The new Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said the profitability of Britain's airports in the future will depend on the passenger experience.
In an interview with London's Evening Standard, Hammond said there would be cash rewards for airports where the standards are raised in areas such as queue length, security and car parking.
He suggested operators such as BAA would welcome the change in airport policy, under the airport economic regulation Bill mentioned in the Queen's speech on Tuesday.
"What we want is a regime that says to BAA: Part of the money you get, part of your profitability, will depend on the passengers' experience through the airport'," said Hammond.
He said it would mean proper rewards for the the kind of improvements BAA has already invested in, such as Terminal 5.
"It means we pay the operator more when he makes the queues shorter," said Mr Hammond.
But there is still room for improvement at Heathrow, according to the transport secretary.
"Historically, Heathrow has been something of a joke, outweighed by its excellent connections," said Mr Hammond.
"We have to aspire to having an airport at Heathrow with two runways which is a world-class airport. It's a big challenge."
Under the new coalition government, plans for expanding Heathrow with a third runway have been scrapped.