There is no greater feeling than setting off on holiday and knowing you’re getting bang for your buck on flights and accommodation. Which is why, each year when Skytrax reveals its list of the ‘best low cost airline terminals in the world’, our ears prick up.
For the last 27 years, Skytrax has been measuring the world’s airports against each other for its annual World Airport Awards. The company quizzes customers on everything from baggage delivery times to airports’ cleanliness and the friendliness of staff, assessing more than 575 airports across 100 different nationalities.
Now, the winners for 2026 have been revealed, and Londoners will be happy to hear that two of our local aviation hubs have ranked among the top 10 cheapest. Luton has ranked 10th on the list of the ‘best low cost airline terminals in the world’, while Stansted has shot into fifth position.
Luton’s ranking probably won’t come as much of a surprise, having achieved the same position in last year’s awards. But for Stansted, coming in the top five is a big win. The airport hasn’t always fared well in competitions, having been named the second worst aviation hub in Britain for 2024.
But the northeast London airport – which is currently the capital’s third-biggest – has been gearing up for huge change for a few years. At the end of 2025, STN received permission from the council to up its passenger numbers to 51 million under new plans to ‘maximise [its] full potential’.
Stansted is already a hub for budget airlines, with Ryanair its largest operator. Wizz Air holds top spot at Luton, and both carry flights from EasyJet, Tui and Jet2.
Skytrax describes its ‘best low cost airline terminals in the world’ category as celebrating ‘airport terminals that specialise in providing service to low-cost airlines’. Two Japanese terminals – T2 at Kansai Airport and T3 at Tokyo Narita – topped the poll, followed by Paris Charles de Gaulle’s T3 in third position. You can check out where else made the top 10 here and find the full list of European award winners here.
Did you see that Eurostar has launched a huge flash sale with £35 trips from London to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and more?
Plus: three London bus routes and two DLR lines are now free to ride for two months.
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