Top 20 airlines in 2025: No US carriers make the cut
Qatar Airways took home top honors at this year's Skytrax World Airline Awards, often called the Oscars of the aviation industry.
It's the ninth time the Qatari flag carrier has been named the world's best airline by Skytrax since the awards began in 1999.
Singapore Airlines, a five-time winner, ranked second for 2025, followed by Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and Dubai-based Emirates. European carriers Turkish Airlines and Air France also made the top 10.
'As is indicated by so many former winning airlines being present, quality consistency is clearly well recognized by customers when they vote for these airlines,' Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, said in a statement.
This year's rankings come from a global passenger satisfaction survey conducted between September 2024 and May 2025. Participants represented over 100 different nationalities and more than 325 different airlines were included in the results, according to Skytrax, which is based in the United Kingdom.
While U.S. airlines consistently lead in revenue and fleet size, none cracked the top 20 overall, showing that bigger isn't always better.
Delta Air Lines ranked highest among U.S. carriers, finishing 22nd in the world. United followed in 51st with JetBlue close behind in 52nd.
A separate category ranking the world's best regional airlines placed JetBlue sixth, followed by Alaska Airlines in seventh. Skytrax defined regional carriers as those that primarily operate domestic and/or international flights of approximately 6 hours or less.
U.S. carriers did shine in one category: best in-flight entertainment. Delta ranked sixth, United came in 10th, followed by American at 15th and JetBlue at 20th.
Air Canada was named the best airline in North America in this year's Skytrax rankings.
The survey asked customers to rate everything from the check-in process and customer service to in-flight amenities like seat comfort, food, entertainment options and even toilet cleanliness.
The world's top 20 airlines in 2025, according to Skytrax:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
26 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Air Canada suspends operations as flight attendants go on strike
TORONTO — Air Canada suspended operations as more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike early Saturday after a deadline to reach a deal passed, leaving travelers around the world stranded and scrambling during the peak summer travel season. Canadian Union of Public Employees spokesman Hugh Pouliot confirmed the strike had started after no deal was reached, and the airline said it halted operations. A bitter contract fight between Canada's largest airline and the union representing 10,000 of its flight attendants escalated Friday as the union turned down the airline's request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which would eliminate its right to strike and allow a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract. A complete shutdown will impact about 130,000 people a day, and some 25,000 Canadians may be stranded abroad daily. Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day. Keelin Pringnitz, from Ottawa, was returning with her family from a European vacation when they became stranded at London's Heathrow Airport after flights were canceled. She said there was an option for the travelers in line to go the United States, but they were told there wouldn't be any further assistance once they landed in the U.S. 'It didn't go over well with the line. Nobody really seemed interested, everybody seemed a little bit amused almost at the suggestion, or exasperated, because it is a bit ridiculous to offer to take stranded passengers to a different country to strand them there,' she said. Montreal resident Alex Laroche, 21, and his girlfriend had been saving since Christmas for their European vacation. Now their $8,000 trip with nonrefundable lodging is in doubt. They had a Saturday night flight to Nice, France, booked. Air Canada Chief Operating Officer Mark Nasr has said it could take up to a week to fully restart operations once a tentative deal is reached. Flight attendants walked off the job around 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday. Around the same time, Air Canada said it would begin locking flight attendants out of airports. Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu met with both the airline and union late Friday and urged them to work harder to reach a deal 'once and for all.' 'It is unacceptable that such little progress has been made. Canadians are counting on both parties to put forward their best efforts,' Hajdu said in a statement posted on social media. Ian Lee, associate professor, Carleton University's Sprott School of Business, said he expects the government to intervene within five days if the strike is not settled quickly, noting the government repeatedly does so in transportation strikes. 'They will intervene to bring the strike to an end. Why? Because it has happened 45 times from 1950 until now,' Lee said. 'It is all because of the incredible dependency of Canadians.' Canada is the second-largest country in the world and flying is often the only viable option. 'We're so huge a country and it's so disruptive when there is a strike of any kind in transportation,' Lee said. The government forced the country's two major railroads into arbitration with their labor union last year during a work stoppage. The union for the rail workers is suing, arguing the government is removing a union's leverage in negotiations. The Business Council of Canada has urged the government to impose binding arbitration in this case, too. Passengers whose travel is impacted will be eligible to request a full refund on the airline's website or mobile app, according to Air Canada. The airline said it would also offer alternative travel options through other Canadian and foreign airlines when possible. But it warned that it could not guarantee immediate rebooking because flights on other airlines are already full 'due to the summer travel peak.' Laroche said he considered booking new flights with a different carrier, but he said most of them are nearly full and cost more than double the $3,000 they paid for their original tickets. Laroche said he was initially upset over the union's decision to go on strike, but that he had a change of heart after reading about the key issues at the center of the contract negotiations, including the issue of wages. 