Skytrax World Airports Awards: Where Auckland ranks

Travellers have voted Singapore's Changi Airport the world's best for the seventh year in a row.

Auckland Airport comes in at 27th in the Skytrax World Airports Awards, voted on by 13.5 million travellers from more than 100 countries. While Auckland lags behind Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, it comes in ahead of many of the big European and US airports.

The survey evaluated the customer experience at airports — from check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security/immigration, through to departure at the gate.

Skytrax chief executive of Edward Plaisted said the award continued to underline the Singapore airport's popularity with international travellers.

The opening of Jewel Changi on April 19 would add another dimension to the experience for Changi Airport customers.

It has a 40m indoor waterfall, four storeys of forest and 280 retail stores and eateries.

The Jewel cost more than $1.8 billion to build and has an area of 134,000 square meters within a huge glass dome.

During the past 12 months the newly renovated Terminal 4 has opened and is the most technologically advanced terminal at Changi.

It uses facial recognition technology to offer self-service at check-in, baggage drop, immigration and when boarding the flight.

The 40m indoor waterfall at Changi Airport. Photo / Supplied

Changi Airport is the world's seventh busiest airport for international traffic, with 65.6 million passenger movements last year. It handles about 7400 flights every week, or about one every 80 seconds.

Tokyo Haneda — which Air New Zealand pulled back from last year — came in second but the latest destination for the Kiwi carrier, Seoul Incheon, is third.

Seoul Incheon is solely an international airport and was also named in the Skytrax award as the best airport for transit passengers.

It handles about 67 million passengers a year and aims to increase that to 95 million in the next five years.

The top ten:

1. Singapore Changi Airport - Singapore
2. Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) - Tokyo, Japan
3. Incheon International Airport - Seoul, South Korea
4. Hamad International Airport - Doha, Qatar
5. Hong Kong International Airport - Hong Kong
6. Central Japan International Airport - Bay of Ise, Japan
7. Munich Airport - Munich, Germany
8. London Heathrow Airport - London, UK
9. Narita International Airport - Tokyo, Japan
10. Zurich Airport - Zurich, Switzerland