Top-10 Favorite Airlines
Token US Airline: JetBlue
Not Ranked: Air India, British Airways, Korean Air, KLM Royal Dutch, Air Berlin,
10.) Thai Airways (2013)
I took Thai Airways more than any other on my round the world trip, including two long flights (Johannesburg - Bangkok & Melbourne - Bangkok), and a flight aboard their flagship A380 on a flight to Tokyo. Still, I didn't get the greatest experience. The movie selection was fine, if a little less than the other airlines of that time that I took. The food was always decent, but never true Thai food - it never had some of the staple Thai offerings to eat. They also butchered serving me a meat dish on the other flight (Bangkok - Bangalore). I'll give the airline props for having an incredible livery and a great look, including some really nice crew uniforms. Still, I would have rather taken some of the other airlines more.
9.) Lufthansa (1993, 2009)
Obviously, I don't remember the time I took them in 1993, but I remember the two main flights I took in 2009 - which was my school's Orchestra tour of Austria. We took them to Frankfurt on a B747-400, and back from Munich on a stunning Airbus A340-600 (the most beautiful plane for my money). Both flights were very nice, if understated. This was right before AVOD became standard, but the movie choices were still solid if a bit limited. I remember that the plane had really nice blankets, and a really good feel overall. The food was probably not the best, but it wasn't bad either and they had a good bit of in-between meal snacks. Random note, this is probably the last International Flight I took where I was unable to order a drink as I was with school kids.
8.) All Nippon Airways (2013)
I only took one flight on All Nippon, a sort four hour jaunt from Tokyo to Bangkok. All Nippon is regarded as one of the best airlines in the world, and the ranking would likely increase if I took them again (and I may well do so one day if I fly to Tokyo straight). Still, in just four hours on what was obviously not a premier route for them (the flight was on a Boeing B767-300 - not a premier plane), I could tell what a good airline this is. They had ice-cold Asahi beer; a great movie selection (it was a small screen though - again, this is likely due to the aircraft) and a really good level of service overall. Japan has long had the world's second most advanced aviation industry after the US - and it's main airline is a good representative for that.
7.) South African Airways (2013)
The longest flight I have personally been on was the non-stop between New York JFK and Johannesburg - a 15:15 flight that leaves at 11:00 AM, and arrives at 8:00 AM the next day. Despite leaving before noon, the flight is somehow in darkness for a good 11-12 of the 15 hours. As for the flight, it was on a gorgeous plane (the Airbus A340-600) and I had the fortune of having a half full flight with 2-3 seats to myself. A few notes about the airline: they had great mood lighting, great music, a really large movie selection (to be fair, this was before I realized this had become standard), and good, but not great, food. South African was a great start to my trip, and a great airline that due to price and inability to pick up mileage tickets I may never take again.
6.) Iberia (2009)
Iberia is another airline I've taken just one time, but that was on one of its premier routes - the overnight flight from New York to Madrid on a stunning little plane I like to call the Airbus A340-600. The flight was notable as it was the first international flight I took as an adult - ergo, first flight I drank on, and it was a great one. They had really nice seats that seemed to recline more than normal. There was a really good movie selection, but more than that a really great food selection. I've flown enough 10+ hour flights that these red-eyes to Europe are no longer as fun, but this was a great one. Sure, I love almost all things Spanish, but Iberia deserved it.
5.) Swiss International (2003, 2004, 2007, 2011)
I've taken Swiss a few more times than I should have, but that means I've taken them at different times in aviation - when it was operated by an Airbus A340-300, and an Airbus A330-300. I've also taken them on premier routes (New York to Zurich), and secondary routes (Zurich to Mumbai)... and they were all really good. The airline really has the Swiss efficiency down, from really comfortable seats, very good and well presented food, a nice selection of movies, and little chocolate squares that they hand out 3-4 times during the flight. I became pretty used to their peerless service. Swiss is easily the best European Airline I've taken - one that would be well at home in Asia.
4.) Emirates Airline (2015)
I took Emirates for the first time this year to Italy. Of course that means that I've taken Emirates but not flown through Dubai, and I've taken Emirates but not flown on their A380. No, it was a solid aircraft, the Boeing B777-300ER, the most efficient long-haul plane flying today. The flight was everything I had hoped in terms of the food (probably the largest food serving I've had), and the movie selection (probably Top-3 in terms of number of choices). Their only failing was a slow meal service that took a good 2 hours on the 8 hour flight to Milan. That may be an aberration, though. Everything I've seen is that this is a fantastic airline that lived up to expectations.
