The "World's Best Airlines For 2025", which has attracted worldwide attention, was recently announced by AirlineRatings.com. The most surprising thing is that Korean Air defeated Qatar Airways, which ranked first in 2024, to win the championship title as a dark horse.
For the airlines selected this time, the "World's Best Airlines For 2025" specifically focuses on flight comfort. The selected airlines must be able to provide a full range of service experience, including in-flight meals, snacks and drinks, regardless of flight duration. Seat pitch in economy class must be at least 31 inches (78.74 cm), and business class must provide lie-flat beds to measure passenger comfort.
Korean Air, which was named the most comfortable airline this time, only ranked 11th in 2024. In 2025, it successfully pushed out Swiss International Air Lines, Air France, EVA Air, Turkish Airlines, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, All Nippon Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways to top the list. What is the reason behind this? What makes Korean Air’s flight comfort significantly improved?
01 Business class and economy class renovation design
Korean Air joined hands with PriestmanGoode, a well-known London design company, to create a new business class and economy class interior design in 2024. The comprehensive renovation of the cabin allows Korean Air to get rid of its past blue-green brand image and replace its Boeing 787-10 flights with elegant dark brown suits.
In business class, PriestmanGoode features a twin-mattress configuration and a "hug-like experience" on board with covered partitions that include a 51-inch-high privacy wall, 24-inch monitors, Bluetooth connectivity and 78-inch-long reclining seats.
In addition, especially for couples traveling together, Korean Air uses a "double bed" that is approximately 46 inches long, showing the airline's thoughtfulness.
The double bed design was created by PriestmanGoode, and Design Director Daniel MacInnes calls it "a new perspective on Koreanness", saying: "Korean Air has taken great confidence in the design to create cabin details and qualities that are unique to its passengers. We have achieved a new contemporary vision of Koreanness, a product that is timeless, yet firmly recognizable to Korean nationals and of interest to the airline's global customer base."
For this comprehensive renovation of the cabin, the designer focused on three aspects: color, identification pattern and form, giving new life to the originally monotonous and rigid space - including rich textures, smooth finishes with a high-end feel, and low-key dark visuals, giving the space a completely different charm.
The curtains and seat graphics in the new cabin are mostly made using traditional Korean craftsmanship, including traditional Korean textile art, Jogakbo patchwork craftsmanship and contrasting elements taken from Korean clothing. This is a modern interpretation to convey the exclusive characteristics of Korean Air.
The new design was used in business class and economy class on Korean Air’s 787-9 and 787-10 from 2024, and the A321neo aircraft interior will also be affected by the new design.
02 The world’s most spacious economy class seat
In addition to the inherent advantages of the cabin design itself, Korean Air is on a par with Japan Airlines. Both airlines offer the most spacious economy class seats globally, with a seat pitch of approximately 33 to 34 inches. Even on the narrow 737 aircraft, they provide passengers with the most comfortable flight experience. At the same time, Korean Air also provides attentive and considerate services to economy class passengers on long-haul flights, including slippers, more abundant meals compared to most airlines, and renovated in-flight entertainment options.
03 "Inflight Safety Rules" at the forefront of popularity
Korean Air’s combination of K-Pop marketing strategies can be said to be highly successful. In particular, the “Inflight Safety Video” in collaboration with the popular Korean boy band BTS in 2022 has received a lot of attention and discussion. Moreover, Korean Air has also cooperated with SM Entertainment and internationally renowned popular artists such as the boy band SuperM and BoA.
04 Gradually modernizing uniforms and CI design
Korean Air has been continuously renovating the uniforms of its staff in the past few years, hoping that through the redesign of the uniforms, it will create a safe workplace and help employees work more efficiently. In early 2024, Korean Air released news that it will transform its 38-year-old safety on-site uniforms, and professional workers including maintenance, aviation, cargo, and apron will receive new uniforms one after another. The design of this uniform features enhanced safety and functionality, and eco-friendly materials have been introduced.
