Not all economy cabins are created equal. Some airlines go beyond the basics, offering meals you will actually enjoy, seat space that feels livable, and cabin crew who treat passengers kindly. That’s what makes this list worth paying attention to.
These rankings draw on the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards, which are based on millions of verified passenger surveys across categories like seat comfort, catering, inflight entertainment and customer service standards. Combined with industry analysis on how airlines are adapting their cabins, the results clearly show which carriers excel.
10 Turkish Airlines
Passengers benefit from Turkish Airlines’ vast global network, full-service inflight entertainment, and catering.
Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline, letting passengers travel farther with one carrier. Economy cabins are full-service, offering USB charging at every seat, complimentary meals and drinks, and practical amenities. The airline’s extensive network and thoughtful onboard features make long-haul travel more comfortable and convenient.
Passengers often praise Turkish Airlines’ attentive and professional cabin crew, as well as generous baggage allowances of up to 30 kg on long-haul flights. Travel kits with eye masks, socks, and dental items enhance comfort. Combined with well-presented meals and drinks, these details create a reliable and enjoyable economy experience.
Passenger comfort varies depending on aircraft type. Newer planes like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 offer wider seats, improved legroom, and quieter cabins, while older Boeing 777s have tighter seating and less personal space. Checking the aircraft type is key, as modern planes consistently deliver a more spacious and enjoyable economy flight.
9 Hainan Airlines
The airline’s economy seats support a bookshelf design and lumbar support, providing an extra inch of legroom.
Hainan Airlines operates Boeing 787s and Airbus A330s, with newer aircraft featuring a ‘bookshelf’ cabin design. Overhead storage is optimized, freeing floor space and providing slightly more legroom. This thoughtful layout enhances passenger comfort, making long-haul journeys more pleasant compared to older aircraft with traditional seating arrangements.
Each economy seat is equipped with a personal entertainment screen, offering a variety of movies, TV shows, and music. Meals and beverages are included, and long-haul passengers receive travel kits containing eye masks and slippers. Combined with friendly, professional cabin crew, these amenities ensure a comfortable and convenient travel experience.
Hainan Airlines balances cost and quality, making it a strong option for budget-conscious international travelers. While its global network is smaller than that of larger carriers, ongoing fleet modernization and gradual route expansion could increase accessibility. The airline’s attention to cabin comfort and service positions it well for travelers seeking value without sacrificing experience.
8 STARLUX Airlines
STARLUX Airlines stands out for boutique touches in economy, including carefully designed cabins and curated meal options.
Operating only modern Airbus A350 and A321neo aircraft, it offers quieter cabins and advanced amenities, though its limited route network and higher fares restrict broader accessibility.
STARLUX Airlines is Taiwan’s first privately-owned international airline since 1989. It launched operations in 2020 with a focus on boutique luxury and attention to detail. The airline operates only modern Airbus A350 and A321neo aircraft. Its cabins are new, stylish, and offer strong catering, which helped it reach number 8 in the Skytrax ratings.
STARLUX Airlines’ economy cabins feature seats with a generous pitch of 32–34 inches, offering more legroom than many regional competitors. Each seat includes a personal entertainment system with high-resolution screens and a wide selection of movies, TV shows, and music. Combined with attentive service and a calm, stylish cabin environment, these features make STARLUX an attractive choice for travelers seeking a comfortable, boutique experience in economy.
As of early 2025, STARLUX Airlines operates daily flights between Taipei and major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. This expansion reflects the airline’s commitment to its global growth, combining passenger comfort and safety.
7 Emirates
The carrier is celebrated for its extensive entertainment system and strong meal service.
Operating a fleet that serves nearly 100 cities worldwide, it provides consistent service across most routes, though tighter seating on older 777s can limit comfort on some flights. Emirates is renowned for its high service standards, which extend to its economy cabin. Full-service meals, complimentary pillows, blankets, and headphones ensure passengers are comfortable on every flight. Inflight entertainment offers a wide selection of movies, TV shows, and music, keeping travelers entertained throughout their journey.
Emirates cabin crew complete up to six weeks of ground school, covering safety, inflight service, and cultural awareness. A large portion focuses on anticipating passenger needs and delivering consistent, high-quality service. This training ensures that economy passengers receive attentive and professional care, contributing to a smooth, reliable travel experience.
Flying Emirates in economy is more than a seat—it’s a complete travel experience. Spacious seating on modern aircraft, extensive entertainment options, and carefully presented meals make long-haul flights enjoyable. Sustainable practices, such as recycling trays and meal service items, further enhance the airline’s appeal to conscientious travelers seeking comfort and value.
6 EVA Air
The economy cabins combine modern design with comfort-focused seating, including shape-memory cushions and ergonomic layouts
EVA Air ranks #6 for comfortable economy cabins, offering calm, well-organized spaces that help reduce fatigue on long-haul flights. Passengers consistently praise the airline’s attentive service, clean cabins, and overall reliability, making it a strong choice for travelers seeking a pleasant, stress-free economy experience.
On aircraft like the Airbus A330-300, EVA Air’s economy seats feature shape-memory cushions and ergonomic designs to enhance comfort. The seat base subtly slides forward when reclined, creating a natural position for the passenger. Adjustable headrests and personal entertainment screens further improve the journey, making long flights smoother and more enjoyable.