3.) Cathay Pacific (2003)
What's amazing about Cathay Pacific is I've only taken them in 2003 - that was long enough ago that the route to India was New York -> Vancouver -> Hong Kong (switch planes) -> Bangkok -> Mumbai. That was long enough ago that there was no AVOD, but they did have seat-back video screens. This was my first trip that I remember on a B747-400 which was exciting, but it was also my first time flying over the Pacific, which was really exciting. It helped that Cathay was just great though. They had more food options than I've ever had in a flight, including a mid-flight round of 'Cup of Noodles'. They had really good drink selections, really nice seats, and just a great overall quality of service and look. I really need to take them again, as by all reports Cathay has gotten even better in the year's since.
2.) Etihad Airways (2010, 2011, 2015)
I've dropped Etihad in my thinking after my most recent trip to India, but that is more about just how close these Top-2 are. Etihad was about as good this time as it was last time. Their food is constantly fantastic, with a great lamb or fish offering during every leg of the flight. There are just small problems here and there. They don't have the best beer selection. They take way too long to start up the AVOD system after take-off. The B777-300ERs that they now use to operate the New York - Abu Dhabi flight do not have the amazing mood lighting that their A340-500's did when I flew them previously. Again, these are not big issues; they don't outweigh the best food I've had on a plane, and great service and great movie selection. They're just small imperfections that drop Etihad below my new #1.
1.) Singapore Airlines (2013)
My dad often talked about how amazing Singapore Airlines was. He took them at an age where cost-cutting wasn't as big as it was when I took them. Still, he's absolutely right. This is the only airline that served me a drink when still on the ground, that had their own specialty cocktail selection for economy passengers, that had an amazing economy seating section on the upper deck that I was lucky enough to nab for my flight from Singapore to Melbourne. Singapore Airlines also adds into that an exhaustive movie selection and a great food selection including beef rendang and short rib. There's really nothing that I can pick on when considering my five flights on Singapore Airlines. Given that they've essentially taken away all mileage seats for United MileagePlus customer's, I may never take them again, but what an amazing experience.
Token US Airline: JetBlue
Not Ranked: Air India, British Airways, Korean Air, KLM Royal Dutch, Air Berlin,
10.) Thai Airways (2013)
I took Thai Airways more than any other on my round the world trip, including two long flights (Johannesburg - Bangkok & Melbourne - Bangkok), and a flight aboard their flagship A380 on a flight to Tokyo. Still, I didn't get the greatest experience. The movie selection was fine, if a little less than the other airlines of that time that I took. The food was always decent, but never true Thai food - it never had some of the staple Thai offerings to eat. They also butchered serving me a meat dish on the other flight (Bangkok - Bangalore). I'll give the airline props for having an incredible livery and a great look, including some really nice crew uniforms. Still, I would have rather taken some of the other airlines more.
9.) Lufthansa (1993, 2009)
Obviously, I don't remember the time I took them in 1993, but I remember the two main flights I took in 2009 - which was my school's Orchestra tour of Austria. We took them to Frankfurt on a B747-400, and back from Munich on a stunning Airbus A340-600 (the most beautiful plane for my money). Both flights were very nice, if understated. This was right before AVOD became standard, but the movie choices were still solid if a bit limited. I remember that the plane had really nice blankets, and a really good feel overall. The food was probably not the best, but it wasn't bad either and they had a good bit of in-between meal snacks. Random note, this is probably the last International Flight I took where I was unable to order a drink as I was with school kids.
8.) All Nippon Airways (2013)
I only took one flight on All Nippon, a sort four hour jaunt from Tokyo to Bangkok. All Nippon is regarded as one of the best airlines in the world, and the ranking would likely increase if I took them again (and I may well do so one day if I fly to Tokyo straight). Still, in just four hours on what was obviously not a premier route for them (the flight was on a Boeing B767-300 - not a premier plane), I could tell what a good airline this is. They had ice-cold Asahi beer; a great movie selection (it was a small screen though - again, this is likely due to the aircraft) and a really good level of service overall. Japan has long had the world's second most advanced aviation industry after the US - and it's main airline is a good representative for that.
