

Skytrax compiled its top 100 airports across the world through an annual airport customer satisfaction survey in which more than 13 million passengers of 100 nationalities provided their input.

The survey assesses traveller experiences across a range of airport services and product performance metrics, covering every stage of the journey—from check-in and arrivals to transfers, retail, security, immigration, and final departure at the gate.

Over 575 airports are included in the survey results.

Topics included in the survey

Below are some of the topics that were covered in Skytrax’s airport customer satisfaction survey.

Immigration queuing times, processes, and efficiency
Immigration staff attitude
Security screening queuing times, processes, and efficiency
Family-friendly security screening options
Quality of the airport website
Quality of the airport app
Ease of access to and from the airport
Public transport options (efficiency and pricing)
Availability and pricing of taxis / rideshare services
Availability of luggage trolleys (landside and airside)
Terminal comfort, atmosphere, and design
Cleanliness of terminals, including floors, seating, and public areas
Seating availability throughout the terminal
Courtesy and attitude of security staff
Check-in facilities (queuing systems, and seating)
Wayfinding and terminal signage
Clarity of boarding announcements / PA system
Flight information screens (clarity and quality of information)
Friendliness of airport staff
Language proficiency of airport staff
Ease of transferring through the airport
Location of airline lounges
Washroom and shower facilities
Cleanliness of washrooms
Nursery and baby care facilities
Hygiene standards
TV and entertainment options
Quiet areas, day rooms, hotel facilities, and rest zones
Children’s play areas and facilities
Availability of family-friendly options
Range of shopping, including duty-free and retail outlets
Variety of bars, cafés, and restaurants
Pricing in bars, cafés, and restaurants
Wi-Fi access and time allowances
Availability of power charging points
Wi-Fi speed and performance
Currency exchange (bureau de change) services
ATM availability
Smoking policies and designated lounges
Accessibility standards and facilities for PRM (Passengers with Reduced Mobility)
Baggage delivery times
Efficiency of priority baggage delivery
Lost luggage services
Perceived safety and security standards

This survey was conducted from August 2025 to February 2026, and was available in three different languages: English, Spanish, and Chinese. Entries were validated through IP and user-level checks, with duplicate and non-qualifying submissions eliminated.

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Immigrating to British Columbia – why and how

British Columbia has a population of over 5.5 million people, making it the third most populous province in Canada. As of 2021, over 20% of British Columbia’s population was comprised of immigrants.

In fact, Vancouver is one of the province’s most popular landing destinations for individuals immigrating to Canada. The 2021 Census noted that 76.4% of all BC immigrants resided in Vancouver.

In a 2025 report released by the Economic Intelligence Unit, the city came in as the 10th most livable in the world—with an overall livability score of 95.8/100. It was the only Canadian city to crack the top 10, out of 173 cities worldwide.

However, Vancouver is but one of many cities in British Columbia lauded by visitors and residents (existing and new alike)—including Victoria, Surrey, and Kelowna.

For foreign nationals seeking to obtain permanent residence (PR) in British Columbia, the primary provincial immigration pathway is through the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP).

Foreign nationals who receive PR through federal programs have freedom of movement once they become PRs, making this a viable option for those wishing to immigrate to British Columbia as well.

The BC PNP offers immigration categories, comprised of streams, for skilled workers and entrepreneurs.

Skills Immigration streams:

Skilled Worker Stream;
Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Stream; and
Health Authority Stream.

Entrepreneur Immigration streams:

Base Stream; and
Regional Stream.

To immigrate through the BC PNP, you must first obtain a provincial nomination (typically by entering a candidate pool under a stream you are eligible for and receiving an invitation to apply through a draw) before you can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for PR.

Assess your eligibility for Canadian immigration

Ensuring you are admissible to Canada

To enter Canada as a temporary resident (e.g., as a visitor) or PR—whether through the Vancouver International Airport or otherwise—you must ensure you meet all admissibility requirements.

A key part of that entails ensuring you are not criminally inadmissible to Canada. Any non-Canadian citizen may be turned away from Canada on account of having a criminal record, even for seemingly minor offences.

An offence leads to criminal inadmissibility only if it was a crime in the jurisdiction where it occurred and has an equivalent offence under Canadian law at the time it was committed.

A person may be deemed criminally inadmissible for having committed, been charged with, or been convicted of an offence. Pending charges may also result in criminal inadmissibility.

You may, however, be able to overcome criminal inadmissibility (depending on your personal circumstances) and gain entry into Canada through one of the following methods:

Obtaining a Temporary Resident Permit;
Qualifying for deemed rehabilitation; or
Applying for criminal rehabilitation.

Schedule a Free Legal Consultation with Cohen Immigration Law