World's Top Five Airports To Get Stuck in

Air travel is the most convenient way of going from one part of the globe to another ever devised. Because of this, airports, the nest for planes, should be as comfortable as possible. After all, cancelled or delayed flights are sometimes unavoidable, so airports should provide leisure and comfort to waiting passengers. Of course, no one wants to be stuck in an airport, as we'd all like to immediately board a plane and arrive at our destination.

However, some airports are so nice you might just want to be stuck there instead—or maybe even make one of them your destination.

Here are five airports you surely will not mind being stuck in:

1. Incheon International Airport

Incheon International Airport (IIA) is the largest airport located inSouth Korea, and the primary airport serving the Seoul national capital area. It is also one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. Known to be the best in the world for five years running (from 2006 to 2010), IIA received a full five-star ranking by Skytrax—alongside only two other airports (Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport — also on this list). Asia’s eighth busiest airport in terms of passengers, IIA is the world’s fourth busiest for cargo traffic. What sets IIA apart from other airports are its amenities. It houses comfortable sleeping rooms, a massive skating rink, a casino, and an indoor garden for relaxation. The most notable amenity is perhaps the golf course. How's that for leisure and class?

2. Singapore Changi Airport

Singapore's Changi International Airport (SIN) serves as Singapore’s main airport, as well as a major aviation hub  for Southeast Asia. Operated by Changi Airport Group (hence its name) it serves as the home base of Singapore Airlines, Singapore Airlines Cargo, SilkAir, Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia Airways, Valuair, and Jett8 Airlines Cargo. A unique feature of SIN is that it serves as the main stopover point for Qantas, for its flights on the Kangaroo Route between Australia and Europe. Its contribution to the economy is huge, as there are over 28,000 employees in this airport. SIN's four passenger terminals can house over 70 million passengers combined. It has restaurants, a bar, a nature trail through a garden for sight seeing and relaxation, fitness centers, and also a swimming pool. Plus, there's a highly enjoyable sightseeing tour of Singapore you can sign up for.

3. Hong Kong International Airport

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is the main airport of Hong Kong. It is also called Chek Lap Kok Airport, for the island it was built upon. This airport is a main hub for travels or destinations within Mainland China (with over 40 destinations) and the rest of Asia. HKIA has won eight Skytrax World Airport Awards for customer satisfaction, it even won Skytrax World Airport of the Year in 2011—claiming the top rank for the best airports in the world. Operated by Airport Authority in Hong Kong, HKIA serves as the primary hub for Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Hong Kong Express Airways, Hong Kong Airlines, and Air Hong Kong (cargo). HKIA is unique in that it is located less then five flying hours from half of the world’s population, making it a very convenient international hub in the world. The airport has two terminals and provides free WiFi. There are of course restaurants all around the area, as well as shopping. HKIA also houses a 4-D theatre center, a flight and sports simulator experience, and even an “Asia Hollywood” entertainment center. Like Incheon International Airport, HKIA also has a golf course.

4.  Beijing Capital Airport

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) is the primary international airport serving Beijing,China. Operated by the state-controlled Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited, in 2009, it was the busiest airport in Asia in terms of passengers and total traffic movements. BCIA is currently the second busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger throughput behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airport has three terminals, the newest of which houses the “Global Kitchen”, boasting 72 international restaurants. It has a 140,000 square foot domestic shopping center and a 114,000 square foot duty free mall, in addition to banks, business centers and Internet.

5. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport which is also known as Hyderabad International Airport (HYD) is named after former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. HYD is consistently one of the top five in the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) passenger survey. HYD also gets top ranking by the Airports Council International. HYD handles between five and 15 million passengers per year. A hub for SpiceJet, and Lufthansa Cargo, the airport has its own hotel, the Novotel Hyderabad Airport Hotel with 305 rooms and suites—in addition to WiFi, executive amenities, restaurants, two bars, a pool, and meeting rooms. Spa and fitness centers are also available in the hotel. You could literally vacation in this airport.

Author Bio:

Abigail Ang is an aspiring writer and a former backpacker. Into almost all types of music, Abigail also has a passion for singing. She also has an interest in sports, particularly Ultimate Frisbee and running. Abigail is also one of the editors of White Knight Hotel Intramuros a renowned Budget Hotel in the Philippines.