The best airlines in the world as travelers voted them, with every airline's routes, fleet and safety record in a free finder.
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These are the best airlines in the world, in the order travelers voted them in the 2026 World Airline Awards, with every airline's routes, fleet and safety record in the finder above.
The finder has 1,065 passenger airlines still flying from 173 countries, each with its plane, its logo, its hubs and its accident record.
I fly a lot, and I wanted one place to size up an airline before I book it.
TL;DRKey takeaways
What is the best airlines finder?
It's a free tool on my site that ranks the world's airlines by what travelers vote, and shows each one's destinations, fleet and safety record, so you can search, filter and open any of them.
Each airline opens in its own window, with its overview, its hub airports and its safety record.
The best airlines in the world
These are the 10 best airlines of 2026, as travelers voted them in the World Airline Awards, from 24.8 million survey answers.
1. Singapore Airlines
SQ · SIA · Star Alliance- World Airline Awards 2026
- #1 of 100
- Destinations
- 87
- Fleet
- 160 aircraft
- Founded
- 1964
- Last fatal accident
- 2024
Travelers voted Singapore Airlines the world's #1 airline in 2026. It flies to 87 destinations with 160 aircraft. Its hub is Singapore Changi Airport.
2. Qatar Airways
QR · QTR · Oneworld- World Airline Awards 2026
- #2 of 100
- Destinations
- 198
- Fleet
- 230 aircraft
- Founded
- 1993
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
Travelers voted Qatar Airways the world's #2 airline in 2026. It flies to 198 destinations with 230 aircraft. Its hub is Hamad International Airport. Its loyalty program is Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Avios; formerly Qmiles).
3. Cathay Pacific
CX · CPA · Oneworld- World Airline Awards 2026
- #3 of 100
- Destinations
- 83
- Fleet
- 180 aircraft
- Founded
- 1946
- Last fatal accident
- 1967
Travelers voted Cathay Pacific the world's #3 airline in 2026. It flies to 83 destinations with 180 aircraft. Its hub is Hong Kong International Airport. Its loyalty program is Asia Miles.
4. All Nippon Airways
NH · ANA · Star Alliance- World Airline Awards 2026
- #4 of 100
- Destinations
- 92
- Fleet
- 259 aircraft
- Founded
- 1952
- Last fatal accident
- 1971
Travelers voted All Nippon Airways the world's #4 airline in 2026. It flies to 92 destinations with 259 aircraft. Its hubs are Tokyo Haneda International Airport and Narita International Airport. Its loyalty program is ANA Mileage Club.
5. Turkish Airlines
TK · THY · Star Alliance- World Airline Awards 2026
- #5 of 100
- Destinations
- 352
- Fleet
- 564 aircraft
- Founded
- 1933
- Last fatal accident
- 2009
Travelers voted Turkish Airlines the world's #5 airline in 2026. It flies to 352 destinations with 564 aircraft. Its hub is İstanbul Airport. Its loyalty program is Miles&Smiles.
6. Emirates
EK · UAE · Full-service- World Airline Awards 2026
- #6 of 100
- Destinations
- 148
- Fleet
- 261 aircraft
- Founded
- 1985
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
Travelers voted Emirates the world's #6 airline in 2026. It flies to 148 destinations with 261 aircraft. Its hub is Dubai International Airport. Its loyalty program is Emirates Skywards.
7. Air France
AF · AFR · SkyTeam- World Airline Awards 2026
- #7 of 100
- Destinations
- 184
- Fleet
- 232 aircraft
- Founded
- 1933
- Last fatal accident
- 2009
Travelers voted Air France the world's #7 airline in 2026. It flies to 184 destinations with 232 aircraft. Its hubs are Charles de Gaulle International Airport and Paris-Orly Airport. Its loyalty program is Flying Blue.
8. Hainan Airlines
HU · CHH · Full-service- World Airline Awards 2026
- #8 of 100
- Destinations
- 120
- Fleet
- 233 aircraft
- Founded
- 1989
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
Travelers voted Hainan Airlines the world's #8 airline in 2026. It flies to 120 destinations with 233 aircraft. Its hubs are Beijing Capital International Airport and Haikou Meilan International Airport. Its loyalty program is Fortune Wings Club.