While EVA Air offers a strong overall economy experience, not all aircraft feature shape-memory cushions, ergonomic seat designs, or inflight WiFi and charging ports at every seat. Upgrading the fleet to include these amenities would enhance comfort and connectivity, allowing passengers to work or stay in touch on long-haul flights. Standardizing these features across all aircraft would also help EVA Air remain competitive with other international carriers that already provide universal in-seat power and reliable WiFi.
5 Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines’ economy cabins are modern and spacious, offering comfortable seating, ample legroom, and personal entertainment systems on long-haul flights.
Japan Airlines (JAL) lands at #5 on our list and operates a modern fleet of over 160 aircraft, including Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which helps ensure a smooth and quieter economy experience. It’s widely praised for roomy seats, consistent high-quality service, and calm cabin environments that make long-haul flights more comfortable.
Travelers often highlight that JAL gives passengers space to stretch, with seat widths and pitch that exceed many competitors. Its attention to detail, such as chef-curated cuisine, from everything including boarding to meal service, contributes to a reliable and polished experience.
It ranks just outside the top four because, while excellent, it lacks some of the premium extras found on higher-ranked airlines, such as cutting-edge inflight entertainment or the expanded cabin features seen on carriers like Singapore Airlines or Qatar Airways.
4 All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways’ economy cabins on Boeing 787 Dreamliners prioritize passenger comfort with ergonomic seats, generous legroom, and IFE.
All Nippon Airways ranks #4 and operates one of the largest fleets in Japan, including Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A380s, which offer quieter cabins and advanced passenger amenities. Its economy class is known for cleanliness, attentive crews, and consistently smooth service on both domestic and international routes.
According to this Reddit thread, All Nippon Airways offers a high-standard meal during long-haul flights. Meals are often praised for their presentation, freshness, and variety, including Japanese and Western options. Economy passengers also receive complimentary beverages, with attentive service ensuring that dining is both efficient and enjoyable throughout the flight.
All Nippon Airways’ economy class consistently maintains high standards of service and attention to detail. Well-maintained and designed to maximize comfort on long-haul routes combined with friendly, professional crew and reliable on-time performance, ANA provides a dependable and enjoyable economy experience.
3 Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines has been named the World’s Best Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards five times.
Singapore Airlines sits at #3 in our list of comfortable economy class seats, operating a fleet of over 120 aircraft, including Airbus A350s and Boeing 777-300ERs. The airline is renowned for comfortable seats, attentive crews, and polished service that elevates long-haul flights.
With a headrest in your seat that can be folded six ways, their dedication to your comfort onboard is elite. Additional storage space is available in economy to store your bags overhead and out of the way, while every seat offers USB charging ports. The menu is carefully curated and available to view 8 days before your flight departure, allowing time for you to make any necessary dietary changes to your requirements on board.
Flying Singapore Airlines in economy provides a consistently reliable and refined experience, even on long-haul routes. Passengers benefit from a calm cabin environment, attentive service, and thoughtful touches like mood lighting and ergonomic seating that reduce fatigue. Combined with a strong safety record and award-winning operational standards, Singapore Airlines makes economy travel both comfortable and reassuring.
2 Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways’ economy class delivers excellent value for money, combining spacious seating, generous legroom, and modern inflight entertainment across its long-haul fleet.
Qatar Airways operates a modern fleet of Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s, providing consistent comfort on international routes. Economy cabins feature ergonomic seating with generous pitch, modern entertainment screens, and USB charging ports. The airline’s investment in seat innovation ensures passengers experience high standards, even on long-haul flights.
Passengers consistently praise Qatar Airways for attentive, polished cabin crews and well-presented meals. Inflight entertainment options are extensive, including thousands of movies, TV shows, and music channels. Cabins are meticulously maintained, and thoughtful touches like adjustable headrests and ambient lighting enhance comfort and reduce fatigue during long journeys.
Qatar Airways ranks highly for economy due to its balance of comfort, service, and innovation. While older aircraft have minor variations in seat configuration, the airline’s commitment to fleet modernization and premium leisure enhancements ensures a reliable and enjoyable travel experience for economy passengers worldwide.
1 Cathay Pacific
Ergonomic designs, generous legroom, and personal entertainment screens on long-haul flights.
Cathay Pacific operates a modern fleet of Airbus A350s and Boeing 777s, offering quiet cabins, ergonomic seats, and high-resolution personal entertainment systems. Economy cabins are designed for long-haul comfort, with ample legroom, adjustable headrests, and USB charging ports, ensuring passengers remain comfortable and connected throughout their journey.
Passengers consistently highlight Cathay Pacific’s attentive cabin crew, efficient boarding process, and clean, well-maintained cabins. Thoughtful layouts and smooth in-flight operations help reduce travel fatigue, while meals and entertainment cater to diverse preferences. Travelers appreciate the airline’s attention to detail, making economy flights feel organized, calm, and hassle-free.
What sets Cathay Pacific apart is consistency. Across its global network, passengers experience reliable seating comfort, professional service, and modern amenities. This dependability, combined with a focus on long-haul passenger comfort, secures its position as the top choice for travelers seeking a high-quality economy experience worldwide.