Royal Jordanian

I took a quick flight from Cyprus to Jordan with this airline and when I first booked it was supposed to be a “normal” (big) sized plane, I got an email a few days before the flight to say the plane was going to be a smaller plane… queue the dread and anxiety. I didn't want to go in a Cessna after all. But to my pleasant surprise, this was a cozy flight with amazing food. Just to clarify this was an hour or so flight I did not expect any food, so when it came I thought, why not? The food alone was enough to put this on the list and make it memorable. 

I also got my first glimpse into how hospitable Jordanians are, as the people sitting next to me gave me every insight I could possibly need for my imminent adventure in their country, even offering to help with anything once I landed. A great experience overall. 

See where I place Jordan as the best transformed and safe country for solo travel in my recent blog - 5 Dangerous Countries in the World that Are Now Safe to Travel Alone to.

If you wish to see my adventures in Petra and what makes it so special check out my post here.

Latam & Avianca

I put these two together because when I travelled with some friends to South America (Chile and Peru) we got around 6 or 7 flights with either Latam or Avianca. My memory mixes both experiences but I do remember thinking how good every flight we took was. One that stands out is the flight we took from Chile to Easter Island, it felt like a brand-new plane and was very comfortable.   

Related: Peru Travel Guide: 13 Best Places to go in Peru.

The only downside was the mess we encountered with the customer service when we took the flight back to London (with Avianca). They couldn't find our flight details because they had merged two flights into one - it wasn’t our problem until it was. We spent about 30 minutes ‘discussing’ with the front desk and the supervisor until eventually they figured out their mistake and sent us on our way.

Check out my amazing adventures to Moon Valley in San Pedro de Atacama desert - part one here.

If you like hiking then check out my gruelling hike to Rainbow Mountain in Peru.

British Airways

These guys just do everything as it should be done, don’t they? Quick check-in/bag drop, friendly staff, helpful advice if needed, feel-good factor, and most importantly feel-safe factor. 

There is one particular flight I got on that stood out where I had checked in for my flight to Croatia, up until this point I didn't have a seat picked, I usually don’t mind where I sit and it saves on extra unnecessary costs. 

That being said I am over six feet tall so legroom is a concern. Without saying anything the staff checking me in asked if I minded being on the exit seat for the extra legroom due to my height... Erm, of course, I didn't mind. 

It may seem like a small thing to some and I wish I had taken the guy's name to shout him out, but it went a long way for me (evidently) and showed me that it isn’t just about money at the end of the month. He cared. Unlike some of the airlines in the other pile.

To see my adventures to Croatia check out my blog posts starting from Dubrovnik.

United Airlines

So I guess you never really know an airline unless there's a bad delay or a missed flight, lost luggage, etc to see how they react and treat you. What are their policies? 

I can safely say United delivered. Not only were the flights I took excellent, but they also dealt with my connected flights and delays admirably.

I had a flight that connected in Chicago but I only had an hour and thirty minutes to transfer, if you’ve ever been to Chicago airport you’d know that was a mission in itself. As it were, my flight came in slightly behind schedule which meant I had even less time to make the connecting flight… in the other terminal! Safe to say, I didn't make it. So I promptly made my way to the United help desk, the lady there really tried to get me on the next flight only to realize it had all already been done automatically for me/her, including my luggage handled so it didn't leave without me. 

But where they really excelled was on my flight from Denver to London (via Boston). There was a delay, and the captain came out a few times to explain what was happening. In the end, it turned out that the captain could smell something in the cabin and he was not happy using that plane, so we changed planes. This all meant that my connecting flight in Boston, where I only had an hour spare to transfer, was definitely going without me.

When I landed in Boston I headed again to the United help desk and without a fuss they gave me the option of either taking another connecting flight to get back to London on the same day or waiting until the next direct flight which was 24 hours later (there is only one flight a day from Boston to London apparently). If I waited for my next direct flight they would put me in a cab to the hotel and back again (all paid for) and give me food vouchers too. My choice was essentially a free day out in Boston to explore or more connected flights, not a difficult choice. 

I know to some this might all sound like a hassle but for someone always looking for their next adventure, this was an amazing opportunity. Thank you, United Airlines. 

If you are flying to America, check out my blog posts on my unforgettable experiences in Colorado and Utah.

Worst Airlines

Now I'm hoping this will change for the better in the future but for now, my experiences so far have shown me everything I need to know about these airlines...

Qatar Airways

This is just as much of a surprise for me as it might be for you. I have to give them a little bit of leeway however, I’ll explain. 

I had a flight from Milan to Vietnam with a stop in Qatar along the way. The first flight was fine, but the food wasn’t great and neither was the in-flight entertainment. The second flight was a shambles, although the in-flight entertainment was better, the seat and legroom were so uncomfortable. 

There was a metal box underneath every other seat on the aisle seats which restricted my legroom to half!! Remember what I said about British Airways and legroom, this was the opposite. I felt more like a piece of luggage than I did a paying human customer! I chose to confront/email Qatar about this only for them to say “What would you like us to do about it”? Clearly nothing but thanks anyway.  

I couldn’t recommend Qatar Airways.

The flight might not have been great but my time in Vietnam was, check out part one of my solo travel experience in Vietnam.

‍Ryanair

As budget airlines go this is the king of them. Yes, you can get very cheap flights on this airline but the hassle you have to go through with your luggage and what you eventually end up paying is simply not worth it. The staff never look like they want to be there and of course, you have to pay an arm and a leg for a WET WIPE! Ah, budget indeed. 

The captain's announcements are super fast and you can't understand it, like terms and conditions on a radio. I could but I won't go on, I'm sure you get the picture.

Ok, so I will likely end up using Ryanair again due to the convenience but I’ll grin and bear it when I do.

Final Thoughts on Best & Worst Airlines

For me, it's the little things that matter with flights and airlines, like the guy for British Airways who put me on an extra legroom seat without asking. 

In the end, your flying experience should ideally remain consistent across airlines. While aircraft sizes may vary, the overall flight experience should generally be comfortable. Occasional turbulence is a natural occurrence, unrelated to airline quality. This blog primarily focuses on aspects of the airline experience that are within their control and can be improved.

For those planning future flights, I recommend considering the airlines that consistently excelled in areas like in-flight entertainment, legroom, cleanliness, and customer service. Any business can get something wrong but it’s how they deal with it that counts.

Finally, I encourage all you fellow travellers to share your own airline experiences and opinions by sending me an email and your review could be considered too. Your insights can be invaluable to others seeking to make well-informed choices for their flights.

The outcomes mentioned can undergo significant variations as my travels progress. As previously mentioned, I'll consistently refresh this post to keep it up to date. It's important to note that the perspectives and encounters I'm sharing here are solely my personal views and experiences.

A common thread among all these flights is that I make the bookings through the same platform. Skyscanner.com provides me with the ability to hunt for the finest flight bargains, giving you the freedom to choose your preferred airline for your next journey.

I want to be completely transparent with you all and emphasize that I haven't had the opportunity to experience every airline on the planet, nor would I want to. In the vast realm of air travel, there are countless carriers, each with its own unique offerings and quirks. So, while I can't cover every airline, I'll share my thoughts on the ones I've had the pleasure (or sometimes, displeasure) of flying with. As I continue to travel I will continue to circle back and update this post as much as possible.