Qatar Airways has once again secured the prestigious title of World’s Best Airline, reaffirming its dominance in the global aviation sector. This marks the fifth time the Doha-based carrier has clinched this honor since the World Airline Awards began in 2001—a testament to its unwavering focus on passenger experience and innovation. In a notable shift, last year’s winner, Emirates, now holds the fourth position, surprising many industry observers and frequent flyers alike.
Dubbed the “Oscars of Aviation,” the World Airline Awards are determined through a comprehensive global passenger survey, which in 2025 gathered insights from over 22 million travelers evaluating 350 airlines. Respondents assessed carriers across 50 key performance indicators, including check-in efficiency, seat ergonomics, onboard amenities, culinary excellence, inflight entertainment, and the warmth and professionalism of the crew.
This year’s top ten, detailed below, continues to be dominated by renowned Asian and Middle Eastern airlines. Singapore Airlines remains a strong contender, taking second place, while Japan’s ANA All Nippon Airways is ranked third. Emirates and Cathay Pacific round out the top five, followed by EVA Air, Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, Hainan Airlines, and Garuda Indonesia.
British Airways, reflecting ongoing challenges in service consistency, dropped to 41st place from last year’s 35th, while Virgin Atlantic now sits at number 36. Aeromexico, after implementing several new service initiatives, climbed to 92nd.
In the individual category awards, Etihad Airways was recognized for the World’s Best First Class, Qatar Airways took top honors for Business Class, Air New Zealand was awarded best Premium Economy, and ANA All Nippon Airways was celebrated for its Economy Class product.
Garuda Indonesia’s cabin crew earned the title of World’s Best Airline Cabin Crew for their renowned hospitality, while Turkish Airlines was named Europe’s Best Airline for the third consecutive year.
The World’s Top 10 Airlines for 2025 are as follows:
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Emirates
- Cathay Pacific
- EVA Air
- Lufthansa
- Etihad Airways
- Hainan Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
You can view the complete list of the world’s top 100 airlines for 2025 on the official World Airline Awards site.