The 20 Best Airlines in the World Right Now

Traveling is definitely one of the best ways to de-load and relax during your most stressful time. We always recommend choosing a more exotic and out of the ordinary place to travel to during your next vacation simply because it’s so healthy for both your mind and your body.

But when it comes to traveling all around the globe there are certain reasons as to why you might not want to spend the extra time or money being surrounded by strangers at all times that we won’t necessarily get into with this article.

Instead, the purpose behind this short guide is to provide you with a comprehensible list of the top 20 best airlines in the world that can offer you the best flying experience you can possibly get.

After all, we don’t always get to choose when we have our vacation, so we really need to take as much advantage as we can of it because otherwise, we’ll lose out on potentially the best time of our year.

But alas, now that we’ve got that out of the way let’s start this off with our number 20 pick. You might believe that this deserves to be higher on our list but give us the benefit of the doubt and hear us out before you decide whether we’re right on wrong on this one:

20. Etihad Airways

As the second flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, you already know that you’re getting a quality experience from them right off the bat. Etihad Airways is actually a company so popular that it controls and sets off well over 1,000 flights every week and on each of those you can see over 120 people at all times.

They operate anywhere from the Middle East to Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and even Australia. They have a total of 102 Airbus and Boeing aircrafts (by the time you’re reading this article) and they are said to be working on increasing those numbers even further in the next couple of years.

19. Delta Air Lines

Moving onto our 19^th pick of the day we have Delta Air Lines, an American airline company that is resoundingly famous for their safety, innovation and reliability that they’ve shown off for so many years now.

They have well over a decade in the industry during which they’ve proven without a doubt that they’ve got what it takes to operate within 60 countries with ease.

Their prices are definitely a bit less convenient to say the least but they more than make up for it by including high quality seats, airline food and beverages, IFE and amenities amongst all the other qualifications you’d expect from a top-grade airline.

18. Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia may seem like any other top of the line airline service, but they actually manage to stray away from the rest by offering what we would personally refer to as the best health service your money could ever buy.

What we mean by this is that they always have an in-house doctor and a 24-hour medical team that is ready to help out with any inconvenience of health-related issue, regardless of how small or petty that may be.

They also have over 80 aircrafts in the air and are known for operating within more than 450 locations around the globe.

17. Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is one of those airline services that is great all around, regardless of whether you’re looking to arrive at your destination the fastest, have minimal baggage issues or just have an overall positive experience with them.

They always rank up high simply because they never do anything below average. They are pretty much just a jack of all trades that will always offer you the best experience your money can buy.

On top of that they’re also pretty affordable to the point where it’s very easy to see why they ranked up so high on every list out there.

16. Hawaiian Airlines

As the name implies, this airline service actually originated from Hawaii and not only that, it is actually their longest-serving airline to date and for good reason too.

They’ve been working on the field for over 14 years now and they continue to do so with the highest grade of quality they could possibly go for. If you’re ever planning to go to Hawaii for your next vacation, they’re definitely the best choice out there.

They offer all of the add-ons that you’d expect from a top-grade airline too, whether that is quality seats, amenities, food and beverages or whatnot.

15. KLM

If what you’re looking for is reliability then how could you ever hope to go for a better choice than KLM? Royal Dutch Airlines have been in the industry since 1919, they’re actually the oldest operating airline in the world and on top of that they also have one of the largest companies in the field.

We’re talking about a fleet of over 149 planes and on top of that well over 35,000 employees working day and night to ensure that everyone gets to their destination safely. Couple that with the fact that they operate in over 145 destinations and you’ve got yourself a good airline service right here.

14. Japan Airlines

One of the top reasons as to why so many politicians and businessmen choose to go for Japan Airlines is the fact that they offer both scheduled and non-scheduled air transport. This means that if you desperately need to get to someplace and you got the money to order it you can easily have them personally transport you.

But, for everyone else in the world the reason as to why Japan Airlines is so good is because they offer quality services and of course, it’s all because they hold dominion over the Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea locations that so many people want to go visit at least once during their lifetime.

13. Finnair

Another staple of the European airline industry, Finnair has been operating for well over 90 years now and they continue to do while being revered as one of the strongest and most respected airlines in the world.

They operate all around the world and they offer all of the opportunities that you’ve come to expect from one of the top graded airline services in the world.

They are especially great when it comes to their staff service, each and every one of their workers are trained specifically to make sure that your experience is worthwhile and it truly shows.

12. ANA (All Nippon Airways)

ANA, or All Nippon Airways, is by far one of the largest and most popular airlines in Japan, especially when it comes to its revenues and passenger number.

They are currently the only 5-star rated airline in Japan, which is especially worthwhile when you realize the fact that there are very few of these all around the globe at any time whatsoever.

This means that they’ve surpassed thousands of other airlines out there and we honestly couldn’t agree more with this assessment.

11. Lufthansa

Going from Japan back to Europe now we have the biggest airline in here, and that’s all thanks to the combined efforts from them, as Lufthansa also owns Swiss Airlines, Austrian Airlines and Germanwings. These airlines all band together to offer the world the best flight experience their money can get.

Because of this they have well over 656 aircrafts currently active and they’re properly increasing that number by the day.

Although they’re mostly known for their popularity amongst the German (and European) population, they definitely offer plenty of quality experiences all around the world as well.