'Their wage is barely livable,' Laroche said. Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have been in contract talks for about eight months, but they have yet to reach a tentative deal. Both sides say they remain far apart on the issue of pay and the unpaid work flight attendants do when planes aren't in the air. 'We are heartbroken for our passengers. Nobody wants to see Canadians stranded or anxious about their travel plans but we cannot work for free,' said Natasha Stea, a Air Canada flight attendant and local union president. The attendants are about 70% women. Stea said Air Canada pilots, who are male dominated, received a significant raise last year and questioned whether they are getting fair treatment. The airline's latest offer included a 38% increase in total compensation, including benefits and pensions over four years, that it said 'would have made our flight attendants the best compensated in Canada.' But the union pushed back, saying the proposed 8% raise in the first year didn't go far enough because of inflation. 'We're the national carrier and we have people operating in poverty. Like that's disgusting, that's very problematic,' Wesley Lesosky, President of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, said at a news conference.
Newsweek
27 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows Tax Cuts Promised by Trump Administration Across 50 States
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan Washington-based think tank, has produced a map forecasting the effects of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act on taxes across the United States, broken down to the county level. The White House's website reposted the map, noting that the Tax Foundation said Trump's package would "reduce federal taxes on average for individual taxpayers in every state" and create almost 1 million jobs. Newsweek contacted the Tax Foundation for comment on Saturday outside regular office hours. Why It Matters Trump signed his One Big Beautiful Bill, the centerpiece of his economic agenda, into law on July 4 after it narrowly passed both the House and Senate. The Congressional Budget Office has said the legislation will add $2.4 trillion to the U.S. national debt, a forecast that contributed to a falling out between Trump and his previous close confidant Elon Musk. The One Big Beautiful Bill included sweeping tax cuts, reduced spending on Medicaid, and additional funding for the military and border security. It also raised the U.S. debt ceiling by $5 trillion. What To Know On Wednesday, the Tax Foundation published a study forecasting the effects of the One Big Beautiful Bill on taxes paid by the average American on a county-by-county basis between 2026 and 2035. This was accompanied by a map showing the breakdown by county over this period. Two days later, the White House published a news release welcoming the study, which included a screenshot of the Tax Foundation's map taken for 2026. According to the Tax Foundation, the average tax cut per American for 2026 will be $3,752 because of Trump's spending package. This is forecast to fall to $2,505 in 2030 as some measures expire before increasing again to $3,301 in 2035. A map produced by the Tax Foundation showing the effects of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill in 2026 on a county-by-county basis. A map produced by the Tax Foundation showing the effects of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill in 2026 on a county-by-county basis. Tax Foundation The states forecast to see the largest tax cuts in 2926 are Wyoming ($5,375), Washington ($5,372) and Massachusetts ($5,139). By contrast, the smallest cuts are expected in West Virginia and Mississippi—at $2,503 and $2,401, respectively. In its report, the Tax Foundation described the One Big Beautiful Bill as "the most significant legislative changes to federal tax policy since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act," which was passed in Trump's first term. The president's One Big Beautiful Bill contained a number of tax cuts, including extending corporation and income taxes he imposed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It also raises the cap on state and local tax deductions over the next five years to $40,000 for those making less than $500,000 per year, reduces tax on tips and overtime pay, and phases out some of former President Joe Biden's energy tax credits. The Tax Foundation also projected that the One Big Beautiful Bill would produce about 938,000 jobs "over the long run," including 132,000 in California and 81,000 in Texas. What People Are Saying White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in the news release: "President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill is the largest, most consequential tax cut on the middle class ever. Now, the Tax Foundation—the leading nonpartisan tax policy nonprofit—confirms that. Between lower inflation, massive investments, and historic tax cuts, all Americans are reaping the benefits of the Trump Economy—and the Golden Age has just begun." What Happens Next While supporters of Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill may be buoyed by the Tax Foundation's report, which suggests it will result in widespread tax reductions and job creation, critics are likely to continue raising concerns about its effects on the national debt and Medicaid cuts.