9. Japan Airlines
JL · JAL · Oneworld- World Airline Awards 2026
- #9 of 100
- Destinations
- 91
- Fleet
- 146 aircraft
- Founded
- 1951
- Last fatal accident
- 1985
Travelers voted Japan Airlines the world's #9 airline in 2026. It flies to 91 destinations with 146 aircraft. Its hubs are Tokyo Haneda International Airport and Narita International Airport.
10. Korean Air
KE · KAL · SkyTeam- World Airline Awards 2026
- #10 of 100
- Destinations
- 108
- Fleet
- 169 aircraft
- Founded
- 1969
- Last fatal accident
- 1999
Travelers voted Korean Air the world's #10 airline in 2026. It flies to 108 destinations with 169 aircraft. Its hubs are Incheon International Airport and Seoul Gimpo International Airport. Its loyalty program is SKYPASS.
The other 90 in the top 100 are in the finder above, in their order.
The airlines that fly to the most destinations
These airlines fly to the most places, by the destination count in each airline's own Wikipedia article. Size isn't quality, so this list is a different one.
- Code
- UA
- Destinations
- 411
- World rank
- #45
- Code
- AA
- Destinations
- 353
- World rank
- #65
- Code
- TK
- Destinations
- 352
- World rank
- #5
- Code
- DL
- Destinations
- 311
- World rank
- #25
- Code
- OO
- Destinations
- 256
- World rank
- Not in the top 100
- Code
- FR
- Destinations
- 235
- World rank
- #64
- Code
- CZ
- Destinations
- 233
- World rank
- #31
- Code
- MU
- Destinations
- 232
- World rank
- Not in the top 100
- Code
- LH
- Destinations
- 229
- World rank
- #14
- Code
- CA
- Destinations
- 218
- World rank
- Not in the top 100
The airlines with the biggest fleets
These airlines fly the most aircraft.
- Code
- UA
- Country
- United States
- Aircraft
- 1,143
- Code
- AA
- Country
- United States
- Aircraft
- 1,017
- Code
- DL
- Country
- United States
- Aircraft
- 1,004
- Code
- WN
- Country
- United States
- Aircraft
- 803
- Code
- 1I
- Country
- United States
- Aircraft
- 792
- Code
- CZ
- Country
- China
- Aircraft
- 708
- Code
- MU
- Country
- China
- Aircraft
- 680
- Code
- FR
- Country
- Ireland
- Aircraft
- 651
- Code
- TK
- Country
- Turkey
- Aircraft
- 564
- Code
- CA
- Country
- China
- Aircraft
- 537
The safest big airlines
These airlines fly to 100 destinations or more and have no fatal accident on record in the last 30 years.
- Code
- OO
- Destinations
- 256
- Last fatal accident
- 1991
- Code
- FR
- Destinations
- 235
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
- Code
- LH
- Destinations
- 229
- Last fatal accident
- 1993
- Code
- QR
- Destinations
- 198
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
- Code
- W6
- Destinations
- 194
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
- Code
- SY
- Destinations
- 172
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
- Code
- KL
- Destinations
- 171
- Last fatal accident
- 1977
- Code
- MQ
- Destinations
- 170
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
- Code
- SI
- Destinations
- 168
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
- Code
- AK
- Destinations
- 166
- Last fatal accident
- None on record
The 3 airline alliances
An alliance lets you earn and spend miles across its member airlines and connect between them on one ticket.
- Members in the finder
- 59
- Best-known members
- Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada
- Members in the finder
- 39
- Best-known members
- British Airways, American Airlines, Qantas Airways, Malaysia Airlines
- Members in the finder
- 26
- Best-known members
- Air France, KLM, Aeroflot, Delta Air Lines
The best low-cost airlines
These are the low-cost airlines travelers rated highest, then the biggest of the rest.
- Code
- AK
- Destinations
- 166
- Aircraft
- 109
- Code
- TZ
- Destinations
- 83
- Aircraft
- 62
- Code
- VA
- Destinations
- 36
- Aircraft
- 108
- Code
- VY
- Destinations
- 99
- Aircraft
- 136
- Code
- EW
- Destinations
- 152
- Aircraft
- 90
- Code
- I2
- Destinations
- 22
- Aircraft
- 25
- Code
- V7
- Destinations
- 79
- Aircraft
- 45
- Code
- TO
- Destinations
- 122
- Aircraft
- 86
- Code
- B6
- Destinations
- 111
- Aircraft
- 279
- Code
- XY
- Destinations
- 88
- Aircraft
- 65
The oldest airlines still flying
These airlines have flown the longest and still fly to 20 destinations or more.
