South African airlines ranked among the best in the world

For the 2025 edition of the awards, SAA ranked 67th on the list, up from 69th in 2024, which itself was an improvement over prior years.

The ranking is based on the world’s largest, annual airline passenger satisfaction survey, which is not restricted to member airlines or a pre-selected choice of airline.

Any airline in the world can be nominated, the group said, adding that the focus of the survey is for customers to make their own, personal choices as to which airline they consider to be the best.

Over 325 airlines were included in the 2025 survey results, with Skytrax publishing a list of the top 100.

SAA’s position on the list comes as the airline itself continues its years-long turnaround strategy after decades of losses and government bailouts, exacerbated by global industry strife in 2020 due to the pandemic.

In November 2024, the group reported some steady growth for the 2022/23 financial year, posting a small net profit of R252 million – the first time the airline has been in the black since 2012.

This stands in stark contrast to the combined R23.5 billion in losses reported over the previous four years.

The group has entered a period of consolidation, securing its routes and opening new ones, while improving its financial positioning, service levels, and expanding its fleet.

The table below outlines the top airlines in the world:

Other South African airlines ranked

Three other South African airlines were mentioned in the low-cost segment, with FlySafair, Lift and Fastjet ranking as the top three airlines in Africa.

FlySafair took the prize as the best low-cost airline in Africa, beating out LIFT, which ranked first in 2024.

“To be recognised by Skytrax is proof of our team’s dedication and hard work,” said Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair.

“For more than a decade, we’ve worked tirelessly towards providing South Africans with affordable, hassle-free, and on-time travel.

“It’s always encouraging to see this commitment to our customers and the industry as a whole recognised on a global stage.”

In the other categories, Airlink was ranked the cleanest airline in Africa, beating out SAA, which took the prize last year. Airlink was also ranked as the best regional airline in Africa.

The cleanliness awards are based on ratings of the standard and quality of cleanliness in the aircraft cabin for airlines.

Cleanliness and presentation of seat areas, tables, carpets, cabin panels and washrooms all contribute towards the final results.

Looking at the best airline staff, South African airlines lag their African counterparts, with SAA being the top-ranked among local groups at 4th in Africa.

This is followed by Airlink (7th), LIFT (8th) and FlySafair (10th). EgyptAir, RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines were the top-ranked on the continent.

The Best Airline Staff Service awards recognise the combined quality of frontline airline staff service for both the airport and the onboard experience.

Best Low-Cost Airlines in Africa

Best Airline Staff in Africa