Flying International? Here Are the Absolute Best Airlines for Your Buck, Ranked
Traveling this year but don’t know how you'll get there?
While there are plenty of options when it comes to flying internationally, it’s hard to strike a balance between the things that matter most to long-haul travelers. Which airlines have a good reputation for being on time? Which are (hopefully) not going to lose your luggage? Which are actually affordable?
Money crunched the numbers to find the airlines that rise to the top. To find the best international airlines for economy travelers, Money evaluated data points for 70 of the largest international air carriers on factors including cost and fees, customer service, and flight performance. Flight prices are provided from Rome2Rio. (Looking for domestic options? Here are the absolute best—and worst—airlines in the U.S.)
Read on to find out the best international airline overall — and 29 other airlines that beat the competition. We also highlighted winners for individual regions, which can help if you have a dream destination in mind but are overwhelmed by all your traveling options.
And if you’re still searching for a place to go, check out our 20 best places to travel in 2019 for inspiration.
The Best International Airline: Singapore Airlines
**Regional Winner: Asia**
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,066
Singapore Airlines is synonymous with luxury and quality as it takes the No. 1 spot on Money’s best international airlines list for the fourth year in a row—and with good reason. A flight on Singapore is relatively affordable, averaging 11¢ per kilometer, according to Rome2Rio. Travel + Leisure has ranked it the top international airline for 23 years, with high marks for food quality, in-flight and customer service, and comfort.
The airline has managed to maintain its high quality since launching the longest flight in the world last October: a daily 19-hour, 9,500-mile trek between Newark and Singapore.
The world-renowned airline staff is trained for four months—twice as long as the industry average—to ensure the air carrier maintains a top-flight customer experience. Food service is kept to a minimum during sleep hours and handled entirely in the front of the plane, and menus are designed by famous chefs and wine consultants, offering up to 50 never-frozen meals. And great service isn’t limited to first class. Compared with its peers, Singapore Airlines offers more legroom in economy and a key amenity: warm towels.
2. Qatar Airways
**Regional Winner: Middle East**
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,056
Qatar Airways has been flying for only 15 years. But among our international airlines, it had the best on-time arrival rate, with 86% of its flights getting to their destination within 15 minutes of the expected time, according to FlightStats. The airline also offers 4,000 in-flight entertainment options, wide seats, and ample legroom.
3. Japan Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,194
4. Emirates
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,101
5. All Nippon Airways (ANA)
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,242
6. Air New Zealand
**Regional Winner: Oceania**
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,079
With a shorter average delay than regional competitors and better in-cabin comfort and service, Air New Zealand also offers Wi-Fi on every flight. Plus the average price of a coach ticket decreased 13% between 2017 and 2018.
7. Korean Air
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,099
8. Qantas Airways
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $ 1,195
9. Cathay Pacific Airways
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,053
10. Thai Airways International
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $906
11. Virgin Atlantic Airways
**Regional Winner: Europe**
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,141
Europe’s best airline had the highest overall customer experience score among European airlines. And while the average price seems high, the cost per kilometer is about 14¢—less than any other European airline on our list. One added bonus: Travel + Leisure’s survey takers say Virgin Atlantic has one of the best loyalty programs.
12. Asiana Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $876
13. Virgin Australia
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $1,142
14. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $445
15. AirAsia
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $192
16. Turkish Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $623
17. Aegean Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $312
18. Jet Airways
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $831
19. Malaysia Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $623
20. Swiss
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $493
21. Lufthansa
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $480
22. Norwegian Air
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $307
23. China Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $931
24. Finnair
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $796
25. SAS (Scandinavian Airlines)
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $332
26. Royal Jordanian
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $701
27. Vietnam Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $756
28. COPA Airlines
**Regional Winner: Latin America**
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $712
Boasting an 84% on-time arrival rate—one of the best on our overall list—COPA is famously reliable. It’s also the best Latin American airline on our list in terms of value, according to Travel + Leisure’s survey.
29. China Eastern Airlines
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $856
30. Iberia
Average price of a roundtrip flight: $315
Methodology
Money analyzed data points for around 70 of the largest international airlines. Price factors were weighed most heavily in determining the rankings.
Criteria included average cost per kilometer, average price of a coach flight, and year-over-year price changes; percentage of on-time arrivals and average length of delays; and customer satisfaction ratings for food, in-flight and customer service, value, comfort, loyalty programs, and in-flight entertainment. For missing data, medians were used or a closely related data point was weighed more heavily.
Data providers for all three rankings include Rome2Rio, FlightStats, Skytrax, Travel + Leisure, American Customer Satisfaction Index, U.S. Department of Transportation, J.D. Power, and the airlines.