10. British Airways

British Airways just barely made it through to our top 10 and that’s because they offer one of the best airline staffs in all of Europe.

They’re very popular in the United Kingdom but even so they operate in well over 83 countries around over 200 destinations in total and on top of that they were given then Covid-19 Airline Excellence award in 2021 because of their efforts to eradicate any semblance of threat for their users.

9. EVA Air

EVA Air, or Evergreen Airways if you will, has been one of the top premium airline services around the globe in these last couple of years.

They operate in 20 different countries and offer around 50 international destinations but if you want to make sure that your experience is as safe as possible then you really can’t go wrong with them.

Sure, they’re a bit pricier and they can definitely seem like they’re pulling your leg with some of the expenses that you can come across on their flights but they’re well worth it in our opinion simply because of the added safety level that they managed to achieve.

8. United Airlines

As the third largest airline in the whole world, United Airlines have definitely had to work their way up to the top over the years but thanks to their out-of-this-world quality and their overall incredible reach they’ve done so splendidly to the point where many would refer to theirs as the best airline service in the world.

They operate in well over 238 destinations around the world and it is said that every passing day more than 4,900 flights go up which is no small number to say the least.

They are usually the first option that the ordinary person goes for because of their affordable prices and their high-quality services that you can always rely on.

7. Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic was established back in 1984 and they immediately made themselves known as one of the top airlines when it comes to long haul flights around the world.

Whether you’re looking to travel to North America, Africa, the Middle East or Asia, they offer plenty of flights that you can take advantage of thanks to their affordable price tag and most importantly their high-quality services.

On top of that they are also known for their distinct look. They were amongst the first to fully customize their cabin crew uniforms and make it a staple of their services. They hired one of the most renowned designers in the world back in the 80s to make their signature red uniforms and it truly shows.

6. Cathay Pacific

This right here is what we would refer to as one of the safest airline services around the globe and for good reason too. Ever since the pandemic started it has been pretty hard to offer the typical traveler a proper list of safety measurements that can help put their mind to ease but luckily, they did just that.

They actually did such a great job that they were even awarded the COVID-19 Airline Excellence award this year and they truly deserve it. Whether you’re looking to travel to Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa or North America, they’ve definitely got your back.

They operate in well over 70 destinations and 29 countries all around the globe and honestly as far as quality goes you cannot go wrong with Cathay Pacific.

5. Emirates

This Dubai-based airline is definitely worth your money and if you don’t think so just take a quick look at how many awards they won this year alone. We’re talking about the World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment award, the best First Class in the Middle East award and most importantly, the COVID-19 Airline Excellence Award.

If you’re looking to get the best in terms of quality and price then the Emirates might very well be one of the top picks on your list for sure.

On top of all of that they are also known for operating in over 130 international destinations with over 380 total aircrafts in the world. Needless to say, they know their stuff and if you want top quality services you can’t go wrong with them.

4. Qantas

This Australia-based airline has already won two distinct titles this year, with the first being the Best Airline in Australia/Pacific and the second being for the Best Airline Staff in Australia/Pacific.

So, if that sounds like your cup of tea then you most definitely will want to check them out especially considering their rich history.

In case you didn’t know by now, they were officially known as the world’s safest airline back in the day because following WWII there weren’t a lot of options out there for safe flight and yet they instantly delivered and continued to do so to this very day.

Consistency is key in making a name for yourself which is why Qantas has one of the most reputable names in the industry and that’s a fact.

3. Singapore Airlines

Back in 2018, Singapore Airlines was crowned as the best airline in the world. How does it stand up after a couple of years? Honestly, they’re still at the very top, winning awards left and right for being the best at what they do.

Whether we’re talking about their World’s Best Airline Cabin Staff award, their Best Airline in Asia or World’s Best First-Class Awards or any of the multiple other awards they’ve amassed this year alone it’s pretty clear that they’re pretty much on top of their game every year.

They operate in well over 75 destinations worldwide and they’re pretty much considered to be one of the absolute best choices you can go for as far as airline services go.

2. Air New Zealand

Back in the 1940s, Air New Zealand was just starting out as a small yet promising airline company that made sure to never skip any steps when it came to showing off.

Because of their incredible work ethic, they’ve risen past that point though, nearly surpassing almost every other airline company to this day and it’s all thanks to their incredible quality and the amount of passion they’ve put into their work.

Whether we’re talking about their affordable prices, their top-of-the-line services or their overall incredibly well-trained staff, Air New Zealand will forever go down in history as one of the best airline services out there and that’s a fact.

1. Qatar Airways

For as much as we’d like to say that the competition was stiff this year, it wasn’t. Qatar Airways has once again swooped in and taken the first place and for good reason too.

This is the second year in a row and the sixth time that they reach the number one spot and that’s clearly shown by just how many awards they received during this year alone.

Listing them all up would take too long so we’ll just end it with this: They’re at the peak because they deserve it, they may be more expensive but they offer the best in terms of quality out there and there’s no way anyone can ever dispute that.

Conclusion

Overall, Qatar Airways may very well be the best in terms of quality out there but that doesn’t mean you can’t give any of our other picks here a try.

At the end of the day just because one experience is held in higher regard that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get your money’s worth from let’s say our number 8 pick. So, with that being said, thank you for reading and good luck on your travels!