October 15, 2025, 4:25 am | Read time: 3 minutes
A flight in economy class usually means less comfort: cramped seating, little legroom, and a meal service that isn’t exactly a culinary highlight. However, one airline has managed to break this reputation–and has now been officially recognized for having the best economy class in the world.
Airline wins with technology and comfort
At this year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards, based on reviews from more than 22 million passengers from over 100 countries, Cathay Pacific Airways was named the best economy-class airline in the world. As reported by BILD (also part of Axel Springer), the Hong Kong-based airline excelled in nearly all evaluation categories–especially with innovative seating solutions and high-quality onboard catering.
Evaluated criteria included seat comfort, cabin ambiance, hygiene, crew performance, food, entertainment options, value for money, and access to additional services such as Wi-Fi or connecting flights. The airport experience, including check-in and boarding processes, was also factored into the overall rating.
High-tech seats with extras
Cathay Pacific particularly impressed with modern seat designs rarely found in economy class. The ergonomically designed seats feature adjustable headrests, a clever eye-level storage compartment for smartphones, and personal screens that can connect to personal headphones via Bluetooth. Especially convenient: the occupancy status of the onboard restrooms can be checked directly on the screen.
Culinary concept with Michelin quality
Cathay Pacific also stands out in terms of food. The airline collaborates with star chefs, including experts in fine dining from Hong Kong. A culinary homage to its home is the inclusion of the famous egg tarts in the menu. This gourmet offering significantly contributed to its top ranking.
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Ranking of the best economy-class airlines 2025
In the overall ranking for economy class, Cathay Pacific leads, followed by:
- Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong)
- Qatar Airways (Qatar)
- Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
- ANA All Nippon Airways (Japan)
- Japan Airlines (Japan)
- EVA Air (Taiwan)
- Emirates (United Arab Emirates)
- STARLUX Airlines (Taiwan)
- Hainan Airlines (China)
- Turkish Airlines (Turkey)
Japan Airlines offers the most comfortable seats
In the subcategory “seat comfort,” a Japanese airline takes the lead:
- Japan Airlines (Japan)
- Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong)
- Korean Air (South Korea)
- Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
- Qatar Airways (Qatar)
Generous seat spacing, thoughtful design, and high comfort helped Japan Airlines reach the top in this category.
Best onboard catering: EVA Air from Taiwan
The award for the best economy-class food in 2025 went to EVA Air:
- EVA Air (Taiwan)
- Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong)
- Qatar Airways (Qatar)
- Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
- Japan Airlines (Japan)
The Taiwanese airline offers direct flights from Munich to Taipei–including award-winning economy catering.
German airlines lag far behind
Lufthansa ranks 15th in the global overall ranking of the best airlines. Its subsidiary Swiss is in 11th place. However, no German airlines are among the top 20 in the economy class category.
Skytrax Top 10 best airlines worldwide (2025)
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Emirates
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Japan Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- EVA Air
- Air France
- Korean Air