Skytrax.com named Turkish Airlines the Best Airline in Europe for 2022. while Air France came second on the list at the annual award event. This is not only the best European airline right now to fly to Europe but also one of the best airlines in the world at the moment.
Here in this guide, this rating will be taking a look at luxury, comfortability, ease of use, luggage policies, countries you can access boarding the airline, and why we have ranked it to be among the best European airlines currently, including all you need to know.
Best Airlines To Fly To Europe: All You Need To Know
- Turkish Airlines
- Air France
- Swiss International Air Lines
- British Airways
- Lufthansa
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- Finnair
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- American Airlines
- Ryanair
- Aeroflot
- IAG
- Easyjet
- Wizz Air
- Pegasus Airlines
- S7 Airlines
Turkish Airlines Ranked The Best Airline In Europe
Turkish Airlines, the airline that flies to more countries than any other, was named Best Airline in Europe by Skytrax on the prestigious 2022 World Airline Awards for setting new records in the air after the most significant crisis in aviation history and standing out from the competition all year long.
At the 2022 World Airline Awards ceremony, which took place on September 23 at London’s historic Langham Hotel, the lauded flag carrier received numerous prizes, including “Best Airline in Europe.”
Travelers from all around the world voted Turkish Airlines the best airline in Europe, while the airline took home two other significant honors that night: the best airline in southern Europe and the best business class catering in the world.
To assist in the evaluation of the airlines and the selection of the award winners, an online customer survey was conducted between September 2021 and August 2022, with invitations given to the previous year’s respondents in the survey database.
You might take the survey in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, or Chinese. The 2021/2022 survey had 14.32 million eligible entries and had participation from over 100 different nationalities of customers.
There is really no excuse for missing out on a European vacation. A beach vacation, like Croatia, is very popular in the summer, so consider going this time of year if you’re thinking of going.
21 Best European Airlines
Surely not all of them are European airlines, so on our next stop, we’ll take a look at a few more airlines that fly to virtually every European country.
1. Turkish Airlines
Another big European corporation is Turkish Airlines. Nearly two-thirds of their routes go to European locations. As a result, they have been named Europe’s Best Airline six times in a row.
Turkish is the safest airline in terms of statistics and safety. There hasn’t been a passenger fatality for this airline since 2009.
In contrast to the 2003 catastrophe, the vast majority of passengers on this flight escaped unharmed from their ordeal. Only a few years ago, a cargo jet belonging to this airline was involved in a deadly disaster.
However, bear in mind that this is one of the most well-known carriers in Europe and the world at large. The fact that one of their flights crashed nine years ago is no reason to avoid flying with them, especially when you consider how many of their planes arrive safely every day at destinations throughout the world.
Countries Turkish Airlines Covers
Here are countries you can fly to using Turkish Airlines:
- Japan
- South Africa
- United States
- South America
- India
- China
- The Middle East
Australasia and New Zealand have no direct flights to Europe. In any case, you may check out their locations on their official website.
The Baggage Policy of Turkish Airlines
There is no First Class on this airline, only Economy and Business Class. As a result, the regulations governing checked luggage are simpler and less complex. Most of their luggage limitations are based on where you’re going,
So keep that in mind as well. The luggage kilo idea is used by certain airlines, whereas the baggage piece concept is used by others. Choose the one that permits you to bring more luggage.
In economy class, you may bring one carry-on bag, whereas in business class, you can bring two. To the extent that they aren’t more than 8 kilograms in weight.
Size: 55 x 40 x 23 cm – Maximum Carry On Dimensions
If you’re talking about checked luggage, the rules are clearly different. Both in economy and business class, Turkish Airlines allows two pieces of checked luggage per traveler on flights to and from the United States.
What’s the big deal? If you’re traveling business class, you’re allowed to check up to 32 pounds of luggage per person. Economy passengers must not exceed the 23-kilogram limit for checked baggage.
There is a kilo-piece luggage difference on other foreign flights. If you’re flying under the kilo concept, you’re limited to 20 kilograms in economy and 30 kilos in business class for your carry-on bags.
As long as your trip uses the luggage piece concept, you’re in luck: the regulations are nearly identical to those for domestic flights. One bag per passenger is allowed for both Economy and Business Class passengers. Each piece of baggage must not exceed 23 kilograms in weight and 32 kilos in weight for Business Class.
2. Air France – KLM
Similar to American Airlines, this one was founded when two large airlines merged to form a single entity: in this case, Air France and KLM of France and the Netherlands, respectively.
