The Prix Versailles, organisers of architectural competitions, has revealed its list of the world's most beautiful airports for 2026. Seven terminals from across the globe have been recognised for their 'extraordinary architectural ambition', with the United States and India each securing two entries.
Pittsburgh International Airport was praised for its large undulating roofline that echoes the nearby Allegheny Mountains, supported by 38 steel columns resembling the region's forest. Glass walls allow natural light to flood the space, while four outdoor terraces are under construction. San Diego International Airport's Terminal 1 was lauded for its 244-metre curved glass facade, which spreads daylight while reducing heat and glare. An innovative column-free ticketing hall has also cut the building's carbon footprint by 30 per cent.
India's Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Assam was celebrated for its Terminal 2, which features sweeping vaulted bamboo ceilings referencing the region's sacred landscapes and indigenous traditions. Navi Mumbai International Airport's Terminal 1, meanwhile, combines futuristic design with organic motifs, with geometric ceiling shapes forming giant lotus flowers that appear to hold up the roof.
Elsewhere, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport's Terminal 3 in China impressed with its light-filled layout, fluid curves and gardens for transit passengers, along with the highest open-air observation deck at any Chinese airport. Cambodia's Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh was chosen for its modular roof that evokes local palaces and temples, with interiors inspired by bamboo and rattan basket weaving. Frankfurt Airport's Terminal 3, one of Europe's largest infrastructure projects at 1.3 square kilometres, was recognised for its city-like layout of piers, gates and lounges bathed in natural light.
Jérôme Gouadain, secretary general of the Prix Versailles, said the seven airports were selected for their innovation, explaining that they resolve the apparent conflict between the need for speed and accessible tourism. 'They resolve the apparent conflict between the increasing frequency of travel and the need for speed – both central to an airport's purpose – on the one hand and, on the other, the singularity of a form of tourism that aims to be accessible and that values people's time in places that, in this day and age, can no longer be described as mere "transfer" spaces,' he said.
