The World’s Top 20 Airlines Ranked For 2017
— 23 October 2017

The World’s Top 20 Airlines Ranked For 2017

— 23 October 2017
John McMahon
WORDS BY
John McMahon

The majority of us will go straight to a flight comparison website when on the hunt for our next airfare. Some will even let the cheap flights select their destination for them. Others, on the opposite end of the spectrum, may stay true to an airline for decades – kind of like an allegiance to an automaker.

Even though most of us fall into the former category, there is something to be said for choosing experience over your bank account. What’s even better is that the airlines that consistently rank highest on the list aren’t inaccessible. Sure, we aren’t all sitting in seat 1A, but the latest rankings from Skytrax awarded at the 2017 Paris Air Show may help you make that decision when tossing up your carrier for next summer’s Euro trip.

Interesting to note, Asian airlines dominate the top half of the list with 9 out of 10 spots, and no U.S. airline has even cracked the top 30.

20. Asiana

Previous rank: 16

Modern fleet, excellent economy class

19. Air New Zealand

Previous rank: 17

Family friendly ‘skycouch’ economy configuration

18. Air France

Previous rank: 14

‘La Premiere’ first class suites, exceptional service

17. Austrian Airlines

Previous rank: 19

Consistently efficient, newly renovated fleet

16. Japan Airlines

Previous rank: 21

Best Economy Class Airline Seat 2017, well-coordinated ground staff

15. Qantas

Previous rank: 9

Holds its title as only accident-free carrier

14. Swiss International Airlines

Previous rank: 15

Friendly cabin crew, generous with alcoholic beverages and chocolate

13. Virgin Australia

Previous rank: 18

State-of-the-art infotainment systems, Best Australian Airline

12. Turkish Airlines

Previous rank: 7

Services over 100 countries, one of Europe’s finest

11. Thai Airways

Previous rank: 13

Known for premium First and Business cabins, but extends to economy also

10. Garuda Indonesia

Previous rank: 11

Best Cabin Crew for 2017

9. Hainan Airlines

Previous rank: 12

Only Chinese airline with 5-star Skytrax rating

8. Etihad Airways

Previous rank: 6

Exclusive ‘Residence’ flying apartments

7. Lufthansa

Previous rank: 10

Europe’s largest carrier, overall product quality remains high

6. EVA Air

Previous rank: 8

Taiwan-based airline known for the debut of the ‘premium economy’ cabin

5. Cathay Pacific

Previous rank: 4

One of Asia’s finest flying experiences, known for comfort and attention to detail

4. Emirates

Previous rank: 1

Despite dropping a few sizeable rankings, Emirates remains the benchmark for most

3. All Nippon Airways

Previous rank: 5

Home to the largest fleet of 787 Dreamliners

2. Singapore Airlines

Previous rank: 3

The best airline in Asia, above and beyond with service even in economy

1. Qatar Airways

Previous rank: 2

Supreme offerings overall, visit Skytrax for more details on each airline above.

Subscribe to B.H. Magazine

John McMahon
WORDS by
John McMahon is a founding member of the Boss Hunting team who honed his craft by managing content across website and social. Now, he's the publication's General Manager and specialises in bringing brands to life on the platform.

TAGS

Share the article