What do you want in an airline? Safety, low cost, superlative entertainment, food and comfort, or one that is sustainable? These and many other aspects have been assessed in different categories by AirlineRating.Com, and the results are as follows:
Best Overall
According to the ratings, the best overall is Air NZ, the seventh time it has taken the crown in the last 11 years. AirlineRating.com was particularly impressed by the airline's multiple in-flight innovations, its safety record, staff leadership and environmental stewardship.
The extended top 25 list saw former 2022 winner Qatar Airways take second. The remainder of the top ten was Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic, EVA Air, Cathay Pacific Airways and Emirates.
The AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards, judged by five editors with over 180 years of industry experience, combines major safety and government audits with 12 key criteria that include: fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, product offerings, and staff relations.
Safest Airlines
Safety is naturally a concern for travellers, and usually, that spikes when news coverage covers a major disaster. So AirlineRatings.com has rated the safety of airlines by utilizing a comprehensive range of factors from fleet age to recent fatal accidents.
The Top 25, in order, are: Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, Finnair, Cathay Pacific Airways, Alaska Airlines, SAS, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Lufthansa/Swiss Group, KLM, Japan Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, American Airlines, Air France, Air Canada Group and United Airlines.
According to AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas, these airlines are standouts in the industry and are at the forefront of safety, innovation, and launching of new aircraft.
Safest Low-Cost Airlines
The top 20 safest low-cost airlines for 2024 in order are: Jetstar, easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Norwegian, Frontier, Vueling, Vietjet, Southwest, Volaris, flydubai, AirAsia Group, Cebu Pacific, Sun Country, Spirit, Westjet, JetBlue, Air Arabia, Indigo and Eurowings.
Awards: Best of The Rest
The website ranked Air New Zealand as the Best Economy Class carrier, while Qatar Airways picked up Best Business Class for the fourth year running and Best Catering.
Singapore Airlines won Best First Class, while Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic won Best Cabin Crew.
Best-In-Flight Entertainment and Best Premium Economy went to Emirates, while Qantas picked up Best Lounges. Air Baltic won the Best Regional Airline award.
Other awards include:
Excellence in Long Haul travel:
- Middle East: Qatar Airways;
- North Asia: Korean Air;
- Northern Europe: Lufthansa;
- North America: Delta Air Lines;
- South America: Latam
- Southern Europe: Turkish Airlines;
- South-East Asia: Singapore Airlines
- Australia/Pacific – Air New Zealand
- African Airline – Air Mauritius.
Best Low-Cost Airlines are:
- Americas – Southwest,
- Middle East – Fly Dubai,
- Asia – AirAsia, Australia/Pacific – Jetstar
- Europe – Ryanair.
Vietjet picked up two awards: Best Ultra Low-Cost Airline and Best Low-Cost Airline Onboard Hospitality, which recognize the amazing value of its onboard offering. The best Environmental Airline was named as Etihad Airways.
Andy Probert is an independent journalist based in Turkey. He writes about travel, aviation, new tech and business. His work has appeared on the BBC, in The Daily Telegraph, Hurriyet Daily News and other newspapers worldwide.
