The study, conducted by ground transportation experts Mozio, reveals the best and worst global airports for passengers to be collected from, based on factors such as pick-up rules and restrictions, surcharges and fees and ease of access.

The easiest (and trickiest) airports for pickups in North and South America

North and South America include some of the easiest airports in the world for pickups, as well as some of the trickiest.

Several major airports in Mexico and the United States earn “excellent” scores thanks to simple curb access and predictable rules, making it easy for friends, family, taxis or rideshares to meet arriving passengers.

Five airports made it into this tier:

·       Mexico City International Airport

·       Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

·       Miami International Airport

·       Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

·       Denver International Airport

Airports that have very poor pickup processes

“Very poor” airport pickups present the biggest challenges for passengers trying to meet their ride. These places tend to have the most restrictive pickup rules and layouts that require longer walks or additional steps before reaching the correct pickup point. For tired travelers or those unfamiliar with the airport, the process can feel slow and less intuitive.

Four airports fall into this tier:

·       San Francisco International Airport

·       Seattle–Tacoma International Airport

·       Los Angeles International Airport

·       John F. Kennedy International Airport

The easiest and most challenging airport pickups in Asia

Asia stands out as the strongest-performing region in the entire report, with more airports earning “excellent” scores than anywhere else in the world.

Asia has the largest group of airports in the “excellent” tier, at 5 in total:

·       Seoul Incheon International Airport

·       Singapore Changi Airport

·       Kuala Lumpur International Airport

·       Chengdu Tianfu International Airport

·       Soekarno–Hatta International Airport

Airports that make meeting your ride hardest

Dubai International Airport is among the most successful long-haul locations, but ranks “very poor” in this specific pickup index. According to ACI figures, the airport handled approximately 92.3 million passengers in 2024, setting a new record for the location.11

Despite its global success, the scale of DXB places constant pressure on its road system and forecourts. Very high passenger volumes naturally mean more vehicles, heavier congestion and tighter controls on where rideshare services can stop. To keep traffic moving, the airport relies on designated pickup areas that are often located farther away compared to smaller airports.

‍The best and worst airports for pickups in Europe

Airport pickups in Europe can feel very different depending on where you land, with country-specific infrastructure and ways of organizing aviation. Some airports make it simple to step outside and meet your ride, with clear instructions and well-positioned pickup zones. Others require a little more navigation, thanks to larger layouts oEuropean airports with the best pickup arrangements

Several European airports sit in the “good” tier, offering reliable pickup experiences even if they don’t quite reach the standards set by the top-performing regions.

Three airports fall into this group:

·       Istanbul Airport

·       Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

·       Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airportr busier forecourts.

Airports with the most difficult pickups

Heathrow is the only European airport in the “very poor” tier. It has the highest number of passengers in Europe, handling 83.9 million people in 2024, and ranks as the fourth-busiest airport in the world.17

That level of demand concentrates pressure on a compact site with multiple terminals, elevated roads and strict security controls. Taxis remain easy to find at each terminal, but some ridesharing services are routed to designated zones that can be located farther from the main exits and may require crossing between levels.

At the same time, Heathrow and its investors have announced multi-billion-pound modernization plans intended to improve capacity and upgrade terminals and passenger services.