With the vacation season only a couple of months away, you might be interested in knowing the 10 best airlines to fly international economy. As we have entered the age of the shared economy, lodging has become more accessible, as has local transportation, and transportation probably accounts for the largest share of the overall cost of a vacation. According to Hopper, a company that operates a mobile app that provides flight booking services and suggestions on when to buy plane tickets, the average plane ticket from the U.S to international destinations ranges between $420 (to Mexico and Central America) to $880 (to Russia). At the same time, flights to Europe have become cheaper this year (by 16% to $741) due to lower fuel prices and a decline in demand due to the turmoil in the region. See what the best airlines to fly to Europe are.
The majority of travelers choose to fly economy in order to save money. However, since international trips are usually long, it’s important that the airplane seat be comfortable, that there is some sort of in-flight entertainment, and that the on-board products and services are high-quality.
travellight/Shutterstock.com
No matter how comfortable an airline claims its economy class is, in the end it’s highly unlikely that you will feel very comfortable, but it’s a trade-off since you get to spend less on an airline ticket, and, after all, it only takes a couple of hours and you get to have many great experiences in another country. In addition, there are many tips that can enhance the experience of flying economy, such as choosing your seat to make sure that you get one with enough leg room and avoid seats near emergency exits, which often don’t recline. You can also choose which airline to fly with in order to make sure that you will fly on a newer and better-equipped plane (such as a Boeing Dreamliner).
Having said that, let’s take a closer look at the 10 best airlines to fly international economy. The list is based on data compiled by Skytrax and which is part of its World Airline Awards. The company conducted a survey involving over 19 million customers and included 104 countries and 280 airlines. The survey took into account 41 key indicators, covering every part of the flying experience, from visiting the airline’s website, booking a flight and checking-in online, to the friendliness and hospitality of the staff. We will include some details about the airlines, such as the airplanes in the fleet, the seat pitch (distance between two rows of seats, which determines the leg room), and the availability of entertainment, such as Wi-Fi and TV.
Surprisingly or not, none of the American airlines ranked in the top 10 best airlines to fly international economy. This might be due to the fact that these airlines operate older fleets, or sometimes may sacrifice the customer’s satisfaction in order to boost their profits. It could also be because many of the airlines included in this list are subsidized by their local governments, and so have more money to upgrade their fleets and don’t care as much about turning a profit.
