Anyone who has departed through Heathrow knows that it offers some of the world’s best opportunities for retail therapy, especially before a flight, And this has now been officially recognised with the top spot in the 2026 Skytrax World Airport Awards as the best airport shopping
Heathrow also climbed up six places in the Skytrax ranking of the World’s Best Airports, coming in at number 16 – a significant step forward and further recognition of the airport’s continued focus on delivering a great experience for passengers.
The awards assess airports across more than 550 hubs worldwide and are based entirely on global passenger voting through the world’s largest airport customer satisfaction survey – meaning it’s travellers themselves, not judges, who have declared Heathrow number one for shopping, ahead of airports including Singapore Changi and Doha Hamad.
With 57,000 square metres of retail space, Heathrow is home to more than 300 shops and restaurants including iconic British brands such as Burberry, Harrods, Johnnie Walker, Jo Malone and Cadbury, as well as world famous international brands such as, Hermes, Luis Vuitton, Lululemon, Chanel No. 5, Moet & Chandon and, of course, Toblerone. Whether hunting for a last‑minute gift, indulging in a designer piece or grabbing travel essentials, Heathrow’s mix of premium, lifestyle and high‑street brands sets a world-class standard for the shopping experience passengers expect before they fly.
The most popular items purchased at Heathrow include fragrance, whisky, confectionary and small leather accessories. With a bottle of perfume sold every 20 seconds, a bottle of whisky every 30, and in December a transaction every 5 seconds in duty free, Heathrow’s retail offer is well shopped and well loved.
This year’s win reinforces Heathrow’s position as a world‑leading retail destination and shows Heathrow is delivering what travellers want. It also highlights the success of Heathrow’s four-pillar ‘DESO’ (Digital, Experience, Space, Offer) retail strategy which aims to deliver unique physical and digital experiences to passengers, despite tight terminal footprints and record passenger volumes.
Fraser Brown, Heathrow’s Retail Director, said: “Winning the Skytrax award for World’s Best Airport Shopping, and one of the best airports in the world, is a proud moment for everyone at Heathrow. Because these awards are voted for directly by passengers, this recognition validates what we see every day – our teams delivering a world‑class retail experience in one of the most operationally constrained airport environments in the world.”
The Skytrax World Airport Awards are determined by the independent Airport Customer Satisfaction Survey running from August to February each year. Travellers across the world rate airports on service quality and facilities, with no airport able to buy or influence results.
