Best Airlines in Europe

The full ranking

Best Airlines in Europe

Flag carriers with century-old pedigrees and upstarts that beat them to the gate. These are the best ways to fly across the continent and beyond.

1. 1

   Iberia

   The quiet consensus pick: third in AirAdvisor's 2025 index, fourth in Cirium punctuality, and a Skytrax top-ten European airline. Madrid's transatlantic gateway has become Europe's most complete operation.

2. 2

   SAS Scandinavian Airlines

   Europe's second most on-time airline in 2025 and third worldwide per Cirium, fresh off its move into SkyTeam. Top marks for safety, families, and pets in AirAdvisor's index.

3. 3

   Lufthansa

   AirlineRatings' World's Best Hybrid Airline for 2026 as it marks its 100th year. New Allegris cabins, the Munich and Frankfurt mega-hubs, and that branded chocolate on every flight.

4. 4

   Turkish Airlines

   Skytrax's Best Airline in Europe for 2025 and a global top-six fixture. It flies to more countries than any carrier on earth, with Flying Chefs aboard and an Istanbul hub built for reach.

5. 5

   Air France

   Second in Europe at the 2025 Skytrax awards, with La Premiere back among the world's great first-class products. Paris CDG connections and the strongest professional-review scores in AirAdvisor's index.

6. 6

   Finnair

   AirAdvisor's second-best European airline for 2025, with top scores for comfort, lounges, and an unblemished safety record. Its AirLounge business seat is one of aviation's most original designs.

7. 7

   Virgin Atlantic

   The most improved on-time airline Cirium tracked in 2025 and a top-three AirHelp Score finisher worldwide. Heathrow's most characterful carrier keeps making long-haul flying fun.

8. 8

   Austrian Airlines

   Third in Europe for punctuality in 2025 and a Skytrax top-ten European airline. Vienna's efficient hub plus Lufthansa Group muscle, with coffee-house catering as the onboard signature.

9. 9

   Aegean Airlines

   AirAdvisor's best European airline two years running, with the continent's best-reviewed lounges and its second-best customer reputation score. Greek hospitality scaled to a full network.

10. 10

    Iberia Express

    Europe's most punctual airline three years running per Cirium, with an 88.94 percent on-time rate in 2025. Iberia's low-cost arm proves cheap and reliable can coexist.

Ranked across 3 sources: Skytrax Best Airlines in Europe 2025; AirAdvisor Best European Airlines 2025; Cirium On-Time Performance · Europe 2025. Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.

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