Traveling with small children is no walk in the park, even under the best of circumstances. But as families on the go know, not all airports are created equal—and a new study set out to find the 10 most family-friendly airports in the world.
British stroller company iCandy recently released its Little Flyers Index, which examined 117 airports around the world and ranked them according to their kid-friendliness. Scores were determined based on factors that parents care about the most: the number of restaurants available, the number of children’s play areas, the number of breastfeeding and nursing rooms, rentable strollers, family-friendly security lines, and the number of passengers who fly from the airport each year. Each airport was then given a score out of 100.
After crunching the numbers, Spain’s Menorca Airport (MAH), located on the Mediterranean coast, came out on top with a score of 95. This small airport has four children’s play areas, three nursing rooms, eight dining options, and a smaller number of annual passengers, making it easier to navigate than other airports.
The second airport in the top ten, Latvia’s Riga Airport (AIX), has 12 restaurants, three play areas, four nursing rooms, rentable strollers, and family-friendly security. Third on the list is the Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) in Poland, which has 25 restaurants, three play areas, 19 nursing rooms, rentable strollers, and family-friendly security options.
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Here are the 10 best family-friendly airports in the world, according to the study:
Menorca Airport, SpainRiga International Airport, LatviaWarsaw Chopin Airport, PolandMontréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), CanadaOslo Airport (OSL), NorwayIstanbul Airport (IST), TurkeyLyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS), FranceLondon Luton Airport (LTN), U.K.Munich Airport (MUC), GermanyCopenhagen Airport (CPH), Denmark
Several U.S. airports appeared on the complete Little Flyer Index, but none made the top 20. The highest ranking U.S. airport is the Memphis International Airport (MEH) in Tennessee, in the 23rd spot.
For parents planning a family-friendly vacation, airports that offer amenities designed for young children can be a major game-changer. Spending a layover at an airport with a play area could mean the difference between a totally peaceful second leg of a journey or a total toddler meltdown. A nursing station could mean the difference between a pain-free journey and fumbling in a dirty bathroom stall with an infant, a suitcase, and zero patience. Hopefully, more airports will catch on, and there will be just as many play areas as we do vending machines for eyebrow pencils.