In 2021, Air France-KLM carried 44.6 million passengers. This airline provides service to destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and beyond.
3. Swiss International Airlines
An interesting tidbit about this airline is that they were once owned by Lufthansa. It is also one of Europe’s safest airlines, having had no fatal incidents in the previous 17+ years. In reality, this airline’s last deadly disaster occurred in 2001, which seems like a long time ago now.
This is clearly a Swiss airline, given the name. And just like every other Swiss product, they’re near perfection. However, their low pricing is a far cry from what you’d expect from a Swiss company. Any major European country may be found for an excellent price, especially when you book early.
Countries Swiss Airlines covers
Here are countries you can fly to using Swiss International Airlines:
- Brazil
- United States
- China
- South Africa
- Singapore
- The Middle East
- Morocco
- Israel
- Canada
All three continents are covered by SWISS’s services. As far as I can tell, they don’t travel to or from Australia or New Zealand. However, their website lists all of the destinations they do serve.
The Baggage Policy of Swiss International Airlines
Like Turkish Airlines, SWISS provides first-class tickets, which means they have additional baggage restrictions.
One piece of carry-on baggage is permitted in the cabin for passengers flying in Economy Class. If your carry-ons don’t exceed the 8-kilo restriction, you can bring two of them on board in First and Business Class.
The maximum carry-on size is 55 x 40 x 23 cm.
The restrictions are a little different when it comes to checking luggage. First and foremost, there is an Economy Light class on some flights that provides extremely low fares but does not include any free checked baggage — just carry-ons are permitted.
Each passenger in standard Economy Class is permitted to check one bag, which can weigh up to 23 kilograms. If you’re flying First Class, you may check up to three bags total, each of which can weigh no more than 32 kilograms apiece. If you’re flying Business Class, you can check up to two bags totaling a combined 64 kilos (96-kilo max).
The luggage costs alone are enough to make the First Class ticket worthwhile if you plan on moving to Europe. ‘
4. British Airways
The United Kingdom’s primary airline is British Airways. Its primary hub is located at Heathrow Airport in London, England, where the company’s headquarters can be found. When compared to easyJet in terms of fleet size and passenger volume, this airline is the second largest in the United Kingdom.
5. Lufthansa
German airline Lufthansa has been in business since the early 1950s. For more than six decades, this airline has learned from its failures and ensured that the service it provides is nothing short of excellent (you might even get some freebies like a hot towel or face mask).
One of the few European airlines that flies to virtually every country in the globe, with over 193 foreign destinations (not including flights to towns inside Europe) on offer.
This is one of the coolest things about Lufthansa: Since 1993, they haven’t had a tragic accident, even though they are owned by Lufthansa.
According to the most reliable European airline rankings, Lufthansa is the safest option on the continent and the safest European airline to travel with.
Countries Lufthansa Covers
Here are countries you can fly to using Lufthansa Airlines:
- United States
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- China
- Morocco
- Australia
- Canada
- Brazil
- India
The Baggage Policy of Lufthansa
Carry-on baggage (up to 8 kg or 17 lb) is complimentary for passengers flying in Economy or Lufthansa Premium Economy. In First and Business Class, you are permitted to bring two complementary pieces of baggage.
The maximum carry-on dimensions are 55 x 40 x 23 inches.
The restrictions for checked luggage vary slightly.
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There is a limit of one checked bag per passenger in Economy Class (up to 23 kilos/50 lbs). Two of these pieces of baggage are allowed in Economy Premium Class and Business Class, while three are permitted in First Class!. Aside from that, you’ll have to pay more if your checked luggage weighs more than the permitted 50 lb weight limit.
If you’re coming from North America, you might want to choose the Economy Light class. To put it another way, this class provides the lowest airfares from the United States and Canada to Europe, but with the restriction of one piece of free carry-on baggage. To check even single bigger luggage, you’ll have to fork up roughly EUR 23 ($28).
6. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
KLM The airline that flies the Dutch flag is called Royal Dutch Airlines, or Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. in legal terms. KLM’s headquarters are in the city of Amstelveen, and the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol serves as the company’s main hub. It is an affiliate of the Air France-KLM family of airlines and an associate of the SkyTeam airline network.
7. Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic is the brand name of two separate British airlines, both of which are headquartered in Crawley, England.
8. Finnair
As the national airline of Finland and the country’s largest airline, Finnair is headquartered at Helsinki Airport’s satellite terminal in Vantaa. Almost all flights in Finland, both local and international, are operated by Finnair or one of its subsidiaries. Five-fifty-nine percent of its stock is held by the Finnish government.