7.) South African Airways (2013)
The longest flight I have personally been on was the non-stop between New York JFK and Johannesburg - a 15:15 flight that leaves at 11:00 AM, and arrives at 8:00 AM the next day. Despite leaving before noon, the flight is somehow in darkness for a good 11-12 of the 15 hours. As for the flight, it was on a gorgeous plane (the Airbus A340-600) and I had the fortune of having a half full flight with 2-3 seats to myself. A few notes about the airline: they had great mood lighting, great music, a really large movie selection (to be fair, this was before I realized this had become standard), and good, but not great, food. South African was a great start to my trip, and a great airline that due to price and inability to pick up mileage tickets I may never take again.
6.) Iberia (2009)
Iberia is another airline I've taken just one time, but that was on one of its premier routes - the overnight flight from New York to Madrid on a stunning little plane I like to call the Airbus A340-600. The flight was notable as it was the first international flight I took as an adult - ergo, first flight I drank on, and it was a great one. They had really nice seats that seemed to recline more than normal. There was a really good movie selection, but more than that a really great food selection. I've flown enough 10+ hour flights that these red-eyes to Europe are no longer as fun, but this was a great one. Sure, I love almost all things Spanish, but Iberia deserved it.
5.) Swiss International (2003, 2004, 2007, 2011)
I've taken Swiss a few more times than I should have, but that means I've taken them at different times in aviation - when it was operated by an Airbus A340-300, and an Airbus A330-300. I've also taken them on premier routes (New York to Zurich), and secondary routes (Zurich to Mumbai)... and they were all really good. The airline really has the Swiss efficiency down, from really comfortable seats, very good and well presented food, a nice selection of movies, and little chocolate squares that they hand out 3-4 times during the flight. I became pretty used to their peerless service. Swiss is easily the best European Airline I've taken - one that would be well at home in Asia.
4.) Emirates Airline (2015)
I took Emirates for the first time this year to Italy. Of course that means that I've taken Emirates but not flown through Dubai, and I've taken Emirates but not flown on their A380. No, it was a solid aircraft, the Boeing B777-300ER, the most efficient long-haul plane flying today. The flight was everything I had hoped in terms of the food (probably the largest food serving I've had), and the movie selection (probably Top-3 in terms of number of choices). Their only failing was a slow meal service that took a good 2 hours on the 8 hour flight to Milan. That may be an aberration, though. Everything I've seen is that this is a fantastic airline that lived up to expectations.
3.) Cathay Pacific (2003)
What's amazing about Cathay Pacific is I've only taken them in 2003 - that was long enough ago that the route to India was New York -> Vancouver -> Hong Kong (switch planes) -> Bangkok -> Mumbai. That was long enough ago that there was no AVOD, but they did have seat-back video screens. This was my first trip that I remember on a B747-400 which was exciting, but it was also my first time flying over the Pacific, which was really exciting. It helped that Cathay was just great though. They had more food options than I've ever had in a flight, including a mid-flight round of 'Cup of Noodles'. They had really good drink selections, really nice seats, and just a great overall quality of service and look. I really need to take them again, as by all reports Cathay has gotten even better in the year's since.
2.) Etihad Airways (2010, 2011, 2015)
I've dropped Etihad in my thinking after my most recent trip to India, but that is more about just how close these Top-2 are. Etihad was about as good this time as it was last time. Their food is constantly fantastic, with a great lamb or fish offering during every leg of the flight. There are just small problems here and there. They don't have the best beer selection. They take way too long to start up the AVOD system after take-off. The B777-300ERs that they now use to operate the New York - Abu Dhabi flight do not have the amazing mood lighting that their A340-500's did when I flew them previously. Again, these are not big issues; they don't outweigh the best food I've had on a plane, and great service and great movie selection. They're just small imperfections that drop Etihad below my new #1.
1.) Singapore Airlines (2013)
My dad often talked about how amazing Singapore Airlines was. He took them at an age where cost-cutting wasn't as big as it was when I took them. Still, he's absolutely right. This is the only airline that served me a drink when still on the ground, that had their own specialty cocktail selection for economy passengers, that had an amazing economy seating section on the upper deck that I was lucky enough to nab for my flight from Singapore to Melbourne. Singapore Airlines also adds into that an exhaustive movie selection and a great food selection including beef rendang and short rib. There's really nothing that I can pick on when considering my five flights on Singapore Airlines. Given that they've essentially taken away all mileage seats for United MileagePlus customer's, I may never take them again, but what an amazing experience.
