The 5 Cleanest Airports In The World In 2026

Airports are places built to help people get from Point A to Point B. You don't go to an airport just to hang out, but it's easy to end up spending a lot of time there anyway, thanks to layovers, delays, and arriving early for your flight. The best airports in the world have plenty for passengers to do when they're basically stuck with no other options — there are airport restaurants worth the wait, live entertainment, and even some world-class art. But an airport can have all this and still fall short if it doesn't also prioritize cleanliness. As Salt Lake City International Airport noted, "a clean airport just feels better — it's more welcoming, more comfortable, and it can set the tone for the whole trip."

Skytrax has been conducting its World Airport Awards since 1999, tracking what passengers notice and like, including airport cleanliness. In SkyTrax's "World's Cleanest Airport 2026," the award was split between major airports and those that served fewer than 30 million passengers annually.

The only North American airport to make either list was Houston Hobby, a wildly underrated Texas airport that has ranked highly in previous awards. No other American airport cracked the top 10 — all five of the world's cleanest major airports are in Asia, and two are in Japan.

First place on Skytrax's cleanest major airport list went to Tokyo Haneda International Airport, which has won the award multiple times. It's also the third-busiest airport in the world — more than 91.6 million passengers came through in 2025, per the Airports Council International (ACI World). 

With that volume of people coming in and out, consistently being recognized as the cleanest airport is impressive but no accident. The airport prioritizes and takes pride in cleanliness. It has an award-winning pro at the helm. Niitsu Haruko is an "Environmental Meister, a title that is given to company employees who win the All-Japan Building Cleaning Competition," according to Tokyo Updates.

She used to clean the airport, but now she helps train cleaning staff at Tokyo Haneda. "What's important is putting your heart into it," Haruko explained to Tokyo Updates. "I take pride in what I do. Some say that cleaning is a behind-the-scenes sort of work, but I want to do it boldly. That way, I can take responsibility for the work I do."

Coming in as the No. 2 cleanest major airport was Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea. When it comes to keeping things clean at Incheon, it's a combination of old-fashioned hard work and technology. Since 2022, the airport has used a number of AI cleaning robots along with people.

In addition to regular cleaning, the airport runs an in-depth, multi-week maintenance and cleaning program each spring, which includes cleaning the walls outside. "Through this spring environmental maintenance, we will create a clean and safe airport environment to provide passengers with a comfortable experience," said Bae Young-min, head of infrastructure at the airport, per Seoul Economic Daily.

Seoul also comes in second on Skytrax's World's Best Airports list. It's no wonder. It's one of the world's most luxurious airports, and you might actually want to take a longer layover to see and do everything it has on offer. It has elaborate gardens, cultural centers, impressive public art, a spa, an ice skating rink, a museum, plus high-end shops and many restaurants.

Changi Airport in Singapore, which got first place in the Skytrax top airport 2026 report, came in third place for cleanest major airport. It slipped a spot — in 2025, it was No. 2. But No. 3 is still a very respectable placement, and people really do love this airport. As one person wrote on Google Maps: "Changi Airport truly lives up to its reputation as one of the world's best airports. From the moment you step in, everything is exceptionally clean, well-organized, and incredibly efficient."

One place where Changi Airport shines is in the bathrooms. As the airport website notes, the cleaning process is thoughtful, thorough, and takes into account the airport schedules. To help with maximum efficiency, "different types of mops and cloths are color-coded to denote the areas in which they should be used." There are also screens where passengers can give feedback on the state of the bathrooms, so any issues can be addressed quickly.

Japanese culture places a high value on cleanliness, so it makes sense that both of Tokyo's airports made the top five for the world's cleanest. Coming in at No. 4 is Narita International Airport.

Passengers appreciate Narita's cleanliness as well as how easy it is to navigate its three terminals and what you can do there. "Great airport with a spacious and clean layout," one person wrote on Google Maps. "The bathrooms are spotless, and there are plenty of shops, especially for Japanese snacks, skincare, and cosmetics." Along with shopping and enjoying the clean surroundings, you can take in the variety of artwork, play the street piano, or watch the planes land and depart from the observation deck. It's also got a number of luxury lounges, if that's your thing.

Of Tokyo's two major airports, Narita has more flight options than Haneda. However, it's to the east of the city center, and it takes about an hour by train to get into Tokyo.

Rounding out the top five cleanest airports in the world is Hong Kong International Airport. Not only that, but it was No. 1 out of 270 airports on Skytrax's World's Best Airport Washrooms 2026.

It's another airport that gets rave reviews. "Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is truly one of the best airports I have experienced," one traveler posted on Google Maps. "The airport is massive, modern, clean, and extremely well-organized, with excellent facilities and smooth operations that make the travel experience comfortable and hassle-free."

The Hong Kong airport allows you to stay clean as well. There are free public showers that come stocked with necessary toiletries and hair dryers. If you've ever experienced a long-haul flight, you know how nice it is to take a shower in a clean space as soon as you can after getting off the plane. Once you're freshened up, it takes under half an hour to get from the airport to downtown.