Just last month, Australia’s two major airlines were named among the world’s ten safest carriers for 2025. Now, AirlineRatings.com has released its latest ranking of the world’s best airlines overall, factoring in passenger comfort, customer feedback and consistency. Australian airlines secured top three spots in multiple categories, with Virgin Australia Regional even being named the World’s Best Regional Airline for 2025.
This is the second consecutive year Virgin Australia Regional Airlines has won the award for its outstanding customer service, reliability and overall passenger experience. Based in Perth, the regional carrier is a lifesaver for fly-in fly-out workers in Western Australia and a vital connection for those living in regional hubs like Busselton, Exmouth and Broome.
Virgin Australia didn’t rack up just one award. Its staff were crowned the World’s Best Cabin Crew for the seventh year running, outshining more than 380 airlines evaluated for the 2025 Airline Excellence Awards. It also secured third place in the brand-new World’s Best Hybrid Airlines category, which recognises those airlines that are a cross between a low-cost carrier and a high-quality, full-service carrier. These wins follow big investments from Virgin’s team over the past four years, including the introduction of new aircraft, upgraded seats, in-seat power and onboard Wi-Fi. Virgin Australia was the only non-American airline to make the top five, with JetBlue and WestJet taking the top two spots.
This year, Korean Air dethroned Qatar Airways to claim the title of the World’s Best Full-Service Airline for 2025. Qantas secured a commendable eighth place and also took home the award for the World’s Best Airline Branded Lounges. Meanwhile, AirAsia won the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline award, with Jetstar ranking just behind in second place. You can check out the full top ten rankings in each of the major categories below.
Here are the world’s best full-service airlines for 2025:
- Korean Air
- Qatar
- Air New Zealand
- Cathay Pacific
- Singapore Airlines
- Emirates
- Japan Airlines
- Qantas
- Etihad
- Turkish Airlines
Here are the world’s best hybrid airlines for 2025:
- JetBlue
- WestJet
- Virgin Australia
- Delta Air Lines
- United
- American Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Air Canada
- LOT Polish Airlines
- TAP Portugal
Here are the world’s best low-cost airlines for 2025:
- AirAsia
- Jetstar
- AirBaltic
- HK Express
- EasyJet
- FlyDubai
- Ryanair
- Scoot
- Breeze
- Southwest