Best airlines to fly with in 2024
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You can choose the best airline based on your preferences and demands on the flight. For example, connoisseurs of comfort will appreciate Qatar Airways for their top-rated business class. Eco-aware passengers should pay attention to Etihad Airways, which became the most eco-friendly company in 2022. Travelers with limited budgets will appreciate Southwest (US), EasyJet (Europe), Jetstar (Asia), and FlyDubai (Near East) for their affordable prices.
Check out the information below to help you choose the most suitable airline.
Largest airlines in the world
Considering different metrics, such as the number of destinations, passengers, aircrafts and workload, we can highlight the following largest airlines:
- American Airlines — more than 6700 flights daily, 881 aircrafts, 157 destinations
- Delta Airlines — around 5400 flights daily to all continents, 834 aircrafts, 355 destinations
- Turkish Airlines — 312 aircrafts and 306 destinations
- China Southern Airlines — 121 destinations, 626 aircrafts, in the top 10 in number of passengers per year
Largest airlines in Europe:
- Ryanair — serving only 34 countries, Ryanair carries more international passengers than any other airline
- Lufthansa — 201 destinations, in the top 10 in number of passengers per year
- International Airlines Group (with British Airways and Iberia as subsidiaries) serves about 200 destinations worldwide
- EasyJet — in the top 10 in number of aircrafts and passengers per year
Largest airlines in US:
- American Airlines and Delta Airlines mentioned above as the biggest airlines not only in the US but in the world
- Southwest Airlines — more than 700 aircrafts and more than 100 different destinations
- TAM Airlines — the largest airline in South America
Featured airlines
Traditional airlines
- TAP Portugal
- Lynx Air
- Avianca Cargo
- MAP Linhas Aéreas
- Myanmar Airways
- Avianca
- Royal Air Maroc
- Gazpromavia
- Kenmore Air
- Libyan Arab Airlines
- Air Moldova
- Animawings
- Pan Pacific Airlines
- Air North
- Air Europa
- Holiday Europe
- Polar Airlines
- Linear Air
- LitorAli Airlines
- Emerald Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- Transportes Aéreos Guatemaltecos
- Singapore Airlines
- El-Buraq Air Transport
- Martinair
- STP Airways
- MASwings
- Mesa Airlines
- Republic Airways
- Maya Island Air
- LIFT airline
- Mann Yadanarpon Airlines
- China Express Airlines
- Finnair
- SmartLynx Airlines
- American Airlines
- National Jet Systems
- Eco Jet
- Scandinavian Airlines Connect Ltd.
- Thai AirAsia X
- MyAir
- Hitit Bilgisayar Hizmetleri
- Pacific Coastal Airline
- Montenegro Airlines
- Georgian Airways
- Air Horizont
- Belavia Belarusian Airlines
- World2fly
- Elite Airways
- Copehagen Air Taxi
- Sudan Airways
- Super Air Jet
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Qeshm Air
- DAT LT
- Shanghai Airlines
- Air Algerie
- Air Kiribati
- Air Senegal
- Aircalin
Low-cost airlines
- Pegasus
- AirPanama
- HOP!
- Air Kenya
- Africa World Airlines
- EVA Air
- Air Busan
- JetBlue Airways
- Harbour Air (Priv)
- Skymark Airlines
- TUI Airways
- Ryanair
- Azul
- Condor
- SkyJet Airlines
- Aero Mongolia
- Frontier Airlines
- Link Airways
- Flybondi
- Norwegian
- Airblue
- Southern Airways Express
- Cinnamon Air
- Laser Air
- Allegiant Air
- Fly540
- Gol Transportes Aéreos
- Ural Airlines
- Go First
- WestJet Encore
- Eurowings
- Spring Airlines
- Fastjet
- IndiGo Airlines
- Golden Myanmar Airlines
- Boliviana de Aviación
- VivaAerobus
- Mango
- Avianca Guatemala
- Yakutia Airlines
- Sky Airline
- Buta Airways
- airBaltic
- Transavia
- Star Peru
- Severstal Air Company
- Firefly
- Air Arabia
- Onur Air
- Blue Air
- Amaszonas
- Hong Kong Airlines
- AirAsia
- FlyBosnia
- Air Iceland Connect
- GX airlines
- Aer Lingus
- Air Do
- Juneyao Airlines
- Lucky air
Normally, airlines are divided into traditional and low-cost ones. Look at the table below to understand the difference between them.
Traditional airlines |
Low-cost airlines |
Division into economy and business class | A shared cabin for all passengers |
High baggage allowance | Baggage is usually strictly limited or paid additionally |
Options of ticket exchange or money refund in case of cancelling the flight | No ability to change or cancel a flight for free, money is not refunded |
Both direct and transfer flights | Direct flights only |
Drinks and food are free on board | Drinks and food are paid additionally |
Ability to choose seats | Random seats (particular seats can be booked for an extra charge) |
Both online services and offline ticket offices | Online purchase of tickets only |
Consider the facts above to decide which type of airline suits you best.
Pay attention to top-rated low-cost airlines, such as Ryanair, WizzAir, FlyDubai, AirAsia, and others, if you don’t mind random seating or the absence of free food and drinks.
If you are not limited in budget, consider traditional airlines and their specific features. For example, virtual reality glasses are included in the price of a first-class ticket on Qantas, and the ability to listen to pilots' conversations is free on board United Airlines.
Airline alliances
SkyTeam
- ITA Airways
- KLM Cityhopper
- Air France
- Garuda Indonesia
- Aeroflot Russian Airlines
- AeroMéxico
- Czech Airlines
- China Airlines
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Korean Air
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
- Kenya Airways
- Middle East Airlines
- Xiamen Airlines
- Tarom
- Saudi Arabian Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines
Star Alliance
- Egyptair
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Copa Airlines
- Lufthansa City
- Air India Limited
- Air Canada
- Aegean
- Regional Express Americas
- Discover Airlines
- South African Airways
- Swiss International Air Lines
- Air New Zealand
- All Nippon Airways
- Croatia Airlines
- Austrian Airlines
- Asiana Airlines
- Avianca El Salvador
- Turkish Airlines
- Shenzhen Airlines
- SAS
- Thai Airways
- Brussels Airlines
Oneworld
Air alliances are global airline partnerships. What are the benefits for passengers of using flights within a particular alliance? Here are the main advantages:
- A wide variety of destinations
- Common bonus programs that allow you to collect reward points through air travel with any of the participating airlines
- A simplified procedure for connecting flights
For example, if you have to fly from the USA to Europe, airlines of one alliance will offer tickets, guaranteed connections between flights, and baggage delivery to the final destination. You don‘t have to book several tickets separately with a transfer, calculate your time between flights, and check in for each flight individually.
The three largest airline alliances are Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and OneWorld.
Explore airlines
Middle East and Africa
- TUI fly Belgium
- Jambojet
- Air Cairo
- NouvelAir
- Wizz Air
- easyJet
- Tunisair
- Fly Safair
- Airlink
- 748 Air Services
- Vueling
- Cem Air
- East African
- Nile Air
- Rwandair
- Air Tanzania
- flynas
- Air Peace Limited
- PassionAir
- Regional Air Services
- Skyward Express Limited
- Etihad Airways
- Mauritania Airlines International
- TAAG Angola Airlines
- Wizz Air Abu Dhabi
- El Al Israel Airlines
- Fly Dubai
- Flyadeal
- Precision Air
- TunisAir Express
- SkyUp MT
- Air Zimbabwe
- As Salaam Air
- Binter Canarias
- Coastal Aviation
- FlyEgypt FT
- Safarilink Aviation
- Smartwings
- Sundair
- Volotea
Asia
- Thai AirAsia
- Scoot
- Thai Lion Air
- Philippine Airlines
- SunExpress
- Thai Smile
- VietJet Air
- Batik Air Malaysia
- Nok Air
- Indonesia AirAsia
- Philippines AirAsia
