Korean Air has been named the Airline of the Year for 2025, surpassing the previous titleholder, Qatar Airways. In its annual overview of the best airlines worldwide, AirlineRatings revealed that Korean Air’s focus on passenger comfort, particularly in Economy Class, has earned it the top position.
Criteria for ranking the best airlines
The rating was determined based on feedback from travelers, expert editor reviews, overall product choice and consistency for passengers, innovation, and forward fleet orders.
According to the travel publication, unlike many of its competitors, the airline maintained industry-leading seat pitches of 33–34 inches on wide-body aircraft. It refused to reduce seat capacity, ensuring a more comfortable journey.
“While many airlines have added a 10th seat per row on 777 aircraft and reduced seat pitch in the economy to 31 to 32 inches (down from the previous 32 to 33 inches), Korean Air has chosen not to follow this trend,” said AirlineRatings.com CEO Sharon Petersen.
The review also highlighted Korean Air’s extensive in-flight entertainment options, enhanced food offerings, and all-inclusive facilities on its long-haul flights.
The airline’s top ranking was also attributed to its recent merger with Asiana Airlines, marking the largest consolidation in Asian aviation history.
Air New Zealand was placed third, while Cathay Pacific secured the fourth position.
Read more: Emirates SkyCargo to expand capacity with new Boeing 747 freighters to meet global demand
Top 25 full-service airlines for 2025
The top 25 airlines fulfill a set of criteria, including offering a full range of services and having economy seats with a minimum pitch of 31 inches. Here are the top 25 Full Service Airlines for 2025:
- Korean Air
- Qatar Airways
- Air New Zealand
- Cathay Pacific
- Singapore Airlines
- Emirates
- Japan Airlines
- Qantas
- Etihad
- Turkish Airlines
- EVA Air
- Fiji Airways
- Virgin Atlantic
- ANA
- Aero Mexico
- Air Caraibes
- Thai Airways
- Starlux
- Vietnam Airlines
- Sri Lankan Airlines
- Air France
- KLM (note the airline is trialing a Hybrid model on some routes)
- Air Calin
- Air Mauritius
- Garuda Indonesia
