These Are the Best Airlines in the World, Offering Unmatched Comfort, Service, and Experience
Whenever you take a flight, you want to make sure that you end up on the best airline possible for your budget. And with so many options out there, you can usually find a great one after doing a little bit of research.
To help you out, we've put together a list of the best airlines in the world. Next time you book a vacation, you'll know exactly which one to go with after reading this list! Read on and enjoy your next flight!
The Award-Winning Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines is renowned for having the best cabin crew and taking their customer service really seriously both in flight and on the ground. According to GTP Airlines, the airline was voted "Best Airline" and "Best First Class Airline" for the fifth time in 2023.
This is not bad for an airline that was only established in 1972 and is the national carrier of a pretty small country. It now operates in over 75 international countries and turns over about $13.75 billion per year (Companies Market Cap).
Qantas Has The Largest Fleet In Australia
Qantas is yet another airline that's a pretty safe bet. According to BBC News, it is the Australian airline with the largest fleet, and is one of the oldest airlines in the world. In fact, it comes in third after KLM and Avianca.
Its little sister airline JetStar, offers cheaper and often shorter flights across Australia and beyond. However, Qantas is thought to be the more luxurious of the two. Flying Qantas when you're on that side of the world is a pleasure.
Lufthansa Is The Largest Carrier Out Of Germany
You could argue that Lufthansa deserves more recognition than some of the others on the list. It is the largest airline in Europe when you consider the number of passengers carried, and is also the largest German carrier.
Unlike some of the other European airlines, Lufthansa doesn't do super long-haul flights, and their top flight time is around 15 hours and 44 minutes (Simple Flying). This allows the airline to specialize in shorter flights and offer an amazing business and first class service that has won many awards in recent years.
China's Hainan Airlines
Another contender from China, Hainan Airlines is probably not as well known outside of China, however, the carrier is really popular and is one to watch as it branches out. This is a solely civilian-run airline and in fact is the biggest civilian-run airline in the world.
Hainan serves China's longest flight domestically at over two thousand miles (Simple Flying). The CEO started from the bottom and used to serve passengers as a member of the cabin crew.
Virgin Atlantic Airlines Offers Travel Perks
Virgin is a British airline that trades as Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited. Founded by billionaire Richard Branson in 1970, it's best for long flights from the UK to Australia and America at very good prices, according to the airline's official website. This is not a luxury airline, however, it is one of the best from getting you to your destination.
Virgin always offers nice little extras too, like sleeping masks, toothbrushes, and crayons for children on long flights. Its staff is friendly and the airline is always a favorite with animal lovers.
Air Asia Has Great Budget Flight Options
Air Asia is an excellent carrier for budget flights across Asia. Its main strength is that they are able to cover almost any area in Asia at a very reasonable price. Although the airline's seats are not known to be the comfiest and the service is considered by some to be pretty standard, they do continually win awards for the best low-cost airline (Air Asia Newsroom).
You're not going to be flying in luxury, and you might have to pay for your extras amenities. However, if you want to get from A to B quickly and at a reduced cost, then Air Asia is the airline for you.
Fly Emirates For In-Flight Entertainment
Emirates is one of those airlines that consistently wins awards and has amazing passengers reviews, no matter what flight path it is. The company is known for its great customer service and in-flight entertainment. It has been praised for in-flight entertainment -- offering new releases, cinema movies, and Emirates-exclusive entertainment.
This is the flag carrier for Dubai and the airline is in fact owned by the Dubai government, which runs the sister company The Emirates Group. Interestingly, it is one of the most successful airlines in terms of revenue. Its growth has never dropped below 20%, except during its second year (CNN Money).
Thai Airways
Thai Airways is the national flag carrier of Thailand. It is renowned for being the Asian airline that flies from Bangkok to pretty much anywhere in the world.
Whether you want a long haul flight, or a short flight within Thailand, Thai Airways is a great airline in terms of staff. The airline has won several awards for the best customer service on board and flies to over 35 countries, including Australia and the UK. According to the airline's official website, they rank eighth for best cabin crew and ninth for best airline staff in Asia.
The Queen Visited The British Airways HQ
British Airways is a top quality airline, known for its excellent service, great European routes and an ability to serve the perfect cup of tea. You'd hope that the company would be good at it considering that it's the UK's national airline. They serve over 35 million cups of tea on board each year (Routes).
They like to keep things classy onboard BA, which is why they have strict uniform and makeup requirements, which even detail the shades of lipstick that are allowed to be worn. As you board and land you'll hear the classical song "The Flower Duet" playing in the background for added finesse.