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Air Canada suspends operations as flight attendants go on strike
A complete shutdown will impact about 130,000 people a day, and some 25,000 Canadians may be stranded abroad daily. Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day. Advertisement Keelin Pringnitz, from Ottawa, was returning with her family from a European vacation when they became stranded at London's Heathrow Airport after flights were canceled. She said there was an option for the travelers in line to go the United States, but they were told there wouldn't be any further assistance once they landed in the U.S. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It didn't go over well with the line. Nobody really seemed interested, everybody seemed a little bit amused almost at the suggestion, or exasperated, because it is a bit ridiculous to offer to take stranded passengers to a different country to strand them there,' she said. Montreal resident Alex Laroche, 21, and his girlfriend had been saving since Christmas for their European vacation. Now their $8,000 trip with nonrefundable lodging is in doubt. They had a Saturday night flight to Nice, France, booked. Advertisement Air Canada Chief Operating Officer Mark Nasr has said it could take up to a week to fully restart operations once a tentative deal is reached. Air Canada flight attendants picketed at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Saturday, Aug. 16. Sammy Kogan/Associated Press 'Such little progress has been made' Flight attendants walked off the job around 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday. Around the same time, Air Canada said it would begin locking flight attendants out of airports. Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu met with both the airline and union late Friday and urged them to work harder to reach a deal 'once and for all.' 'It is unacceptable that such little progress has been made. Canadians are counting on both parties to put forward their best efforts,' Hajdu said in a statement posted on social media. Ian Lee, associate professor, Carleton University's Sprott School of Business, said he expects the government to intervene within five days if the strike is not settled quickly, noting the government repeatedly does so in transportation strikes. 'They will intervene to bring the strike to an end. Why? Because it has happened 45 times from 1950 until now,' Lee said. 'It is all because of the incredible dependency of Canadians.' Canada is the second-largest country in the world and flying is often the only viable option. 'We're so huge a country and it's so disruptive when there is a strike of any kind in transportation,' Lee said. The government forced the country's two major railroads into arbitration with their labor union last year during a work stoppage. The union for the rail workers is suing, arguing the government is removing a union's leverage in negotiations. Advertisement The Business Council of Canada has urged the government to impose binding arbitration in this case, too. Travelers in limbo Passengers whose travel is impacted will be eligible to request a full refund on the airline's website or mobile app, according to Air Canada. The airline said it would also offer alternative travel options through other Canadian and foreign airlines when possible. But it warned that it could not guarantee immediate rebooking because flights on other airlines are already full 'due to the summer travel peak.' Laroche said he considered booking new flights with a different carrier, but he said most of them are nearly full and cost more than double the $3,000 they paid for their original tickets. Laroche said he was initially upset over the union's decision to go on strike, but that he had a change of heart after reading about the key issues at the center of the contract negotiations, including the issue of wages. 'Their wage is barely livable,' Laroche said. Sides are far apart on pay Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have been in contract talks for about eight months, but they have yet to reach a tentative deal. Both sides say they remain far apart on the issue of pay and the unpaid work flight attendants do when planes aren't in the air. 'We are heartbroken for our passengers. Nobody wants to see Canadians stranded or anxious about their travel plans but we cannot work for free,' said Natasha Stea, a Air Canada flight attendant and local union president. The attendants are about 70% women. Stea said Air Canada pilots, who are male dominated, received a significant raise last year and questioned whether they are getting fair treatment. Advertisement The airline's latest offer included a 38% increase in total compensation, including benefits and pensions over four years, that it said 'would have made our flight attendants the best compensated in Canada.' But the union pushed back, saying the proposed 8% raise in the first year didn't go far enough because of inflation. 'We're the national carrier and we have people operating in poverty. Like that's disgusting, that's very problematic,' Wesley Lesosky, President of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, said at a news conference. ___ Airlines reporter Rio Yamat reported from Las Vegas.
