Which? has identified the top airlines operating flights in and out of the UK – and those that travelers are advised to avoid.
In a study carried out during the past 12 months, the consumer advocate surveyed over 5,500 travelers regarding their air travel experiences.
The research examined various aspects such as cost-effectiveness, cabin conditions (including hygiene), meals and beverages, seating comfort, service quality, check-in procedures, booking experience, seat spacing, last-minute cancellations, and flight punctuality.
Which? then analyzed the data to uncover how travelers evaluated their overall experience, helping identify the top and bottom airlines for customer satisfaction in the UK.
It may prove to be challenging for certain airline executives to read.
The budget Irish airline Ryanair was the top underperformer among short-haul carriers, achieving a customer satisfaction rating of only 55 percent.
The budget airline, led by CEO Michael O’Leary, received a two-star rating for its booking procedure, check-in, customer support, and in-flight atmosphere, and only one star for seat comfort.
Although Ryanair is recognized for its low-cost options, it only received three stars for value for money, with one passenger stating: “It’s marketed as a budget airline, but they earn more from additional fees than the savings compared to other airlines.”
What was the experience on the plane? Another passenger who wasn’t satisfied remarked, “The aircraft is unclean and the seats are terrible.”
The Hungarian airline Wizz Air came in as the second-lowest, with a customer rating of 55 percent.
The airline earned two stars for its reservation procedure, check-in, customer support, seating comfort, and meals and beverages.
Similar to Ryanair, the airline received three stars for value for money. A statement from a Wizz Air passenger described the airline as “consistently bad and expensive,” while other travelers reported inadequate customer service and insufficient communication regarding delays.
A budget Spanish airline, Vueling Airlines, ranked as the third worst in short-haul flight performance.
The airline received a 63 percent customer rating, earning three stars for value for money and two stars for other aspects.
Another budget airline, easyJet, achieved 67 percent, earning two stars for check-in, customer support, seat comfort, and cabin atmosphere. It lost three stars in the value for money category and ranked sixth from the bottom overall.
Regarding extended trips, another Irish airline, Aer Lingus, performed poorly, achieving a total score of only 65 percent.
The airline, based in Dublin, was awarded three stars across all categories except for the cabin atmosphere and seat comfort, which each received two stars.
United Airlines and American Airlines, both U.S.-based carriers, achieved scores of 68 and 69 percent respectively.
Among the leading companies are Jet2, which ranked first for short-haul with a strong 76 per cent score, followed by Lufthansa and Norwegian.
Other prominent airlines for short-distance flights are British Airways, KLM, TUI, Aer Lingus, and Air France.
In the long-haul category, Singapore Airlines secured the top position with the highest overall score – 81 percent.
The airline received five stars for customer service and cabin atmosphere, and was the sole carrier to achieve this.
Emirates came in closely with 81 percent, followed by Virgin Atlantic at 79 percent — both of which are designated as Recommended Providers, similar to Jet2.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, commented on the study: ‘It’s shocking to witness Ryanair and Wizz Air disregarding the negative experiences of their own passengers.’
They enjoy boasting about the number of travelers who use their services, yet on many routes, there’s truly no alternative.
Numerous other travelers join them due to the attractively low base ticket prices. However, excessively high fees for luggage and additional services make it uncertain that they remain the most affordable choice.
We have consistently discovered that airlines offering baggage and seat selection in their ticket prices can often be more cost-effective in the long run. Choose another carrier if possible.
A Ryanair representative stated: “Neither we nor our 208 million passengers take any notice of these fabricated surveys or their false findings.”
Each traveler who books a flight has an option, and in the previous year, 208 million people selected Ryanair, while no one reads or gives any heed to Which? fake surveys.
In the meantime, a representative from Wizz Air stated:Once more, Which’s study is based on a very small number of participants. It included 259 individuals, representing just 0.002 percent of the 12 million travelers who used our UK flights in 2025.
No reputable organization can assert that such a sample is indicative. Our growing passenger numbers—increasing each year—demonstrate that travelers appreciate Wizz’s affordable fares and top-tier operational efficiency.
We are still fulfilling the promises mentioned in our £12 billion Customer First Compass program. Between October 2024 and December 2025, customer satisfaction increased by eight percentage points.
At the same time, our flight completion rate in the UK stood at 99.7 percent — consistently among the top in the industry — and our on-time performance improved by 14 percent compared to the previous year.
This year, we are excited to accommodate more travelers aboard Europe’s newest and most advanced fleet, utilizing our competitive rates on our largest summer leisure route network that includes numerous new locations in Spain, Greece, and France.
A representative from easyJet stated: ‘Fifty million customers in the UK will opt to travel with easyJet this year, drawn by our range of destinations, affordable prices, and the welcoming assistance provided by our excellent staff.
We let customers pay only for what they need, ensuring we can maintain low prices for all. Approximately 40% of our customers opt to travel with just the base fare, and our customer satisfaction ratings are at a 10-year peak, showing that customers still appreciate this option and our service.
Since this survey is not weighted, it does not accurately represent the situation when compared to airlines that transport significantly fewer passengers.
The Daily Mail contacted Vueling Airlines, Aer Lingus, American Airlines, and United seeking their response.
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