- Code
- AV
- Country
- Colombia
- Founded
- 1919
- Code
- BA
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1919
- Code
- KL
- Country
- Founded
- 1919
- Code
- QF
- Country
- Australia
- Founded
- 1920
- Code
- SU
- Country
- Russia
- Founded
- 1923
- Code
- AY
- Country
- Finland
- Founded
- 1923
- Code
- DL
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 1925
- Code
- UA
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 1926
- Code
- IB
- Country
- Spain
- Founded
- 1927
- Code
- HA
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 1929
How to use the best airlines finder
Here's how to find an airline and read what the finder knows about it:
- Type a 2-letter code like QR, an airline's name or a country in the search.
- Open the filters to pick regions, countries, alliances or a type: full-service, low-cost, regional or charter.
- Sort by the best (the order travelers voted), the most destinations, the biggest fleet, the safest record, the oldest or the newest.
- Hover a card to see its bars for rating, safety, routes and fleet.
- Click a card to open the airline, and share its link to send it to someone.
The stage at the top shows the best airlines in the world, in your own country when the finder knows where you are, with music while you browse.
Where the data comes from
Every number comes from a public source, and you can check each one there:
- The best order – the 2026 World Airline Awards, voted by travelers.
- Airlines, codes, countries and alliances – Wikidata, for every airline still flying with an IATA code.
- Fleet, destinations, loyalty programs and headquarters – each airline's English Wikipedia article.
- Accidents – each fatal accident's own Wikipedia article, with hijackings, bombings and shootdowns left out.
- Hubs – the airports in my best airports finder that list the airline as a hub.
- Photos – Wikimedia Commons, each credited with its author and license.
Fleet sizes and destination counts are each airline's own figures as Wikipedia reports them, so they move as airlines grow.
Who is the best airlines finder for?
The finder is for anyone choosing who to fly with:
- Digital nomads comparing the airlines that fly from the places they might move to.
- Points travelers picking an alliance and the airlines in it.
- Nervous flyers who want to see an airline's safety record before they book.
Once you pick your airline, the best airports finder shows its hubs, and the Nomad Flight Finder finds the flights.
More travel finders
The buttons above the finder switch between my travel finders, so you can plan the whole trip:
- The best airports finder for every airport with scheduled flights.
- The Nomad Hotel Finder for hotels ranked by my score.
- The Nomad Flight Finder for live fares.
Airplanes, lounges and lost luggage are coming as their own finders.
Best airlines FAQs
Here are the questions people ask about the best airlines in the world.
Singapore Airlines is the best airline of 2026, voted #1 by travelers in the World Airline Awards.
Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific come next.
It's a free tool that ranks 1,065 airlines in the order travelers voted them, with each one's routes, fleet and safety record.
You can search, filter, sort and open any airline for more.
The Best order is the 2026 World Airline Awards' top 100, voted by travelers.
Airlines outside it follow, full-service first, then by their safety record.
United Airlines flies to 411 destinations, the most in the finder.
American Airlines comes next, with 353.
United Airlines has the biggest fleet in the finder, with 1,143 aircraft.
American Airlines comes next, with 1,017.
SkyWest Airlines, Ryanair, Lufthansa fly to 100 destinations or more with no fatal accident on record in the last 30 years.
Sort the finder by Safest record to see them all.
It counts an airline's fatal accidents in the last 30 years for each 100 aircraft it flies.
Each accident comes from its own Wikipedia article, and attacks like hijackings and shootdowns aren't counted.
They are Star Alliance, Oneworld, SkyTeam.
An alliance lets you earn and spend miles across its member airlines.
It comes from Wikidata and each airline's English Wikipedia article.
Every number links back to its source in the airline's window.
They're tiny: on Singapore Airlines, about 1 in 9.7 million per trip, from the deaths aboard its flights in the last 30 years against the trips it flew.
Many airlines, like Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific and All Nippon Airways, have no fatal accident in that time at all.
Yes, it's free with no sign-up.
The data is open, so I can keep it free.
I did. I'm Navid Moazzez, and the Best Airlines finder is one of my free tools on navid.me.
Read about me, or see my creator profile.
Navid Moazzez
AI business strategist & AI OS builder
Navid Moazzez helps creators and founders master AI and build their own AI Operating System (AI OS) to automate their business and life.
Navid.me is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
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