On September 23, Skytrax released its Passenger Choice Awards for 2022. Although the awards purport to identify the world’s best airlines, the survey is a actually more of a “beauty contest” where people vote for their favorite airline in a variety of categories. This year’s list is a round up of the usual suspects for awards like this with a surprise or two sprinkled in.
Qatar Airways came out on top for the seventh time in the last 11 years and held on to the No. 1 spot it earned in 2021. The Featured Image shows a Qatar add from several years ago based on the results of the Skytrax survey in 2018.
The results in the add are valid for the 2022 survey as well except this year Qatar placed second in the category of first class lounges and it fails to mention five other awards Qatar earned in 2022. It is noteworthy that a flight attendant gets top billing in the add because I believe the service of its cabin crew is responsible for much of the positive impression many have about the airline. Qatar’s rating also benefits from operating its hub at Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) which was named the world’s best airport in 2022.
Skytrax, a UK-based airline and airport consultant and ranking site, received more than 14 million survey responses in more than 100 countries from September 2021 to August 2022 to gauge how passengers felt about airlines. It has been conducting annual airline passenger satisfaction surveys since 1999. This year’s survey covered more than 350 airlines, and was conducted in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese.
Top 10 Airlines
No.s 11 – 20 airlines in order are British Airways, Etihad Airways, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, EVA Air, Virgin Atlantic and Vistara.
Having flown seven of the top 10 and 14 of the top 20 airlines in various classes of service in recent years, these rankings seem broadly accurate even though it is easy to argue with the precise ranking for any airline. The Qantas ranking may be the most questionable one. Qantas is a very good airline, but No. 5 in the world may be a stretch.
Qatar Airways deserves the top spot based mainly on its outstanding business class seat with a door (QSuite) and cabin service and its lounges at Doha Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH). Qatar’s business class service is better than first class service on some other airlines, American Airlines for one. I have been very pleased with flights in Qatar business class and with its first and business class lounges in DOH. As an example of the over-the-top service, these photos depict a typical business class meal on a long-haul Qatar flight. Scroll over the photos to see the caption.
Only one European airline, Swiss International, is ranked in the top 10. No airline based in the Western Hemisphere made the top 20. Except for Turkish Airlines, all top 10 airlines offer international first class service.
Top Ten First Class Airlines
Top Ten Business Class Airlines
Top Ten Premium Economy Airlines
Top Ten Economy Class Airlines
Top Ten Low-Cost Airlines
Top Ten First Class Lounges
Top Ten Business Class Lounges
The complete list of the top 100 airlines is here. You can see the results for your favorite airline by viewing the A-Z listing of the 2022 World Airline Award Winners here.
Final Thoughts
We are blessed to have many great airlines to choose from and this survey does a good job of broadly identifying them. Unfortunately Skytrax does not publish the entire rankings. In making travel decisions, knowing which airlines were ranked at the bottom can be as helpful as knowing which ones were ranked highly.
Have you experienced any of these airlines or lounges? Which are your most and least favorites?
Salsaworldtraveler'sblog 
The list is so interesting but I’m happy to see Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific on the list once again. I was not expecting Emirates to be the Top 1 on the Economy Class but I do agree that their economy class seats are really nice! I want to try their Premium Economy as well but unfortunately it is only available on flights that I most likely will not take for now lol. I’m surprised with AirAsia too although I haven’t flown with them in the past, but I have an upcoming one so I’m excited!
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I’d love to try Emirates premium economy also. The seats and cabin look like business class 10 years ago.
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That’s exactly what I heard, it’s so similar to business class in the past! Hope you get a chance soon!
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Prices are so high that it may be a while before I get a chance. Thanks for commenting..
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Interesting list, I’ve not flown with Qatar but it’d be nice to experience their service!
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Hey Jason! The food and service in Qatar business class compares to first class on some airlines. Hope you are doing well. Thanks for dropping by.
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A very comprehensive report John, thanks for the share. We have only experience a few of these airlines.
Here is my go at a few of them:
We have used Emirates a couple of times (once upgraded to business class which was really great). Even their economy class wasn’t bad.
Iberian Airlines is another one, but don’t think I saw them on the list. Can’t say it was uncomfortable and remember how friendly the crew was (that must count for something).
And on our trip to New Zealand, we made use of Qantas in their premium economy class – not bad, but also not wow.
I will definitely think twice using Egypt Air again. Planes are old, cramped and uncomfortable. There must be other airlines going to Egypt if we ever decide to go back there 😉.
On the other hand, the Dreamliner of Kenia Airways was like a dream – would not mind using them again (and again).
Sorry for the lengthy response!
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Interesting post, John. I would like to fly Qatar or Emirates just for the experience of flying with them, no matter the destination!
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I haven’t flown Emirates yet and would love do that one day. Even its premium economy looks great.
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I would say that Qantas needs to swap places with Etihad. 🤓
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Yes. I think Etihad is a better airline. I appreciate your talking the time to read and comment. 😄
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My pleasure! 🤓
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Very interesting as have flown a few in first. Wonder if Qatar still get one if the guys to dress in chefs whites when taking meal order. That made me laugh.
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I bet it does. Airlines go to great lengths to impress their first class customers with things like onboard chefs and flexible menus. It is funny because almost all of the food is prepared on the ground.
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Yeah I know it just made me laugh to think a chef and it’s a reheated microwave job
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I’ve got a lot of traveling to do to test out these rankings for myself! We usually only fly Delta and their partners.
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Makes sense. Until 2014 I was strictly a Northwest/Delta/Skyteam flyer. That and using credit cards is the best way to build status and frequent flyer miles.
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It must have been hard for any airline to excel in the current travel climate. Hope things get better soon. All the best John. Allan
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Air Canada usually does well in this survey. I haven’t flown it but hear AC has some very good lounges. Thanks for reading, Allan.
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I’m surprised Ryan Air ranked as high as it did. I endured a Ryan Air flight a few years ago and felt grateful that the plane actually arrived at its destination–albeit quite late.
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Your experience tracks what I’ve heard from others. Thanks for sharing.
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During the struggle to get back up and running at the ebb of Covid, Air Canada was ranked worst in the world for a while. I think they are still struggling to catch up. Their lounges were great when I had access.
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I’ve flown WestJet and would like to try Air Canada sometime.
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they are falling down on the job John… but they have to let someone else win once in awile. 😇😂😎
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Wow – To have flown on most of these top 20 airlines shows you have done so much traveling
I can’t imagine that much travel and it sounds like so much fun
And how cool to be able to compare each time you take another trip “salsa world traveler”
☀️😊
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Using airline miles and credit card points really helps make air travel in premium cabins feasible. It is definitely fun to experience and compare various airlines.😀😉
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☀️😊
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wow will be taking some BC flights next year and the BC product for all the airlines is in the top five! 🙂 by the way no-one in Australia has any idea why Qantas is up there. NO. ONE.
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You know more about Qantas than I do. Thanks for sharing your perspective and happy travels next year.
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Wow! Looks so cozy and delicious food! Thank’s for share, John.
Cheers!
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Thanks for the read😊🌹🙏
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A pleasure 🙏😊🍀
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