Love them or hate them, airports are pretty essential if you want to explore far-flung corners of the world. In a bid to arm passengers with advice, website SleepinginAirports asked travellers to rate airports based on their overall experience, taking into account comfort, services and facilities, food options, security, customer service, cleanliness, ease of transit and ‘sleepability’. Starting with the most popular, we bring you their ten highest rated and ten least popular airports in Europe. 

It's perhaps not surprising that Helsinki Vantaa Airport hits the number one spot. In a clever attempt to accommodate weary travellers, the bright bods there have gone the extra mile by introducing sleep pods. The seats convert to a bed, with a pull-up cover to block out the terminal noise. Travellers praised the airport for its cleanliness, efficiency, free wi-fi and the handy rail link to the city.

Munich may hold the number two spot on the SleepinginAirports top rated in Europe list, but one reviewer considers it “the best”. Another gushed that “the airport gleams – it’s beautiful”, whilst there were special mentions for the polite staff, “awesome” shopping and clean restrooms.

Travellers rave about how cosy Tallinn airport is. From the free library to the beanbags, children’s play area, themed gates and boutique shops, it seems every effort has been put into making people comfortable. One reviewer even went so far as to say that “Tallinn airport public area is like the worlds best airport business lounge, without the extra cost”.

The efficient train service to the city centre, comfortable benches and supermarket all earn points for Zurich International Airport. Family-friendly facilities also include playrooms kitted out with toys and a PlayStation, as well as paid-for showers.

Passengers rated the soft leather sofas, easy navigability and airside library at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The variety of couches and chairs proved popular for travellers hoping to catch up on sleep, with one reviewer saying that the airport “feels like home”.

Travellers report reasonable sleeping conditions at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, although many reviews mentioned the chilly temperatures. The friendly staff also get a special mention, as do the abundant plugs, sofas and wi-fi.

The plentiful shops, free fast wi-fi, soft sofas and comfortable padded “bed shaped structures” in Terminal 2 have all earned Copenhagen Airport a place in the top ten. Passengers also praised the convenient hand-luggage carts, as well as the on site Burger King.

Overnight travellers rated Dublin International Airport for its plentiful sleeping spots, with one reviewer even praising the airport police for watching over snoozing passengers to “make sure they are ok”. Other positive mentions included the speedy wi-fi, comfy café armchairs in Terminal 2 and the “tranquil” food court in Terminal 1. The friendly staff, efficient queues and wide range of shops are also well received.

The intuitive layout, amenable staff, water dispensers and cosy atmosphere all score points for Porto’s airport. Passengers recommended the metro for easy access to the city centre, whilst overnighters appreciated the fact the lighting on the upper level gets switched off at midnight. As one reviewer glowingly said: “the more I travel, the more I value this airport”.

Vienna International Airport scores a place at number 10 thanks to its “excellent quality” restaurants and clean bathrooms. One grateful reviewer rated the comfortable couches, which are next to floor to ceiling windows, with views over the runway. Another rated the two supermarkets, with a hot counter and delicatessen.

When it comes to the SleepinginAirports “worst” in Europe list, Berlin Tegel Airport has the dubious honour of weighing in at number 10. Claims from disgruntled passengers included “overpriced” snack machines, long queues and uncomfortable seating, but one rated the “nice” showers, which reportedly included a towel and shower gel for €5.

Hot on the heels of its counterpart is Berlin Schönefeld Airport. While some overnighters reported a reasonable sleep and the speedy wi-fi is highly regarded, it seems it isn’t all good news. Negative comments included “dirty” toilets, a lack of overnight access to food and drink and “cold” metal seats.

Formerly known as Someșeni Airport, Cluj International scores three out of five stars. To be fair, there’s only one review from an overnight traveller, who said the experience was “not bad with an air mattress.” Pros include clean toilets and vending machines with tea, coffee and snacks, but the temperature was apparently cold.

Chania Airport is, according to one reviewer, a “disaster”. Complaints included crowding, limited dining options and a lack of seating.

It may be one of Italy’s fastest growing airports, but several overnight passengers at Rome Ciampino report being made to wait outside between midnight and 4am, regardless of the cold. One reviewer dubbed it “the worst experience I had in my life”, whilst another said it was “just awful”.

Luton is often an economical option when flying in or out of the UK, but negative claims include a lack of places to sit in comfort and unfriendly staff. One very disgruntled writer even called it “a vision of hell,” although a more positive nocturnal visitor reported having a “pretty darn good” night.

One unimpressed reviewer urges travellers to “avoid this airport”, whilst others claim they had to wait outside Paris Beauvais–Tillé in the early hours, when the building closed. However, some happier reviewers did note recent improvements in the shape of new bathrooms and a bus station with a Starbucks.

The island of Rhodes may be popular with holidaymakers, but it earns just two out of five stars, with one reviewer claiming the “shambolic” airport would make him think twice about returning. Sleepers make mention of the hard metal benches, whilst the wi-fi received mixed reports.

Sunny Santorini has the misfortune of bagging the number two spot in the SleepinginAirports  list of the “worst” airports in Europe. One reviewer claimed it was “chaotic” and “overcrowded”, with not enough staff to get flyers checked in and through security. Another traveller talked of defecting to a hotel when he discovered he couldn’t sleep there overnight.

Tourists flock to Crete for the warm weather and sandy beaches, but Heraklion Airport hits the number one spot when it comes to the SleepinginAirports list of the "worst" in Europe. One report mentioned “stinky” toilet facilities and “dirty” floors, whilst another claimed to have had an hour-long wait for suitcases. However, one solo female traveller admitted the airport “wasn’t nearly as bad” as she’d expected, despite the uncomfortable seating.