These Are the Best Airlines in the World Right Now, According to a New Report

Inflation has affected the prices of goods, services and the general cost of living. So it’s no surprise that airline ticket prices have also increased.

However, airfares have risen much faster than overall inflation, with an annual increase of 42.9%, the highest on record. So if you plan to spend a significant amount on air travel in the near future, you want to be sure you’re buying tickets from a quality airline.

To help you figure out which airlines to fly with for your next vacation, AirHelp — the world’s largest organization for air passenger rights — has published its annual ratings for global airlines and airports.

MORE: Budget airlines vs the big 3: Do discounters really save much?

AirHelp Airline Scores

Since 2015, the company has used top data sources, tens of thousands of customer opinions and its experience helping passengers who have had disrupted flights worldwide to create its annual rankings.

For the most recent analysis, AirHelp compared 64 airlines between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2022, using the following three metrics:

1. On-time performance, which accounted for one-third of the overall score. Flights that arrived within 15 minutes of their published arrival time were considered on time.
2. Customer opinion, which made up another third of the score. Passengers rated airlines based on the cabin crew, aircraft comfort and cleanliness, food and entertainment. 
3. Claim processing, which is the final factor. The company looked at how each airline handled claims when things went wrong.

Top Airlines in 2022

One U.S. airline made the top three for best passenger experience, and a second landed in the top 10.

Qatar Airways was named No. 1 overall, scoring 8.11 out of 10. The airline scored 7.6 in on-time performance, 8.9 in customer opinion and 7.8 for claim processing.

United Airlines was second, scoring 8.07 out of 10. The Chicago-based airline had the best score of the top three for on-time performance. It was also named the best airline in North America.

Qantas Airways came in third at 8.02 out of 10. Australia’s largest airline also scored the highest in the top three for claim processing.

The full list of airlines in AirHelp’s top 10 is below:
1. Qatar Airways
2. United Airlines
3. Qantas Airlines
4. Etihad Airways
5. LATAM Airlines
6. Eurowings
7. China Airlines
8. American Airlines
9. Japan Airlines
10. Austrian Airlines

The complete report provides additional detailed lists, such as the best airlines by country and region. In addition, a global airport ranking report is available as well.

Did your favorite airline make the list?

By Tricia Goss, for Scripps News.