December 5, 2025, 9:14 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Many air travelers consider not only the price when booking a ticket but also the airline’s image. While the safety of the airline may play a role, factors such as punctuality and customer friendliness are often more significant. A current ranking by the passenger rights portal Airhelp reveals which airlines worldwide are particularly punctual and customer-friendly. TRAVELBOOK presents the best and worst airlines in the world.
Which airlines are the best (and worst) in the world when it comes to punctuality and customer satisfaction? The passenger rights portal Airhelp has once again compiled a ranking this year. For the analysis, the 117 largest and most popular airlines were selected from a list of around 800 airlines worldwide and compared for the period from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025.
The survey included data and information on punctuality, how airlines handle compensation claims, and customer satisfaction. Each of these three criteria accounts for one-third of the so-called Airhelp Score, the total score an airline could achieve in the ranking.
Overview
The Winners of the Ranking
While last year the Belgian airline Brussels Airlines surprisingly took the top spot in the Airhelp ranking of the world’s best airlines, this year it’s a familiar name: Qatar Airways. The national airline of Qatar, a long-time leader in the Airhelp Score, reclaimed its top position with a total score of 8.16. Brussels Airlines still secured a respectable ninth place.
In second place is Etihad Airways with 8.07 points. The Arab airline improved by nine places compared to the previous year. The third place is held by the British airline Virgin Atlantic with 8.03 points. Airhelp notes in a press release: “Notably, Virgin Atlantic is among the top 10 biggest climbers, improving its ranking by 27 places compared to the previous year.”
Eurowings, which ranked second in 2023, has dropped 20 places in the Airhelp Score and now ranks 22nd. Nevertheless, the Lufthansa subsidiary remains the best German airline. The German airlines Lufthansa, Tui, and Condor rank 29th, 60th, and 61st among 117 airlines, placing them in the (good) middle range.
The Losers of the Ranking
According to the ranking, the worst airlines are the Canadian airline Sunwing Airlines (117th place), Hong Kong Airlines (116th place), and the U.S. airline Spirit Airlines (115th place).
Below are the top lists of the best and worst airlines in the world according to Airhelp:
European Airline Voted Worst in the World
These are the “Most Climate-Friendly” Airlines, According to a Ranking
The 10 Best Airlines in the World
- Qatar Airways, Qatar
- Etihad Airways, United Arab Emirates
- Virgin Atlantic, UK
- Qantas, Australia
- KM Malta Airlines, Malta
- Aeromexico, Mexico
- Oman Air, Oman
- Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudi Arabia
- Brussels Airlines, Belgium
- LOT Polish Airlines, Poland
The 10 Worst Airlines in the World
- Sunwing Airlines, Canada
- Hong Kong Airlines
- Spirit Airlines, USA
- Tunisair, Tunisia
- China Eastern Airlines, China
- JetSmart, USA
- Egypt Air, Egypt
- AeroItalia, Italy
- AirAsia, Malaysia
- Vietnam Airlines, Vietnam