The Sunday after Thanksgiving broke a U.S. air travel record, with over 3 million passengers going through airport security in one day, says the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). However, many travellers faced delays and problems during this busy travel season.

AirHelp Inc., a company that helps passengers get compensation for flight delays and lost luggage, has released its 2024 AirHelp Score report. This yearly report ranks airlines worldwide based on data from January to October, looking at on-time flights, customer complaints, and feedback on food, comfort, and service.

The worst performers

Tunisair has been named the worst airline in the world, ranking last at No. 109. Other airlines in the bottom 10 include Buzz (part of Ryanair), Bulgaria Air, Pegasus Airlines, and Air Mauritius. JetBlue and Air Canada, two North American airlines, also performed badly, landing in the bottom 50.

Even when results are sorted by customer opinion alone, Tunisair remains the lowest-ranked airline, with Ryanair and Aer Lingus following closely.

Best Airlines of 2024

Brussels Airlines is now the best airline in the world, taking the top spot from Qatar Airways, which has held it since 2018. The Belgian airline improved a lot, moving up from 12th place last year. United Airlines and American Airlines also did well, ranking third and fourth, even with the flight problems in the U.S. this year.

“This analysis encourages airlines to continuously listen to passenger feedback,” said Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp.

Delta Airlines dropped to 17th place from 11th last year because it didn’t handle customer claims as well. However, its on-time performance and customer feedback stayed the same. In July, Delta faced over 3,000 complaints after a tech issue.

Air Transat, a Canadian airline, also made it into the rankings at position 36, marking a new entry for North American carriers. As the holiday season continues, these rankings may guide travellers in choosing airlines that offer better reliability and service quality. 

Best and worst Airlines of 2024

The 2024 AirHelp Score report lists the best and worst airlines in the world, helping travellers understand airline performance globally.

Top 10 Airlines in the World

  1. Brussels Airlines
  2. Qatar Airways
  3. United Airlines
  4. American Airlines
  5. Play (Iceland)
  6. Austrian Airlines
  7. LOT Polish Airlines
  8. Air Arabia
  9. Widerøe
  10. Air Serbia

Brussels Airlines claimed the top spot, pushing Qatar Airways to second place after years of leading the rankings. United Airlines and American Airlines performed well, securing the third and fourth spots, respectively.

Bottom 10 Airlines in the World
100. Sky Express
101. Air Mauritius
102. Tarom
103. IndiGo
104. Pegasus Airlines
105. El Al Israel Airlines
106. Bulgaria Air
107. Nouvelair
108. Buzz
109. Tunisair

Tunisair ranked last as the worst-performing airline globally, with others like Buzz, Bulgaria Air, and IndiGo also appearing in the bottom 10.

These rankings were based on data from January to October 2024, considering on-time performance, customer claims, and passenger feedback.