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SOUTH KOREAN airline Korean Air has been named the World’s Best Airline 2025, according to Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency Airline Ratings. Korean Air managed to beat Qatar Airways, which was the winner in 2024 and is in second place this year.
As reported by CNN Travel, Korean Air’s commitment to “passenger comfort” was cited as one of the main reasons for its victory. This is because Korean Air and Japan Airlines are known for offering the widest economy class seats of any airline in the world. Korean Air was also praised for maintaining its original seat configuration and prioritizing the needs of economy class passengers.
“While many airlines have added a 10th seat per row on 777 aircraft and reduced the seat pitch in economy class to 31-32 inches (down from 32-33 inches), Korean Air has chosen not to follow this trend,” said Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings.com.
Sharon Petersen explained that the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, the largest consolidation in Asian aviation history, was also cited as a contributing factor to Korean Air’s victory. Air New Zealand came in third, followed by Cathay Pacific in fourth and Singapore Airlines in fifth. Meanwhile, national carrier Garuda Indonesia was ranked 25th, below Vietnam Airlines and Sri Lankan Airlines.
The 25 airlines that made the list met specific criteria set by Airline Ratings, such as offering a comprehensive full-service experience and having a minimum seat pitch of 31 inches in economy class.
“These awards are not a popularity contest or a people’s choice. As airline experts, we carefully evaluate each category to help travelers identify the best airlines for quality, value and safety,” Petersen said.
Here is the list of the World’s Best Airlines 2025 according to Airline Ratings: (1). Korean Air, (2). Qatar Airways, (3). Air New Zealand, (4). Cathay Pacific, (5). Singapore Airlines, (6). Emirates, (7). Japan Airlines, (8). Qantas, (9). Etihad, (10). Turkish Airlines, (11). EVA Air, (12). Fiji Airways, (13). Virgin Atlantic, (14). ANA, (15). Aero Mexico, (16). Air Caraibes, (17). Thai Airways, (18). STARLUX Airlines, (19). Vietnam Airlines, (20). Sri Lankan Airlines, (21). Air France, (22). KLM, (23). Air Calin, (24). Air Mauritius, (25). Garuda Indonesia. [sources/photo special]
