A fresh ranking by passenger-rights platform AirAdvisor compares major European airlines on reliability, comfort, safety and value, revealing some uncomfortable positions for familiar low-cost names. The 2025 list highlights where airlines fall short, even when they still offer safe operations and attractive fares.
How the ranking of the “worst best” airlines was built
Before panicking about your next booking, context matters. AirAdvisor did not rank unsafe or fringe airlines. It focused on 15 of the better-known European carriers and then looked at which of those land at the bottom of an already competitive pack.
The study for the 2024 operating year drew on:
- 831,513 passenger reviews
- 13 airline policies on comfort, family travel and pets
- Revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) as a proxy for ticket affordability
Carriers were scored across nine criteria: flight reliability, onboard comfort, safety, ticket price, passenger reviews, expert reviews, lounge quality and policies for travelling with families and animals.
Even airlines at the bottom of this table remain generally safe and commercially solid; the ranking highlights relative weaknesses, not red‑flag operations.
Air Europa, LOT and Wizz Air: the tail of the top 15
Air Europa: reliable in the sky, weaker on the ground
Spanish carrier Air Europa finds itself at the very end of the top 15, with a score of 5.33. On paper, its operational strengths look reassuring.
- No recorded accidents in 2024
- Low cancellation rates
- Limited delays
- Decent onboard comfort, including free snacks and drinks
The problem lies less in how the airline flies and more in how it is perceived.
Professional reviewers give Air Europa scores below the group average for price, customer feedback, lounge quality and family travel.
In other words, you are likely to arrive more or less on time and safely, but you might feel underwhelmed by the overall experience compared with similarly priced European rivals.
LOT Polish Airlines: punctual, but slipping down the table
LOT Polish Airlines, with a score of 6.22, sits just above Air Europa. It manages decent marks across several categories, especially for family travel.
The Polish flag carrier benefits from:
- Strong safety record, with no accidents reported in 2024
- Punctuality around 76%, slightly better than the previous year
- Average scores for comfort and passenger reviews
Where it struggles is consistency and premium perception. AirAdvisor notes that LOT is below the group average for reliability and professional reviews, and among the last three for airport lounges.
LOT has slipped from 8th place in the previous ranking to 14th, signalling a relative loss of competitiveness rather than a sudden crisis.
For travellers, that shift can translate into fewer perks on the ground and a sense that the airline is not quite keeping pace with its European peers in service refinement.
Wizz Air: rock-bottom prices, mixed experience
Wizz Air, the Hungarian ultra‑low‑cost carrier, lands at 13th out of 15 with a score of 6.33. That position puts it third from the bottom among the “best” European airlines examined, while still performing strongly on several crucial metrics.
On the positive side, Wizz Air stands out as:
- The most economical airline in Europe based on RASK
- The third most reliable EU carrier on safety criteria
- A company that sharply reduced its flight cancellation rate from 5% to 0.5% in 2024
Wizz Air pairs very low fares and notable safety scores with a sharp cut in cancellations, but stumbles on comfort and family friendliness.
The airline scores poorly in customer reviews related to family and pet travel, sits at the second‑to‑last place for comfort, and ranks low in professional prize and award ratings. Despite this, it is judged the best Eastern European airline for 2024, showing how regional standards and expectations can differ.
Ryanair missing from the podium of worst European airlines
The most eye‑catching nuance in AirAdvisor’s work is not only who comes last, but who is no longer there. Ryanair, the Irish giant often criticised for bare‑bones service and strict policies, does not appear on the worst end of this “best” list in the same way Wizz Air does.
The available extract does not provide Ryanair’s exact score, but its absence from the bottom positions suggests a shift in the landscape of budget flying. As more low‑cost carriers compete aggressively on price, passengers are starting to weigh reliability and treatment during disruptions as much as the fare itself.
The fact that Wizz Air, not Ryanair, takes a bottom‑three spot in a major ranking underlines how swiftly reputations can move in the low‑cost market.
For travellers, this means the old mental shortcut of “Ryanair equals worst” no longer holds. Data‑based comparisons show a more nuanced reality, where different airlines lead or lag in specific aspects such as punctuality, cabin comfort, or flexibility for families.
The top three airlines show what “good” looks like
To understand why some airlines fall short, it helps to look at those at the other end of the table. AirAdvisor’s reversed ranking crowns three European carriers as the strongest all‑round performers.
| Airline | Score | Key strengths | Noted weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aegean Airlines | 10.3 | Safety, comfort, lounges, family and pet travel, customer reviews | Few major weaknesses highlighted |
| Finnair | 9.89 | Comfort, safety, lounges, strong passenger feedback | Lower score for reliability |
| Iberia | 9.78 | Safety, lounges, family and pet policies, position climb since 2024 | Weaker customer review scores |
Aegean Airlines: leading for the second year
Greek carrier Aegean Airlines tops the ranking for the second year running, signalling consistency rather than a one‑off good season. The airline excels on lounge reviews, safety, and overall comfort, with particularly strong results for families and passengers travelling with pets.
Customer reviews place Aegean second in Europe, a sign that the onboard and airport experience matches its solid operational performance.
Finnair: quality on board, questions on reliability
Finnair secures the second step of the podium with excellent scores for comfort, lounge quality, safety and customer feedback. For many long‑haul passengers connecting through Helsinki, that combination of calm, clean cabins and efficient Nordic design is already familiar.
Where Finnair loses points is reliability, suggesting that cancellations or irregular operations have weighed on its overall standing despite an otherwise polished product.
Iberia: moving up, but with mixed reviews
Spain’s Iberia completes the top three. It performs well on safety, lounge quality and its policies for families and pet owners. Compared with the previous ranking, Iberia has climbed three places, hinting at strategic improvements in service or operations.
Iberia’s main weak spot remains customer review scores, showing that even as systems improve, passenger perception can lag behind.
What “reliability” and “comfort” really mean for passengers
These rankings rely on terms that might sound abstract, but they translate directly into day‑to‑day travel experiences.
Reliability covers how likely your flight is to depart and arrive more or less on time, how frequently cancellations occur, and how airlines handle disruptions. A carrier with improved cancellation rates, like Wizz Air, reduces the risk that your weekend break evaporates overnight.
Comfort includes seat pitch and width, cabin noise levels, food and beverage options, and basic amenities such as power outlets or onboard Wi‑Fi. Low‑cost airlines often trade comfort for price, which is fine for short hops, less so for multi‑leg journeys or trips with children.
How to use this ranking when you book
Most travellers do not read full industry reports before buying a ticket, but the logic behind these rankings can be applied in seconds when comparing flights.
- For very short routes, prioritise price and schedule, especially if you are travelling light and alone.
- For family trips, give more weight to customer reviews and policies on seats, strollers and cabin baggage.
- If you have tight connections or a fixed‑date event, focus on airlines with stronger reliability and lower cancellation histories.
- For frequent business travel, lounge quality and punctuality can matter more than a slightly higher fare.
Ryanair slipping away from the bottom three and Wizz Air landing in it shows how living data signals shifts faster than old stereotypes. A carrier that aggressively cuts cancellations or reshapes its cabin can climb within a couple of years; one that neglects customer care during disruptions can slide just as fast.
For passengers, that dynamic means reputations should be checked, not assumed. A quick look at updated rankings, combined with a scan of recent reviews, can often prevent the kind of travel headache that ruins a holiday before it has even begun.
