Korean Air has emerged as the Airline of the Year 2025, recognised for its exceptional passenger experience, financial stability, and commitment to innovation.
The prestigious World’s Best Airline Awards by AirlineRatings.com highlight the best carriers based on product consistency, passenger feedback, and overall service quality.
Airline of the year 2025
Korean Air secured the top spot for maintaining industry-leading seat pitches of 33–34 inches in Economy Class, providing thoughtful amenities like slippers and generous meal portions, and successfully merging with Asiana Airlines.
The airline’s investment in modern, fuel-efficient aircraft further solidified its win.
Top full-service airlines
AirlineRatings.com has ranked the top 25 full-service airlines for 2025, considering factors such as passenger comfort, seat pitch, in-flight service, and financial performance.
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The list includes:
Korean Air
Qatar Airways
Air New Zealand
Cathay Pacific
Singapore Airlines
Emirates
Japan Airlines
Qantas
Etihad
Turkish Airlines
Other notable mentions include EVA Air, Fiji Airways, and Virgin Atlantic.
Introducing hybrid airlines
This year, the awards introduced a new category recognising the rise of hybrid airlines—carriers that blend aspects of both low-cost and full-service models.
Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings, stated, “These airlines deserve recognition for their excellence in hybrid operations and their innovative offerings.” The top hybrid airlines include JetBlue, WestJet, Virgin Australia, and Delta Airlines.
Best low-cost airlines
The best low-cost airlines were judged based on affordability, service quality, and safety. The top 20 list includes:
AirAsia
Jetstar
EasyJet
Ryanair
Southwest
IndiGo
Wizz Air
Vueling
Regional and ultra low-cost winners
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) was named the World’s Best Regional Airline, with Aegean Air as the runner-up. VietJet won the Best Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier award, with Cebu Pacific securing second place.
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Special category winners
Best cabin crew: Virgin Australia
Best airport: Singapore Changi
Best airline lounges: Qantas
The rankings are based on stringent criteria, including seat pitch, service consistency, financial stability, and in-flight offerings.
Airlines with modern fleets, excellent safety records, and premium service options ranked highest.