The World's Best Airlines 2018 & What it Means for You
Updated: Oct 11, 2019
Skytrax released its list of the world's best airlines and it is no surprise who is on top. Below is a list of the Top 10 overall and then a comprehensive list of individual awards.
Singapore Airlines
Qatar Airlines
ANA All Nippon Airways
Emirates
EVA Air Cathay
Pacific Airways
Lufthansa
Hainain Airlines
Garuda Indonesia
Thai Airways
As you may note, there are a lot of Asian and Middle-Eastern based airlines that have made the top grade. This is excellent news for anyone who wishes to visit those areas.
Asia in particular is really picking up in terms of tourism. With top quality flights and inexpensive destinations and incredible tourists destinations, it will soon become one of the top travel destinations in the world.
If you are wondering about American based airlines the highest ranking was Delta Airlines at #37 in the world.
A Canadian airline company, Air Canada, won Best Airline in North America, outranking the U.S. Airlines considerably. They also won Best Business Class in North America and Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness in North America.
Other Canadian offerings also won some major awards including World's Best Leisure Airline going to Air Transat and WestJet taking the Best Low-Cost Airline in North America award.

World's Best Low-Cost Airlines 2018
AirAsia
Norwegian
EasyJet
Jetstar Airways
AirAsia X
WestJet
Indigo
Southwest Airlines
Eurowings
Scoot
World's Best Long Hail Low-Cost Airlines of 2018
Norwegian
Jetstar Airlines
AirAsia X
Scoot
Air Canada Rouge
So what do these awards mean to you my fellow traveler? They give indication that there is a lot of choice and with choice comes freedom and something I like most of all: affordability. The airlines are competing very hard and it is evident which ones are successful in bringing in the best service at the best price and what areas in the world are going above and beyond trying to make your travels the best they can be.
It means you are going to get better service, comfortable seating, better entertainment, on-time flights, better on-flight meals, and little extras here and there that you would not come to expect.
Of course, with discount airlines you will probably note that a lot of the extras are being shaved off to bring the price of the ticket down, but when you look at some low-cost airlines like Norwegian and WestJet - they are doing incredibly well by offering low cost flights with decent services.
When you are flight comparing, look for the airlines you trust and ones that have good reviews, but also look for airlines that aren't local and aren't typically the ones you would fly. For example, flying WestJet within the United States is often 30-40% cheaper in comparison to flying an American-based airline within the same country. You will get to your destination just the same, but you will enjoy, perhaps, some better hospitality and service along the way.
In Europe, airlines have gotten so competitive that it is now often cheaper to fly to different destinations such as Berlin to Rome than it is to take other transportation like trains or buses. And what is surprising is that it is often times faster to board an aircraft and fly than other means of transportation between popular destinations.
And this trend is continuing in other parts of the world including Asia and surprisingly enough - North America. Low cost airlines are becoming more popular and the industry is listening to consumers.
There is no better time to fly. The skies are the safest they have ever been, service levels are way up and costs are coming down.
Do you have a bucket list destination in mind? Try our Cheap Flight Finder to see if we can help you get there.