A Qatar Airways A350-900 aircraft taking off. The airline got top honors at the annual Skytrax awards.
Qatar Airways
Airline-ranking company Skytrax has revealed its Top 20 best carriers in the world for 2022.
For the seventh time, Qatar Airways has taken the top spot, beating out Singapore Airlines and Emirates.
No US carrier made the Top 20 list, though Delta Air Lines earned the top ranking for North American brands.
In one of the most-watched lists of the world’s best airlines, not a single US carrier made the Top 20.
Instead, airline-ranking company Skytrax again named Doha-based Qatar Airways at the top of its World Airline Awards for 2022, where it’s been perched since 2019.
The Top 20 list was collected from customer surveys, which are “independent and impartial,” UK-based Skytrax said in a release. Travelers were asked about areas like customer service, comfort, and cleanliness, with over 350 airlines being named in the survey results.
As for top award winner Qatar Airways, airline CEO Akbar Al Baker said the title has always been a goal of the company. But “to win it for the seventh time and pick up three additional awards is a testament to all the hard work of our incredible employees,” he said, noting the airline’s top ranking has occurred seven times since the awards first began in 1999.
Qatar also won titles for having the world’s best business class, the best business class seat, and the best business class lounge dining, according to the Skytrax survey.
Singapore Airlines and Emirates came in second and third, respectively, behind Qatar. Singapore also won the title for the world’s best cabin staff.
No US carrier made the Top 20 list, though Delta Air Lines was the most successful of US airlines, coming in number 24 and earning the award for best airline in North America.
Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines earned two titles, including the best low-cost airline in both North America and the US. And, United Airlines won the title for the best business class lounge in North America.
Here’s a closer look at the world’s Top 20 best carriers for 2022, according to Skytrax’s survey of travelers.
20. Vistara
NOAH SEELAM / AFP) (Photo by NOAH SEELAM/AFP via Getty Images
India-based Vistara is a full-service carrier flying domestic and international routes around Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
19. Virgin Atlantic
A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 lands at London Heathrow Airport on 28th October 2020.
Robert Smith/Getty Images
Virgin Atlantic is a London-based carrier flying long-haul routes to North America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia.
18. EVA Air
Huy Thoai/Shutterstock
EVA Air is a Taiwanese carrier. The company flies routes to Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, Canada, and the US.
17. KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 777-300.
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Dutch flag carrier KLM is the oldest airline in service still sporting its original name. The airline mostly operates international flights to Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
16. Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific A350-1000 aircraft.
Phuong D. Nguyen/Shutterstock
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific serves destinations in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and North America.
15. Lufthansa
Lufthansa’s Airbus A380.
Lufthansa.
Lufthansa is Germany’s national airline and is one of the largest in Europe. The airline serves domestic and international routes in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, North America, Latin America, and Africa. The carrier recently announced the return of its beloved Airbus A380.
14. Hainan Airlines
Hainan Airlines
TonyV3112/Shutterstock
Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is based in Haikou and is one of the largest carriers in that country. It serves Asia, Europe, and North America
13. China Southern Airlines
Angel DiBilio/Shutterstock.com
China Southern Airlines is the country’s largest carrier in terms of passenger volume and serves cities in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Australia.
12. Etihad Airways
Etihad’s first A350 flight to JFK.
Etihad Airways
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is a national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, with an extensive network of routes throughout the Middle East, as well as to Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, and North America. The airline recently unveiled its brand new Airbus A350 named Sustainability 50.
11. British Airways
British Airways planes at Heathrow airport.
Jonathan Brady/Getty Images
Just shy of the Top 10 is British Airways, which operates domestic flights in the UK and international routes to Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
10. Swiss International Air Lines
SWISS A220-100.
Conny Pokorny/Shutterstock
Swiss International Air Lines, also known as SWISS, is the national carrier of Switzerland and also part of the Lufthansa Group. The carrier flies to Asia, North America, and Africa
9. Korean Air
Philip Pilosian/Shutterstock.com
Seoul-based Korean Air is the country’s flag carrier, and its cargo arm — Korean Air Cargo — is one of the largest in the world. The airline recently relaunched flights of its Airbus A380 between Seoul and New York.
8. Air France
Bodo Marks/dpa (Photo by Bodo Marks/picture alliance via Getty Images
France’s national airline, Air France, operates a network from its Paris base to destinations in Asia, Africa, North America, and South America.
7. Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines plane is seen at the Barajas Airport in Madrid on July 1, 2022.
Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Image
Turkish Airlines is based in Istanbul and flies routes throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.
6. Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines.
Markus Mainka/Shutterstock
Tokyo-based Japan Airlines, also known as JAL, is one of the few carriers to invest in Boom Supersonic’s Overture aircraft and plans to further expand its overseas network.
5. Qantas Airways
Qantas Boeing 787-9.
Toshi K/Shutterstock
Rounding out the Top 5 best airlines is Australian flag carrier Qantas, which flies to New Zealand, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and South Africa. The airline is known for a noted safety record and ambitious Project Sunrise flight that will carry passengers upward of 20 hours between Sydney and London and New York.
4. All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways
Hit1912/Shutterstock
Japan’s All Nippon Airways, known as ANA, is one of the nation’s largest carriers and flies an extensive domestic and international network.
3. Emirates
An Emirates Airbus A380.
Arnold Aaron/Shutterstock.com
As the world’s largest Airbus A380 operator, Dubai-based Emirates is a national carrier of the UAE and flies an extensive network to dozens of cities in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, the South Pacific, North America, and South America.
2. Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines A350-900.
KITTIKUN YOKSAP/Shutterstock
National carrier Singapore Airlines currently holds the title for the world’s longest flight, journeying 19 hours between New York-JFK and Singapore.
1. Qatar Airways
A Qatar Airways A350-900 aircraft taking off. The airline got top honors at the annual Skytrax awards.
Qatar Airways
Doha-based Qatar Airways is the world’s best airline, according to survey data collected by Skytrax. The airline has held the title in each consecutive survey since 2019. This year’s win is its seventh. Sporting luxurious products like the Q-Suite, Qatar continues to impress customers with its friendly cabin crew and reliable service.