Cathay Pacific Was Founded By WWII Vets
Cathay Pacific is an Asian airline that operates as the flag carrier of Hong Kong. It continually wins awards for innovation and technology, and is known for their in-flight entertainment and rapid expansion over the years.
According to the airline's official website, it was started by two ex-World War Two veterans from Australia and America. They decided that it was time that Hong Kong had a quality airline, and wanted to put their aviation knowledge to good use. They nicknamed their first plane Betsy.
Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines is known for its efficient service and is often used as an economy carrier around Asia. This is an international airline with bases in Tokyo and Osaka, which has won multiple awards for its service, according to the airline's official website.
It started flying in Japan and then branched out to America. The airline has an interesting history that includes being private at first, then being bought by the government, and then being released to a private company again. It launched post-war as a domestic airline, but has grown and now is used worldwide, offering amazing around-the-world trips.
China's Largest: China Southern
Sometimes when you're booking flights around Asia, or thinking of flying to China, it can be confusing as there are so many Chinese airlines. This makes sense, as it's such a big country, but the one to remember is China Southern.
China Southern is China's biggest airline and transports over 152 million passengers per year (China Highlights). In fact, it's not only the biggest airline in China, but in all of Asia. Plus, it is the ninth largest carrier worldwide (Forbes). China Southern's size allows it to offer a great service throughout the world.
Air New Zealand Keeps Customers Happy
In terms of economy service, Air New Zealand offers some of the best flights on the market. In 2023, Air New Zealand won AirlineRatings.com's Airline of the Year, and offers its passengers multiple flight paths around the world.
The best thing about Air New Zealand is that the company beloved by its passengers, which is a pretty good indicator of how well it's doing. It was voted the best economy class and travels to over 80 destinations worldwide (Airline Ratings).
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
KLM is considered to be the oldest airline in the world, and one of the most highly respected. According to the airline's official website, their first flight was in May of 1920.
The company has been operating ever since and is renowned for quality. It flies to over92 European cities and 70 intercontinental destinations and is always at the top of the leaderboard for economy flights. Most of their flight numbers with uneven numbers depart from Amsterdam and even numbers are return flights (KLM Blog).
Qatar Still Offers Free Drinks And Snacks
Qatar Airways is known for going out of their way to deliver great customer service. The airline has won multiple awards for their business class offerings, and is known for its delicious food and spacious seats.
Even in economy, the value for money is pretty impressive. According to the airline's official website, Qatar offers free drinks and snacks on all long haul flights, and it has one of the highest staff-to-passenger ratios, meaning that you always get the best service possible while you fly across the skies.
American Airlines Hired Pioneers Female Pilots
American Airlines is considered to be America's national carrier. It's well priced, efficient, and strong on customer service, which makes it the go-to airline for many Americans traveling around the U.S.
In terms of fleet size, American Airlines is reported to be the biggest airline in the world (Air Transport World). As well as winning lots of awards for their service, American Airlines is known for pioneering female pilots and hired its first female pilot in 1973 (Business Insider). She was only 24-years-old at the time.
All Nippon Airways Has An Excellent Rewards Program
ANA - or All Nippon Airways - has climbed to some of the top spots on lots of airline rankings. According to Skytrax, it is the third best airline in the world, and is the largest airline in Japan.
ANA is a core member of the Star Alliance, which features many of the best airlines in the world that collaborate to ensure that they deliver the best possible service worldwide. Its mileage club has millions of members and is renowned for being a great rewards program.
Evergreen Air Is A Good Choice For Long Hauls
Founded in 1989, EVA stands for Evergreen Air and is a Taiwanese company that operates in 40 international countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Their slogan is "Sharing the World, Flying Together" (Air Transport World).
EVA is a premium airline that branded itself as five-star all the way. This was the first airline to offer premium economy, bridging the gap between economy and business class. EVA is also recognized for its safety, known as the sixth safest airline in the world (cntraveler.com).
Swiss Airlines Offers Terrific Service Across Europe And The World
Swiss Airlines is one of the most popular airlines in Europe and serves over 100 destinations all over the world, according to the airline's official website. This is the national airline of Switzerland, and is committed to traditional Swiss values of quality and class.
It is part of the Star Alliance and the Lufthansa group, which allows the airline to deliver a premium service across Europe and the world.
Philippine Airlines Was Awarded A Most-Improved Designation
Philippine Airlines -- or PAL as it's also known -- isn't usually one to make the top ten or twenty on the best airlines list, however, its improvements have meant that it has risen in popularity.
It's the flag carrier of the Philippines and has received several awards (Skytrax). According to the airline's official website, it began trading in 1941, making it the oldest airline in Asia. It has become a premium airline, which has rebranded as a five-star airline with better seating, more routes, and an upgraded first class service.
