Asian Airlines Named Best in 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards

Delta highest-ranked U.S. airline

Qatar Airways has once again received the honor of being named the World’s Best Airline in the 2025 SKYTRAX World Airline Awards, bestowing the title of "World's Best" for the fourth time in the last five years.

“This recognition is far more than an award," Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said. "It is a celebration of the passion, precision and purpose that defines who we are as an airline.”

The accolades, which were bestowed on June 17 at the Paris Air Show, also named Qatar as having the World's Best Business Class and the Best Airline in the Middle East.

Qatar Airways 777 (photo provided by Qatar Airways)

Singapore Airlines occupied the No. 2 slot, a position it also held on the World's Best lists of 2024, 2022 and 2021. Singapore was named World's Best in 2023.

This year's No. 3 airline was Cathay Pacific followed by Emirates at No. 4 and Japan's All-Nippon Airways (ANA) at No. 5.

Turkish Airlines, Koreas Air, Air France, Japan Airlines and Hainan Airlines rounded out the Top 10.

World's Best Airlines

1. Qatar Airways
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Emirates
5. All Nippon Airways (ANA)
6. Turkish Airlines
7. Korean Air
8. Air France
9. Japan Airlines
10. Hainan Airlines

Over 100 customer nationalities from around the world voted in the SKYTRAX awards, which are described as "The Oscars of the aviation industry" and constitutes the world’s largest airline passenger satisfaction survey.

The complete World's Best list of the world's top 100 airlines is available here.

Only one U.S. carrier was named in the top half of the list, and that was Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), which slipped one position to No. 22 after its No. 21 ranking in 2024.

Delta 767-300 (photo provided by Delta Air Lines)

The second-highest rated U.S. airline was United Airlines (NYSE:UAL), which occupied the No. 51 slot after ranking No. 42 last year.

One slot behind was jetBlue (NYSE:JBLU), making it the third-ranking U.S. carrier at No. 52. Seattle-headquartered Alaska Airlines (NYSE:ALK) was fourth among U.S. airlines but tumbled to No. 69 worldwide after ranking No. 60 in 2024.

No-frills carrier Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) was voted fifth-best U.S. carrier, rising to No. 76 this year after barely making the Top 100 in 2024, when it was ranked No. 93. It is worth noting, however, that voting began in September 2024, long before Southwest announced the abandonment of its long-standing "Bags Fly Free" policy. That change was announced in March 2025.  

Dallas-headquartered American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) was the sixth-best U.S. airline, though it slipped to No. 83 from No. 78 last year. Hawaiian Airlines, now part of the Alaska Air Group, was the seventh-rated U.S. airline, barely making the list at No. 100 and dropping one-position drop from No. 99 in 2024. 

Other rankings

At No. 19 of the World's Top 100 Airlines, Air Canada was also named Best Airline in North America.

Emirates Business Class seat with ICE controls

Cathay Pacific, No. 3 overall, won the award for Best Inflight Entertainment. Emirates also won the award for Best First Class Comfort Amenities. While Emirates managed to hold a place in the top five among the World's Best Airlines, its ICE entertainment system slipped to No. 2 as Best Inflight Entertainment. ice stands for Information, Communication and Entertainment. 

The survey also rates other aspects of air travel and grants global awards for Best Cabin Crew, Best Low-Cost Airlines, Best Regional Airlines, Most Improved Airlines, Cleanest Airlines, Best In-flight Entertainment, Best Airline Staff Worldwide, Best Airport Services and Best Leisure Airlines.

Best Cabin Crew

1. Singapore Airlines
2. All Nippon Airways (ANA)
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Garuda Indonesia
5. EVA Air
6. Hainan Airlines
7. Japan Airlines
8. Malaysia Airlines
9. STARLUX Airlines
10. Korean Air

Best Low-Cost Airlines        

1. AirAsia
2. Scoot
3. IndiGo
4. Eurowings
5. Vueling Airlines
6. Volotea
7. Transavia France
8. Iberia Express
9. Flynas
10. EasyJet

Best Regional Airlines

1. Bangkok Airways 
2. Virgin Australia
3. Porter Airlines
4. Aegean Airlines
5. Azerbaijan Airline  
6. jetBlue Airways
7. Alaska Airlines
8. Hong Kong Airlines
9. RwandAir
10. Royal Air Maroc
    

Most Improved Airlines

1. STARLUX Airlines
2. ITA Airways
3. HK Express
4. Eurowings
5. Egyptair
6. Air Japan
7. MIAT Mongolian Airlines
8. Discover Airlines
9. Air Greenland
10. Cebu Pacific

Cleanest Airlines

1. EVA Air
2. ANA All Nippon Airways
3. Cathay Pacific Airways
4. Qatar Airways
5. Singapore Airlines
6. Hainan Airlines
7. STARLUX Airlines
8. Japan Airlines
9. Korean Air
10. China Southern Airlines

Best In-flight Entertainment

1. Cathay Pacific
2. Emirates
3. Qatar Airways
4. Singapore Airlines
5. Turkish Airlines
6. Delta Air Lines
7. Air France
8. Virgin Atlantic
9. Qantas Airlines
10. United Airlines

Best Airline Staff Worldwide

1. Egyptair
2. RwandAir
3. Ethiopian Airlines
4. South African Airwys
5. Air Mauritius
6. Kenya Airways
7. Airline
8. LIFT
9. Royal Air Maroc
10. FlySafair

Best Airport Services

1. All Nippon Airways (ANA)
2. Japan Airlines
3. EVA Air
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. Singapore Airlines
6. Malaysia Airlines
7. Hainan Airlines
8. Garuda Indonesia
9. Korean Air
10. STARLUX Airlines

Best Leisure Airlines

1. Air Transat
2. TUI Airways
3. SunExpress
4. Sunwing Airlines
5. Edelweiss Air
6. Condor Airlines
7. TUIfly
8. Vietravel Airlines
9. Corsair International
10. Capital Airlines 

The survey also grants awards in other categories and subcategories. Those include Best Airline by Region, which rank airlines in 15 different regions of the world.

Airlines are also ranked Best in First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy. Singapore Airlines was ranked Best First Class Airline overall, followed by Emirates, Air France, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa. 

The top five airlines awarded Best Airlines in Business Class were Qatar, Singapore Airlines, ANA All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific and Air France.

The top five airlines given accolades for Best in Premium Economy were Virgin Atlantic, Japan Airlines, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and EVA Air.

Finally, honors for airlines with the Best Economy class went to Cathay Paficis, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, ANA All Nippon Airways, and Japan Airlines.

Full details are available on the Skytrax website.

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Photos by Carl Dombek unless otherwise noted
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