Singapore Airlines Named World's Best Airline of 2019
Singapore Airlines is the world's best airline for 2019 – at least according to AirlineRatings.com. The flag carrier of Singapore ousted five-year champion Air New Zealand, which has held the coveted title since 2014 and which still claimed second place this year. In comparison, not a single European or North American carrier made it into the Top 10 roster.
The Perth-based website stated that "Singapore Airlines came out number one in many of our audit criteria" during the AirlineRankings.com Annual Excellence Awards Tuesday. The audit, annually conducted by the publication's seven editors, involves a detailed process that evaluates 12 major factors including fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, product offerings and staff relations.
This year, Singapore Airlines edged out runners-up Air New Zealand, Qantas Airways and Qatar Airways for its "industry-leading in-flight service" as well as its new fleet additions, such as the world's first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350-900 ULR. Singapore Air also earned praise for its updated interiors, for its commitment to operation safety, and for its relaunch of the longest commercial flight in the world: non-stop service between Singapore and New York. The premium Singapore Suites product also clinched the airline another prize: the prestigious First Class award.
But just because Singapore shone in this year's rankings doesn't mean that Air New Zealand fell far short. The flagship carrier of New Zealand claimed the Best Premium Economy and Best Airline Pacific awards, with high praise from AirlineRanking.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas. "Air New Zealand is one of the few airlines in the world to have an investment grade credit rating, is a staunch supporter of its home country and has been enjoying a healthy expansion in both its domestic and international market, Thomas said. "Its overall product is superb, and its business class bed is outstanding."
First-time winner Qatar Airways claimed titles for Best Catering, deemed "quite exceptional even in economy class," as well as Best Business Class for its Qsuite product, while Australian Qantas won Best Domestic Airline Service and Best Lounges awards. Meanwhile, Korean Air claimed Best Economy for its spacious cabins and comfortable, 34-inch pitch seating.
In ranked order, these are the Top 10 Airlines of 2019:
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
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Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month