Matt Graham’s 5 Favourite Airlines

In a recent article, AFF writer Stephen Gray revealed which are his five favourite airlines, and why. This got me thinking about my own favourite airlines. As it happens, my list is quite different to Stephen’s!

At the time of writing, my Flightradar24 stats tell me that I’ve flown with 116 different airlines. So, I’ve had the chance to experience a wide range of different carriers with a very broad range of products and service cultures.

As you might expect for someone with my job, people often ask me what my favourite airline is. The answer, as I revealed in another AFF article in 2023, often surprises people. I absolutely love Air Astana, the national carrier of Kazakhstan.

Of course, this isn’t the only airline that I’m a fan of! Below, I’ve ranked my top five favourites.

I’ll caveat this list by saying that I’m basing my ratings mainly on the in-flight experience, rather than the customer service on the ground or at the airlines’ contact centres. That said, as it happens, Air Astana’s service on the ground is just as impeccable as in the air. Any time I’ve needed to call them, they’ve answered straight away and provided good service in English.

1. Air Astana

My first Air Astana flight, almost a decade ago, was a simple Economy Class domestic hop within Kazakhstan on a Boeing 757. I’d never heard of this airline before, and went in with no particular expectations.

I was totally blown away by how nice and well-run this airline is. Every single person I interacted with, from the airport staff to the cabin crew, was delightful. The plane had a modern interior and was in great condition. The flight ran on time. And I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food & drinks served on board.

On my next flight, a three-hour hop from Astana to Tbilisi, Air Astana gave everyone in Economy an amenity kit.

With such a good Economy Class product, I was keen to try Air Astana’s Business Class. Once again, I was totally impressed. The seats are comfortable, the food is excellent and the amenities are high quality. I like that the airline embraces its cultural identity with a distinctly Kazakh flair.

But what continues to impress me the most is Air Astana’s attention to detail. Oh, and the divine Georgian red wine it serves in its long-haul Business Class! (It’s Chelti Saperavi Qvevri, for any fellow wine-lovers out there.)

By the way, as a non-alcoholic option, Air Astana’s cherry juice is also excellent!

Air Astana isn’t just another airline from central Asia. Its service and safety standards are incredibly high. Its outgoing CEO Peter Foster has done a stellar job of building it up over the past two decades into a respected international carrier, connecting many markets that didn’t previously have affordable or reliable air service.

The airline just ordered a bunch of Boeing 787s to add to its already-modern fleet. I’m excited for the prospect of these planes helping Air Astana to launch more new long-haul routes!

2. Turkish Airlines

I’ve always been impressed by Turkish Airlines’ network. It’s a truly global airline, with flights to more countries than any other airline, allowing you to connect from pretty much anywhere to anywhere via Istanbul.

But what I really love about Turkish Airlines is that you’ll never go hungry on one of its flights.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And on every Turkish Airlines flight I’ve taken, be it a domestic Economy hop or long-haul Business Class, the food has been consistently good. Who doesn’t enjoy a hot Turkish meal on a two-hour Economy flight?

Turkish Airlines uses Do&Co, which is widely regarded as being one of the better airline caterers. It puts effort into providing quality fresh food, and it shows.

That’s not the only thing I like about Turkish Airlines. I like the live TV on board. I like that they offer proper Business Class seats on short-haul routes – which isn’t the norm in Europe. And I really enjoy visiting the Turkish Airlines lounges at Istanbul Airport.

3. Singapore Airlines

I can’t recall ever having a bad flight on Singapore Airlines in any cabin. Even in Economy, you’ll usually get a comfortable seat, good food and free cocktails, including the famous Singapore Sling.

I find dining in Singapore Airlines Business Class a particular treat. There’s usually at least one delicious Singaporean option, which is one of my favourite cuisines, and you can even “book the cook” to access more meal options.

Some critics say that the on-board service can feel a bit “robotic” at times, but I personally haven’t found this to be the case and appreciate the consistency.

When flying from Australia to Singapore, I also appreciate the much wider variety of schedule options, more modern planes, better in-flight entertainment and better on-time performance that Singapore Airlines provides over a certain local competitor.

4. Japan Airlines

Flying Japan Airlines (JAL) is a real treat in any cabin, but I especially love how much effort this Oneworld carrier puts into providing a comfortable Economy Class experience. The legroom is great, and Japan Airlines is the only airline in the world with eight seats per row on its Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Everyone else went with a tight nine-across configuration – but not JAL.

The on-board service is consistently excellent too, and I appreciate the small Japanese touches. It’s pretty hard to dislike anything about this airline!

5. Lufthansa

OK, this might be a bit of a controversial choice, and I might be a bit biased as I’ve lived in Germany and speak the language… but this is a personal and subjective list, after all 😉

Lufthansa sometimes gets a bad rap for its customer service, its food, or for having older planes with outdated Business Class seats. I personally find the unashamedly German service and the varied long-haul fleet to be a feature, rather than a bug.

I will admit that I don’t think its 2-2-2 long-haul Business Class layout is that competitive any more. But the airline is in the process of (eventually, if there are no more certification and supply chain delays) upgrading its cabins with new Allegris seats.

Lufthansa is the only airline that still flies both Boeing 747-400s and Boeing 747-8s – both aircraft that are a joy to fly on. It also continues to operate Airbus A380s and multiple versions of the Airbus A340. I’m personally a fan of the “retro” feel of some of these planes, which I trust Lufthansa to maintain well. After all, Lufthansa Technik is one of the world’s largest and most respected aircraft maintenance providers.

I feel that Lufthansa trains its crew to a very high standard, and that they care. And I appreciate the announcement Lufthansa makes at the start of each long-haul flight outlining the service flow and timings. So you know exactly what to expect and can plan accordingly.

Again, this is a totally personal thing, but I like the variety of German and international in-flight entertainment content. I often relax on long-haul Lufthansa flights by listening to the nicely curated international and German music playlists.

Honourable mentions

Of course, these aren’t the only five airlines that I like! But when you have to pick five, you have to be picky.

I’d also like to give a few honourable mentions:

• Although some of its planes are getting a bit long in the tooth, I like the service on board Qantas
• While Virgin Australia’s fleet and network don’t excite me in the same way as true international airlines with wide-body planes and a global network, I appreciate how consistently enthusiastic and helpful its cabin crew are
• Some of the friendliest service I’ve had from an airline was on Air Chathams, a small regional airline in New Zealand that punches above its weight
• While its customer service on the ground leaves a bit to be desired, and the on-board food could probably use an upgrade, I really like flying with Finnair. The cabins have a calming “Nordic” feel, and its innovative AirLounge Business Class seat is surprisingly comfortable for a lie-flat seat that doesn’t recline.

What are your favourite airlines?

Of course, these lists are entirely subjective. You may prefer different airlines, and that’s totally fine!

I’m not saying that every flight on these airlines is perfect 100% of the time. Even the best airlines can have bad days sometimes. Equally, sometimes airlines with a terrible reputation can totally surprise you with perfect service.

What are your favourite airlines, and why? Let us know on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum!