Best airlines to fly with
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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 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
- TAM Airlines — the largest airline in South America
Featured airlines
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
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
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.
