At any one time, there are an estimated 9,700 commercial airplanes in the sky. Airplanes are, quite literally, constantly taking off and landing all across the world. While there was a significant reduction in the number of commercial flights during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now seeing a return to normality for the aviation industry.
If you are planning to fly this year, whether for business or pleasure, there are many many different airlines you can choose. Of course, some airlines have a better reputation than others.
In this blog post, we will highlight the best airlines to fly with in 2023. These include Qatar Airways, Emirates, Qantas Airways, British Airways, Singapore Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. Let’s get started with this guide to international airlines.
Qatar Airways
The national airline of Qatar was founded by the Qatari Government in 1993 and began operations in 1997. Its first route was between Doha and Dubai. In the years since, the airline has experienced significant growth and now flies to more than 150 worldwide destinations.
Qatar Airways has a sterling reputation—and with good reason. They are well-regarded for their excellent airplane food, sustainability efforts, traditional approach on board, and the excellent Hamad International Airport.
Given their sheer volume of available destinations, it’s very likely that you will have Qatar Airways as an available airline option when selecting your next flight.
Emirates
Let’s stay in the middle east and highlight the national airline of the United Arab Emirates. Emirates, based in Dubai, was founded back in 1985, initially with just two aircraft and three destinations. As with Qatar Airways, Emirates has experienced massive growth in recent years and has invested heavily in new aircraft.
Emirates is known for being super child-friendly and going the extra mile for parents during flights. It also offers complimentary amenity kits for every class (yes, they are even available in economy class!). The airline also offers incredible in-flight entertainment and, for its first-class travelers, a spa-like shower experience that is as refreshing as it sounds.
Qantas Airways
Let’s head south to Australia, where you can find the ever-popular Qantas Airways. The flag carrier airline of Australia is also one of the oldest airlines in the world, founded way back in 1920. That’s just 17 years after the Wright brothers made their maiden flight!
Today, Qantas operates a large international network and a diverse fleet of aircraft. It offers a range of classes, from economy right through to first. It places a strong emphasis on safety and on making continuous safety improvements.
With Qantas, you can fly to more than 96 destinations across Australia and the world. Interested in learning more about the best airlines? Click here for the best reviews.
British Airways
The flag carrier of the United Kingdom, British Airways is even older than Qantas, given that it was founded way back in 1919. British Airways has a well-established reputation which starts with the excellent airport hub, London Heathrow.
It’s also the largest Boeing 747 operator and has a convenient route network, a luxurious bedding and amenity kit for travelers, delicious onboard food, and a well-established frequent flyer program. British Airways flies to more than 200 destinations in 80 countries.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines was founded in 1947 as Malayan Airways and renamed Singapore Airlines in 1972. Based at Singapore Airport, it is widely considered one of the best airlines in the world.
It has successfully built a strong global reputation on its impeccable service, world-class in-flight cuisine, free stopovers in Singapore, and luxurious in-flight experience.
Customers, whether in economy, premium economy, business, or first class, can expect exceptional food, drink, seats, and entertainment. Its frequent flyer program, known as KrisFlye, is also highly regarded.
Turkish Airlines
Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines was founded in 1993. Impressively, the airline flies to more countries than any other airline (currently more than 120 countries). There are good odds that Turkish Airlines is an option when flying between two destinations with no direct flights.
There’s much to enjoy about flying with this airline. For example, it offers world-class catering, championing Turkish food alongside international menu options. Some flights even have a chef onboard to prepare gourmet food for first-class travelers.
Since 2019, the airline has been based at its new hub in Istanbul, one of the world’s largest airports. Here, you will find excellent lounges and a whopping 143 aerobridge passenger gates.
Delta Air Lines
Among the many excellent American carriers, Delta Air Lines is often regarded as the very best. It has one of the biggest fleets of any airline in the world and operates more than 5,400 daily flights.
With Delta Air Lines, you can fly to 325 destinations in 52 countries. There’s a good reason that Delta’s main hub, Atlanta Hartfield-Jackson Airport, is the busiest airport in the world. It’s highly regarded for its cabin features, airport lounge access, and reliability.
Some of the other U.S. airlines that are highly recommended include:
- Southwest Airlines
- JetBlue Airlines
- American Airlines
- United Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
Americans are among the most frequent flyers in the world. The average American took an average of 1.4 air trips in 2021.
The Best Airlines to Fly With in 2023
Whatever your priorities when choosing an airline, the above airlines are highly recommended. In terms of value, convenience, comfort, food, entertainment, and safety, each of the afore-mentioned airlines are well-regarded. There are affordable options as well as luxurious options, depending on your budget.
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