Changi Airport ranks 6th 'most popular' airport in the world, according to Instagram posts
PHOTO: Unsplash, Unsplash
PUBLISHED ONApril 22, 2024 6:25 AMByAmierul RashidIf a traveller lands in an airport but doesn't post about it on Instagram, did the trip even happen?
Whether it's an in-transit selfie or a quick snap of the plane on the tarmac, sharing airport experiences online is a fun way to update friends and family of one's travel adventures.
And a recent study from UK travel website Explore found the world's most popular airports on social media, and it's not Changi Airport.
In fact, Changi did not make the top three in this study.
Based on Explore, Santiago de Compostela Airport, in Spain, is the world's most popular airport, with 42 registered locations on Instagram and roughly 187 estimated posts per day.
Taiwan's Taipei Taoyuan International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport completes the top three, while Changi Airport is in 6th place, behind international heavyweights London Heathrow Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
Explore looked into data from 136 of the world's busiest airports to determine how often each airport's registered locations is included in Instagram posts per day.
Each airport has a "primary" Instagram registered location along with "secondary" locations such as specific gates, terminals, shops and bars.
Changi Airport has 31 registered locations, only 11 behind first-placed Santiago de Compostela Airport.
However, the estimated posts per day is only estimated to be 108, far behind the top three who are scoring about 150 posts a day.
According to Explore, Santiago de Compostela Airport is the second busiest airport in Northern Spain, making it a popular holiday destination.
Another key factor for its high standing could be due to the spacious terminal offering natural light, a perfect setting for any passenger to grab a quick selfie before boarding the plane.
Changi Airport second to Hamad
After being named the world's best airport for the 12th time last year by London-based research firm Skytrax, Changi Airport has dropped to second place for 2024.
At the World Airport Awards on April 17, Doha's Hamad International Airport was crowned the world's best airport.
While Changi did not manage to retain its crown this year, it was named the best airport in Asia and the world's best airport immigration service.
Plans are in place to build a 2.5km-long underground link, connecting the future Changi Airport Terminal 5 (T5) with the existing Terminal 2 (T2).
This T2 connection will link T5 with Changi's existing terminals when the mega terminal opens in the mid-2030s.
ALSO READ: Singapore's Changi Airport ranks 5th most luxurious airport in the world, behind Paris and London
amierul@asiaone.com
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