9. Qatar Airways
- Qatar Best Airlines To Fly
As with Emirates, Qatar Airways prides itself on providing exceptional customer service, which is aided and supported by a substantial financial commitment from the oil-rich Arabian Peninsula. Not only that but in the just concluded ranking. Qatar Airlines was named the best Airline in the world.
When I traveled with Qatar once, I was blown away by the attention to detail, from the heated towels before and after meals to the on-demand snacks and beverages to the state-of-the-art entertainment systems with built-in charging stations.
Even more unexpected is that they’re really cheaper than the typical European and American carriers.
Countries Qatar Airlines Fly From Europe
One of the best things is that you may take advantage of their direct flights to several European capitals from major US airports. Isn’t that interesting to know? So, some of the countries Qatar Airlines flies to in Europe countries include:
- Dallas & Houston
- Seattle, LA & San Francisco
- Miami
- Chicago, NYC, Philadelphia
Many of these travelers are headed to countries all around Europe, especially Eastern Europe. Some of their destination included:
- London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Dublin
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Barcelona & Madrid, Spain
- Paris, France
- Scandinavia, Eastern Europe
Luggage rules for passengers In Qatar Airways
If you’re traveling from the United States, Qatar Airways’ baggage policies are identical to those of most other airlines, and they’re really pretty liberal. If you’re from the United States, Canada, or Africa, you’ll get two 23kg/50lb pieces of carry-on luggage instead of the customary 25kg/55lb for Economy check-in outside the Americas.
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There can only be one piece of hand baggage, which is restricted to a weight of 7kg/15lb.
10. Emirates
If you aren’t coming from the US, Emirates is a wonderful option for getting to Europe. As of right now, there’s just one direct trip from New York City to Milan, so if you’re going to Italy, that’s wonderful.
But in general, you could go to Dubai, where their headquarters is, and take a trip to Europe from there.
If you are traveling from the United States, they are not the best option, but if you’re flying from Australia or New Zealand, they are a superb option. They ranked one of the best airlines in the world thanks to their great customer care, and regular fliers love them as well.
Moreover, they’re one of the most reliable carriers on the globe. This airline’s planes were involved in three accidents in the previous 15 years, but no one died in any of them.
Countries Emirates Airlines Fly From And To Europe
Here are countries you can fly to using Emirates Airlines:
- Japan
- Australia
- New Zealand
- South Africa
- China
- India
- Chile
- The Middle East
The Baggage Policy of Emirates Airlines
One piece of carry-on luggage is permitted for Economy Class travelers, which must not exceed 7 kilograms in weight (15 pounds). One carry-on bag (the dimensions of which are given) and one briefcase are permitted for First and Business Class travelers.
Size: 55 x 38 x 20 cm – Maximum Carry On Size
Another reason that Emirates is such a well-liked and respected airline is its check-baggage policy. While there are weight restrictions for different passenger classes, everyone is able to check up to ten bags, providing they do not exceed the weight limit.
In some cases, however, and not on all flights, this rule does not apply; However, you can find out more about their luggage allowances on their website.
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It’s 30-35 kilos (depending on the price type) for Economy Class passengers, 40 kilos for Business Class passengers, and 50 kilos for First Class travelers.
Obviously, your best choice is going to be a European airline. That’s because you are more likely to get a direct flight to your destination, even from countries that are as far away as Japan or Brazil. So, we are going to check out some of the best European airlines first, the ones that offer flights to many different non-European destinations and even some budget flights to Europe directly.
11. American Airlines
Inevitably, an American carrier will be the most convenient option for travelers traveling from the US to Europe. American Airlines is the finest option if you are going from the United States to Europe.
Even though they aren’t the safest airline in the world, they have not suffered an accident in the previous 15 years and have not had a fatality since the 9/11 tragedy. There were some minor problems, but no passengers or crew members were killed or badly hurt.
Flights are almost exclusively from or to North America because of the airline’s primary market. A complete list of their locations is available on their website, which has a map of all of their destinations.
The Baggage Policy of American Airlines
Depending on the class of travel, this airline has varying luggage policies. Basic Economy passengers are only permitted to bring one personal item onboard.
Size in Centimeters (CM): 45 x 35 x 20 cm
56 x 36 x 23 cm is the maximum carry-on size.
A carry-on bag and a personal item are permitted for passengers of all other classes.
