The world’s 7 best airlines in 2021
In this year of uncertainty in travel, we look at airlines that have successfully adapted to deliver exceptional service to their customers.
At the top of the rankings are the airlines that have provided unparalleled service, not only onboard their planes.
But also at every point of contact with customers, being exemplary in-flight reimbursement, reliability, flexibility, tickets, value for money, overall experience, and security.
7. Turkish airlines
Founded in 1933, Turkish Airlines is one of the most important airlines in the world. Based at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, it is the Turkish national carrier.
Its fleet includes 267 aircraft in service but the company also expects the delivery of nearly 200 aircraft by 2021.
It is one of the most recent fleets in the world with an average age of aircraft of 6 years.
Turkish Airlines flies to more than 300 destinations in 120 different countries, making it the airline that flies to the largest number of countries in the world.
Member of the Star Alliance, Turkish Airlines has been voted best European airline since 2011. It is also renowned for the quality of the meals served on board.
The company’s loyalty program is called Miles & Smiles and allows you to accumulate points that can then be exchanged for advantages (priority boarding, access to private lounges, additional baggage allowances, etc.) or to book flights. on one of the Star Alliance member airlines.
6. British Airways
British Airways is the UK’s largest airline. It is based at London-Heathrow Airport but it also has an operations platform at London-Gatwick Airport.
British Airways was born in 1974 from the alliance of 4 regional airlines which covered the whole of the British territory.
She also contributed to the creation of the Oneworld international alliance along with American Airlines and Iberia.
It was with the latter that it merged in 2010, giving birth to the International Airlines Group (IAG), today the third-largest airline group in Europe.
British Airways was otherwise the only company with Air France that operated the famous Concorde, thus contributing to its popularity.
At present, British Airways serves nearly 150 destinations, including 6 domestic ones. In terms of the airline fleet, British Airways has always relied on Boeing, although it now has a few Airbus branded aircraft.
British Airways currently operates 268 planes, but that number is expected to rise to 330 soon.
5. KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the main airline of the Netherlands. It is also the oldest company in the world still in operation.
It was Founded in 1919 under the name of KLM – Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij – which could be translated as “Royal Aviation Company”.
It is based at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. Its fleet is made up of 119 planes serving nearly 145 destinations around the world.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is a member of the SkyTeam alliance which has 20 members. KLM also has codeshare agreements with more than 45 airlines.
Since 2004, KLM has been part of the Air France-KLM group, based at Paris-Charles-de- Gaulle. Its loyalty program is called Flying Blue and is common to several companies such as Air France and Garuda Indonesia.
4. Emirates Airlines
Emirates is the largest airline and the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates.
Based in Garhoud, Dubai, the airline is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group, which is owned by the government of Dubai‘s Investment Corporation of Dubai.
It is also the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 3,600 flights per week from its hub at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport before the COVID-19 pandemic.
It operates in more than 150 cities in 80 countries across 6 continents through its fleet of nearly 300 aircraft. Cargo activities are undertaken by Emirates SkyCargo.
Emirates is the world’s fourth-largest airline by scheduled revenue passenger-kilometers flown.
Emirates operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft and is one of the few airlines to operate an all-wide-body aircraft fleet (excluding Emirates Executive).
3. All Nippon Airways
Founded several years ago, All Nippon Airways, whose IATA code is NH, has a large fleet of airliners.
All Nippon Airways serves a large number of destinations around the world, including some in Europe, Africa, Asia and America.
2. Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines is an American airline founded in 1928 headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (United States), near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Delta’s main offices and hubs are located at the following airports: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Cincinnati, Boston, and New York.
Today, Delta offers more than 330 destinations in 65 countries, 106 of which are international flights.
Its greatest achievement has been to be the only United States airline to fly to Africa since 1991.
Delta AirLines is today one of the largest airlines in relation to domestic air traffic in the United States.
Delta was a founding member of SkyTeam in 2000 and is one of the fastest-growing international airlines today.
1. Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways is Qatar’s main airline and operates flights to more than 150 destinations around the world from its main hub located at Hamad International Airport in Doha.
Its emblem, the Arabian oryx, is also the official animal of Qatar. It was the first airline in the Middle East to join one of the main international airline alliances by merging with Oneworld in 2013.
This alliance has enabled it to enter into agreements with numerous airlines such as Finnair and Cathay Pacific. Thus, sharing their loyalty programs and prices.
The Airways also has its own loyalty program called Qatar Airways Privilege, where travelers have the opportunity to accumulate Qmiles and redeem them for upgrades or priority boardings.
The Airways also has codeshare agreements with some 20 airlines, including Air Botswana and Bangkok Airways.