- Cebu Pacific
- Spicejet
- Lion Air
- Bangkok Airways
- Corendon
- Gulf Air Bahrain
- Airswift
- ZIPAIR
- Batik Air
- Citilink
- Cambodia Angkor Air
- TUS Airways
- Wings Air
- Air Vistara
- Peach Aviation
- Arkia
- Sky Angkor Airlines
- Jeju Air
- Jetstar Airways
- Kam Air
- Blue Bird Airways
- Uzbekistan Airways
- CebGo
- FLY ONE
- Israir
- Air India Express
- Jin Air
- Air Montenegro
- Tailwind Airlines
- SalamAir
- HiSky Europe
- Jet2
- Oman Air
- Azerbaijan Airlines
- Tway Airlines
- Air Astana
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Vietravel Airlines
- FlyArystan
- Himalaya Airlines
- US-Bangla Airlines
- Freebird Airlines
- Jazeera Airways
- Kuwait Airways
- Scat Airlines
- Bamboo Airways
- Jordan Aviation
- Lanmei Airlines
- Nepal Airlines
- Royal Brunei Airlines
- Fiji Airways
- Hunnu Air
- MIAT Mongolian Airlines
- Myanmar National Airlines
- Solaseed Air
- Somon Air
- HiSky
- TUI fly Deutschland
- Yeti Airways
- Air Serbia
- Buddha Air
- Cambodia Airways
- Star Flyer
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines
- Bulgaria Air
- CitizenPlane
- Fly Baghdad Airlines
- Fuji Dream Airlines
- Qazaq Air
- Shandong Airlines
- Starlux Airlines
- Air Macau
- Air Seoul
- Air Travel
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Hong Kong Express Airways
- Oriental Air Bridge
Europe
- Flyr
- SKY express
- Play
- Iberia Express
- KM Malta Airlines
- Danish Air Transport
- flybe
- Widerøe
- Air Transat
- LoganAir
- Olympic Air
- WestJet
- Luxair
- Air Corsica
- Icelandair
- Air Caraïbes
- Eastern Airways
- AlbaWings
- populAir
- Iberojet Airlines
- Cyprus Airways
- Virgin Atlantic Airways
- Neos Air
- Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas
- Bulgarian Air Charter
- ASL Airlines France
- AlbaStar
- Blue Islands
- SATA Air Acores
- SwiftAir
- Air Albania
- Atlantic Airways
- Corsair International
- Wamos Air
- French Bee
- Edelweiss Air
- Enter Air
- UEP Fly
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Canary Fly
- Divi Divi Air
- GP Aviation
- Sevenair
- St Barth Commuter
- Transaviabaltika
- Air Greenland
- Aurigny Air Services
- Corendon Dutch Airlines B.V.
- GullivAir
- Jonair
- TUI fly Nordic
- Trade Air
Oceania
North America
- Spirit Airlines
- Volaris
- Flair Airlines
- Alaska Airlines
- Wingo airlines
- Swoop
- Sun Country Airlines
- BREEZE
- Sansa Air
- TAR Aerolineas
- Porter Airlines
- Viva Air
- Silver Airways
- Aeromar
- interCaribbean Airways
- Sunwing
- Caribbean Airlines
- EZ Air
- Bahamasair
- Key Lime Air
- Seaborne Airlines
- Vieques Air Link
- Costa Rica Green Airways
- PAL Airlines
- Air Antilles Express
- Pascan Aviation
- Tropic Air Limited
- AirCentury
- Cayman Airways
- Orbest
South America
The choice of airlines in the world is immense. However, here is some useful information about the airlines to help you organize your trip. Usually, flying from one continent to another implies a long duration of the flight. Use these criteria and our lists of airlines to make the right choice for a comfortable trip:
- A big, comfortable distance between seats (AirArabia, Air France, AirBaltic, El Al, Etihad Airways)
- Good food service (Emirates, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines)
- Entertainment to pass the time (Etihad Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines); passengers of these airlines can watch movies on the screen built into the back of the seat in front of them, listen to music, or play interactive games
- Free baggage allowance (Etihad Airways and Atlasglobal are the leaders)
Safety is an essential factor for any flight, especially a long one. Air New Zealand and Qantas are recognized as the best airlines in 2022 regarding safety.