Editor’s Note: Monthly Ticket is a CNN Travel series that highlights some of the most fascinating topics in the travel world. In June, we’re looking to the skies as we spotlight the exciting world of aviation.
When it comes to the soft-leathered, leg-outstretched world of the absolute top-tier aviation elite, Singapore Airlines has been flying high for decades.
Now, for the fifth time in the accolades’ 23-year history, it’s been named best airline in the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023.
The announcement came at a gala on June 20 at the Air and Space Museum at the Paris Air Show, just weeks after the Singapore flag carrier was named No.5 in the world by aviation safety and product rating agency AirlineRatings.com.
“Singapore Airlines achieved excellent results in many of the award categories, with the highlight being recognition of their First Class cabin as the World’s Best First Class,” said Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax. To gather this year’s results, the UK-based aviation consultancy conducted independent self-funded customer surveys across more than 325 airlines worldwide between September 2022 and May 2023.
Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines, said the win was down to the tireless work of his team, who made “many sacrifices to ensure that SIA was ready for the recovery in air travel. That has allowed us to emerge stronger and fitter from the pandemic.”
Best in class
Qatar Airways – a seven-time Airline of the Year winner – was No.2 this year, followed by Japan’s ANA All Nippon Airways in third position, Emirates fourth and Japan Airlines in fifth place.
The Qatar flag carrier bossed it in business class, with wins for World’s Best Business Class, World’s Best Business Class Seat, World’s Best Business Class Lounge (the Al Mourjan lounge at Hamad International Airport), World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining and Best Airline in the Middle East.
ANA cleaned up with the award for the highest hygiene standards: It was named World’s Cleanest Airline for the third year in a row, as well as scooping the award for World’s Best Airport Services.
Kuwait Airways, which just launched a complimentary chauffeur service for first and business class passengers, was named the World’s Most Improved Airline, while AirAsia was named the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline. There were no surprises there, as it’s won the award every single year since 2010.
Scoot was the World’s Best Long-Haul Low-Cost Airline and Volotea won out in the very competitive Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe category.
Air Canada triumphed in the new World’s Most Family-Friendly Airline category, which covers such things as family seating policies, priority boarding and children’s amenities.
Garuda Indonesia’s cabin staff were voted the world’s best, Cathay Pacific won World’s Best Inflight Entertainment and Bangkok Airways was once again the World’s Best Regional Airline.
Delta Air Lines was named Best Airline in North America, with the Best Airline Staff Service for the region, while Sun Country Airlines was named Best Low-Cost Airline in North America title for the first time Alaska Airlines was North America’s Best Regional Airline.
The World’s Top Airlines of 2023, according to Skytrax
1. Singapore Airlines
2. Qatar Airways
3. ANA All Nippon Airways
4. Emirates
5. Japan Airlines
6. Turkish Airlines
7. Air France
8. Cathay Pacific
9. EVA Air
10. Korean Air
11. Hainan Airlines
12. Swiss Int’l Air Lines
13. Etihad Airways
14. Iberia
15. Fiji Airways
16. Vistara
17. Qantas Airways
18. British Airways
19. Air New Zealand
20. Delta Air Lines
World’s Best Cabin Crew 2023
1. Garuda Indonesia
2. Singapore Airlines
3. ANA All Nippon Airways
4. EVA Air
5. Hainan Airlines
6. Qatar Airways
7. Cathay Pacific
8. Thai Airways
9. Emirates
10. Japan Airlines
World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines 2023
1. AirAsia
2. Scoot
3. Indigo
4. Flynas
5. Volotea
6. Transavia France
7. Sun Country Airlines
8. Southwest Airlines
9. airBaltic
10. Jet2.com
11. easyJet
12. Vueling Airlines
13. Ryanair
14. Jetstar Airways
15. flyDubai
The World’s Most Family-Friendly Airlines 2023
1 Air Canada
2 Singapore Airlines
3 Emirates
4 Qatar Airways
5 ANA All Nippon Airways
6 Japan Airlines
7 Virgin Atlantic
8 Etihad Airways
9 EVA Air
10 British Airways
For the full list, worldairlineawards.com.
