The final countdown is on. It’s that time of year when most of the world begins to unwind from the year that was and concentrate on the holiday season. As I also get ready to sign off, I find myself thinking back to what I’ve learned, what I’m proud to have done, what I could have done differently.

I am privileged to live in one of the most picturesque cities in the world, Geneva Switzerland. There are few more extraordinary morning commutes than driving along Lake Geneva on a clear winter morning with the might of the Jet ’Eau in the foreground, and majestic Mont Blanc in the distance. To call this great global city ‘home’ is a gift which I am acutely aware.

I am also fortunate in that my work takes me to numerous countries every year. Admittedly, sometimes it feels as though I spend half my life up at 35,000 feet, but travel feeds my soul – I love being able to venture out in new directions, knowing I am going to discover new places, people, cultures and perspectives. The opportunity to be a true citizen of the world is one of the greatest joys of my life.

For all its beauty though, living in Geneva has a downside when it com
es to setting out on life’s great adventures. As efficient as Geneva Airport (GVA) is, with an almost 80% on-time departure rate in 2015, its relatively small size often means my long-haul journeys of discovery invariably necessitate a connecting flight.

So, as I think back on 2016…the many miles I have covered, the people I’ve met, and the transit memories that linger (good and bad!), I thought today I’d share with you some of my personal favourite airports when it comes to layovers. I’ll also share my least favourites, too, so you know which ones to avoid.

Regardless of where in the world I am travelling, when it comes to airports, first and foremost for me is a singular word – convenience – defined by the relative ease of access and the range of services they provide.  In Europe, hands down – the best are Amsterdam (AMS) and Zurich (ZRH).  Small enough to navigate with ease, but with enough options on offer to keep you from getting bored when you have a few hours to kill.

Not long ago London Heathrow’s (LHR) Terminal 5 (which was dedicated solely to BA) would have made my list of favourites. However, they’ve gone down a few notches since moving multiple flights back to Terminal 3; I think we can all agree that there is nothing worse than overloaded shuttle buses transferring an unbearable number of travelers caught up in early morning arrivals. Where do I consciously try to avoid for European transfers?  Little debate here: Paris (CDG) and Frankfurt (FRA).  These behemoths are painful to transit through in my experience; they are crowded, with long travel times between terminals and oftentimes confusing connection instructions.

When I travel to Asia, it is normally via the Middle East, either stopping in Dubai (DXB) or Abu Dhabi (AUH); these airports are like impressive cities to themselves, their immense sizes and diversity of offerings really something to behold.
Once construction is complete in these two hub airports, I believe they will be far ahead of all other global airports in holistic design. The only caveat is to make sure you have enough connection time. Both airports are immense and the scale does translate into lengthy terminal and gate distances. In the same spirit of airport experience excellence, the new Doha airport (DOH) is exceptional. Once in Asia, I always enjoy travelling through Singapore (SIN). It is still my favourite, though I miss the convenience of the old BA/Qantas codeshare days.

The best airports in the world stand to emphasise the wonder of travel that touches our lives each year. However, as we all know, the curses are out there too. Those airports which simply add stress and frustration to the journey. So where does the award for the worst transfer in the world go? Sadly, it’s most of the USA airports that top my list. In my travel planning, every effort is made to avoid transferring in NYC (especially JFK), San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX). That said, if one does need to transfer in the USA, Denver (DEN) and Atlanta (ATL) are fine; though I must tell you their track record on losing my luggage is abysmal.

Now wherever your travels take you in 2017, may your journeys be safe and smooth, and give you all you seek. But before that, may your year-end holiday season find you surrounded by loved ones.

Wishing you a happy New Year full of fun-filled travel adventures, exploring and discovering our shared world!