This Canadian Airport Outshines San Francisco And New York LGA For North America's Best Airport Staff In 2026

As if navigating the airport wasn't enough, there's one thing that can make the experience even more frustrating: rude, unhelpful, or simply unavailable staff when you need a question answered or a problem solved. Fortunately, kindness still goes a long way, and if there's one stereotype Canadians are more than happy to live up to, it's being friendly. The Skytrax World Airport Awards determined that Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Canada's largest and busiest airport, came in first place for North America's best airport staff in 2026. 

Global travelers from a wide range of nationalities made their voices heard when it came to choosing their favorite friendly airport staff. In Skytrax's satisfaction survey that collected responses from August 2025 to February 2026, customers were asked to vote on their experience from arriving to departing, with friendliness of staff being one of the survey's main topics. Canadian airports took the top three spots, but a clear winner stood out among the rest. Toronto Pearson International Airport proved it has the best airport staff in North America, beating out San Francisco (SFO) and New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), which ranked at No. 4 and 5, respectively. 

Airports have a well-earned reputation for turning even the most seasoned travelers into bundles of stress. There's the frantic mental checklist: Which terminal am I flying out of again? Did I leave enough time to survive the security line? And (perhaps the greatest travel ritual of them all) checking for your passport every five minutes, even after you've already confirmed it's in your bag at least 10 times on the way to the airport. So when something inevitably goes wrong, a friendly, helpful staff member can be the difference between a travel horror story and a smooth takeoff.

As a frequent flyer myself, Toronto Pearson is my home base when it comes to airports. It's where I fly in and out of numerous times a year, so I can attest to the first-place accolades for friendly and helpful staff. From the check-in counter to the CATSA (Canadian Air Transport Security Authority) agents, every encounter I've personally had at YYZ has been extremely positive. In a five-star Google review, a traveler recalls their experience saying, "The TSA officers were excellent — friendly, patient, and genuinely helpful."

Toronto Pearson has also been deemed North America's most stressful airport and serves as Air Canada's primary hub. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority reported that YYZ saw a staggering 3.3% increase in passenger traffic during Quarter Two, which equates to 12.4 million folks coasting the skies between April and June (via Newswire). Having friendly staff around can certainly help you stay calm in a crowded airport. In another Google review, a traveler describes their experience, noting that while the airport was crowded, the staff made the visit a positive one: "It took a little while to get through customs but the airport employees, security staff and [customs] agents are all professional and kind."

Before the excitement of Downtown Toronto begins, getting there is simple thanks to Pearson's convenient location. Travelers can reach the city in about 30 minutes by car or hop on the UP Express, which departs every 15 minutes. From downtown's Union Station, exploring St. Lawrence, Toronto's oldest neighborhood brimming with art, culture, and a legendary food market, is straightforward and easy.