When it comes to checked luggage, things get a little more confusing. It’s best to go through it all because there are various restrictions for different nations and different types of passengers. Checking three bags may not cost you a price at some airports, while at others, you will be charged for the second bag.
Transatlantic flights (i.e., flights from the United States to Europe) usually include free checked baggage (unless you are flying Basic Economy). There is a second bag that costs $100, a third that costs $200, and so forth. In addition, you must not exceed the weight restrictions imposed by your class, which are 23 kilograms for Economy (Premium Economy and Main Cabin) and 32 kilograms for Business and First Class.
12. Ryanair
When it comes to passenger volume, the Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair easily dominates the European market. Ryanair carried 72,4 million customers in 2021. This is over 20 million more than the nearest European competition, proving that Ryanair is by far the leader in terms of scale.
Since its founding in 1984, Ryanair has consistently offered inexpensive fares, allowing it to rise to the top of the European airline market. However, it consistently scores low on passenger comfort ratings.
13. Aeroflot
With 45.8 million passengers in 2021, Aeroflot is the third busiest airline in Europe. Founded in 1923, this is Russia’s official airline and national flag carrier.
Rossiya Airlines is a low-cost Russian airline headquartered in St. Petersburg, and at various times in its history, it held the title of the largest airline in the world.
14. IAG
International Airlines Group, or IAG, is a multinational airline operating out of Madrid and London. After the merger of British Airways and Iberia in 2011, it became the national airline of the United Kingdom and Spain, respectively.
The total number of passengers transported by IAG in 2021 was 38.8 million. With 520 planes in its fleet, it is also among the largest airlines in the world.
15. Easyjet
EasyJet is a low-cost airline based out of London Luton Airport in the United Kingdom. Having started operations in 1995, it has risen to the number seven spot on this ranking, having carried 29.4 million passengers in 2021.
Because of its low fares, Easyjet has experienced remarkable expansion throughout the years. As a company, they have a history of innovative advertising strategies; for example, in the UK, a show titled Airline was created to document the inner workings of the airline.
16. Wizz Air
With 21.7 million customers in 2021, Wizz Air was ranked on the list. It is a Hungarian airline with headquarters in Budapest, Hungary. It was created in 2003, making it one of the youngest airlines in the top 10.
Moreover, Wizz Air stands out because it is Hungary’s largest airline despite not being the country’s official flag carrier. It has more than 160 airports in more than 40 countries, most of them in Europe.
17. Pegasus Airlines
When it comes to airlines, Pegasus Airlines ranks as one of the best airlines to fly to Europe. It’s a Turkish airline with its headquarters in Istanbul, and it dates back to 1991. Latest estimates place the number of passengers served there at above 20.1 million in 2021.
Airports across Turkey serve as Pegasus Airlines’ home base. It flies primarily inside Turkey and Europe. However, it also offers service to a few Asian countries.
18. S7 Airlines
According to the most up-to-date data, S7 Airlines is ranked as one of the best airlines in Europe. The Novosibirsk Oblast is home to the headquarters of S7 Airlines, a Russian airline. There were 17.8 million users in 2021.
Formed in 1957 as the Tolmachevsky Squadron in the Soviet Union, S7 Airlines is one of the oldest airlines in the world. It expanded into Siberia Airlines in the early 1990s and then rebranded as S7. It serves as a major hub for flights to and from Europe and Asia, in addition to domestic routes throughout Russia.
What is the best international airline for 2022?
The best international airline for 2022 is Air New Zealand airline.
What is the biggest airline in the world in 2022?
The top biggest and largest airline in the world right now is American Airlines.
What is the best airline to fly in Europe?
The best airline to fly to Europe is the Qatar Airlines.
What is the safest airline in Europe?
The safest airline in Europe is TAP Air Portugal.
What Is The Best business class for Europe 2022?
The best business Airline to Europe is Qatar Airways.
What is the most comfortable airline to fly from the US to Europe?
The most comfortable airline to fly from the US to Lufthansa airline.
Conclusion
So, if you are planning to take a flight to and from Europe, you need to consider an airline that offers all services so as to make your traveling experience pleasant.
The best international airline to fly to and from Europe is Qatar Airlines owing to my experience using this airline. While the Best European airline to fly to and fro in Europe is Lufthansa airline.
On your next visit to Europe, the list of Airlines stated above is worth considering as they offer you the best flying experience, good passager services, and many other things you expect of an ideal airline. Do you think there are any airlines we are missing out here? Kindly let me know via the comment section below.
