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.