There are airlines out there which make sure you fly with them, have a good flight, but nothing more. And then there are those other airlines which give in their 101% and nearly tire themselves out to give you not just a good experience but a memorable one which you will cherish. Without further ado, here are the best airlines in different sectors of air travel:
Comfort
(Economy Class) Best airline - Thai Airways
Thai Airways is a full service airline based out of Bangkok, Thailand. They are one of the few airlines operating the 747 nowadays, as the planes are being retired left and right. The advantage that the 747 gives for Thai Airways is that it has the most legroom in economy class, in the world. On the 747, the seat pitch is 34 inches and the overall seat is given a modest 4 stars on Skytrax, the leading airline review website. Since airlines are chopping off legroom to fit more passengers, this is a really nice lay back on what used to be a dream for passengers.
(Business Class) Best airline - Qatar Airways
Unless you have been living under a rock, you would have already known about the reveal of Qatar Airways' Qsuite in March 2018, with the official launch months later. The carrier has this flagship product on routes between Doha and London, Paris, New York, Chicago, Houston, Shanghai, Canberra, Bangalore and Mumbai. The reason why the hard product is so buzzed about is because it is like a First Class in Business, as the airline says. The suites come with sliding doors for extra privacy, and every even-numbered seat faces backwards but is closer to the window while odd-numbered seats are just the opposite. Not only that, but if you are traveling with family or friends you can get a "quad pod", 4 seats which face each other and with adjustable IFE screens so you can face each other. Combine a stellar hard product with Qatar Airways' unparalleled service and the Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge gets you an unbeatable business class experience I don't think any top airline can come remotely close to.
(First Class) Best Airline - Singapore Airlines
Boy, oh boy! As if being the first to have double beds in the sky wasn't enough, Singapore Airlines had to push it to the next level of first class. The six suites in first class for SQ are on the upper deck of their new Airbus A380s. They have a plush leather armchair and a separate bed near the suite walls. The armchair can be swiveled toward the window or toward the 31-inch entertainment screen near the sliding door, while the bed can be folded up against the wall and be put down when needed. Then, you have many storage options where you even have a mini closet for coats, shirts and your carry-on bag. Not only that, but the first two rows of seats on both sides can make a double bed. All this and SIA's impeccable service can be found in flights between Singapore and Sydney, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Zurich and London.
Cabin cleanliness Best airline - All Nippon Airways
Cleanliness is one of the most important things anywhere, and that implies to airplane cabins too. If the airplane is dirty and piles of gunk is the first thing you see on an airplane, neither you, reader, nor I would want to set foot on that plane or any other of the airline's. Thankfully, you won't have to dread that on All Nippon Airways, the world's cleanest airline of 2018. (According to Skytrax.) Their cabins are spotless, there's not a speck of dust anywhere. All Nippon Airways is a Japanese airline, so I'm hardly surprised by this outcome. Japan has their way of respect, courtesy and cleanliness, so it's no wonder they dominated the top 5 rankings this year. (Following ANA are EVA Air, Asiana Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines.)
On-time performance Best airline - airBaltic
Well, look who came strolling along quickly! airBaltic is the first European airline on the list, and it's also the last. The airline is quite small, and flies out of Riga, the capital of Latvia. It has a handful of destinations in Europe, plus a few in Russia and it even flies to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. The airline has been awarded by OAG for being the most punctual airline for four consecutive years. Another interesting fact is that the airline operates a mixed fleet of Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier. They have Q400s from Bombardier, A220s from Airbus and 737-300s/500s from Boeing. I find that unique, since they are a low cost carrier after all because LCCs usually have one type of aircraft in their entire fleet.
Value for money Best airline - JetBlue
JetBlue is an ever-expanding LCC in the Americas, and in the past few years they really have been stepping it up. They revealed a new first-class product called Mint, which in my opinion is the best LCC premium hard product out there. If you can't afford that, don't worry! Their economy will still leave a lasting impression on you. They have free, and unlimited snacks. They have free Wifi along with live TV, modern payment services such as Apple Pay, and the most legroom of any airline in the Americas. If that doesn't leave you satisfied, then how about the convenience of flying in and out of small airports?
So there you have it! These are the top airlines in 2018 when it comes to a much more specific set of criteria. As always, this list is subject to change, for new airlines could dominate these spots. I hope you enjoyed reading this and looking at the best airlines from a different and unique aspect. And yes, I definitely enjoyed writing this post!