The Best World Airlines Of 2017 Gallery

Calling them "the friendly skies" doesn't make it any less nerve-wracking to fly them. Air travel can be quite stressful, and for good reason. No matter how many flight survival tips you stick to, with flight delays, cramped space, crowded bookings, and the mystery that is airplane food, flying has the potential to be a horrible experience — but it doesn't have to be.

Airlines around the world work hard toward making the in-flight experience bearable, if not enjoyable, for their passengers. At the Paris Air Show this past summer, the Skytrax 2017 World Airline Awards announced exactly who succeeded the most in doing so. Known as "the Oscars of the aviation industry" the World Airline Awards judge 320 airlines from around the world based on passenger satisfaction surveys. Every aspect of the airline experience was covered, including all aspects of ground and cabin service, as well as onboard product. The winners were drawn from among airlines across Europe, Asia, and Oceania — North America, interestingly, was absent — and the list shifted quite a bit from last year. So if you're looking to fly with the best in the coming year, here are the best world airlines of 2017.

While the main hub for Hong Kong Airlines is Hong Kong International Airport, its headquarters are in the town of Tung Chung. Also breaking the top 25 for the first time this year, this airline serves 36 destinations.

Established in 1919, the Netherlands' national airline, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, is the oldest still operating with its original name. Its headquarters are in Amstelveen, near its main hub of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer. Up two spots from last year, KLM serves 145 destinations.

South Korea's Asiana Airlines dropped four spots this year, but still managed to crack the top 20. Its headquarters are in Seoul as is its domestic hub, Gimpo International Airport. Asiana Airlines's international hub is Incheon International Airport in nearby Incheon, and the airline serves 90 destinations in 26 countries.

Air France may have moved down four spots this year, but it's still got a world-class business class. As France's national airline, Air France is headquartered at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Tremblay-en-France. It also has a hub at Orly Airport and serves 204 destinations around the world.

Japan Airlines didn't even make the top 20 last year, but it shot up five places this year due to improved performance. The second largest carrier in Japan, it is the country's national airline and is headquartered in Tokyo with its main hubs at the city's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport. The third largest airline in the world in terms of passengers carried, Japan Airlines serves 92 destinations worldwide.

Headquartered in the French commune of Saint-Louis, right outside of Basel, Swiss International Air Lines serves 102 destinations in 46 different countries. The Swiss flag carrier is a subsidiary of Lufthansa Group and rose one spot on this list this year. Its main hub is Zurich Airport, where the airline has some truly impressive lounges.

Turkey's national airline, headquartered at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of number of destinations. Serving 302 cities in 120 nations, Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline. However, the carrier has dropped quite a bit in this year's ranking, falling from last year's spot at No. 7.

Rising just one spot this year, Garuda Indonesia finally breaks the top 10. Headquartered at its main hub, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, the airline serves 133 destinations. Garuda is the flag carrier airline of Indonesia, and its country's government is a majority shareholder.

National airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways serves 83 destinations worldwide. Etihad's hub is Abu Dhabi International Airport, and its headquarters are located in the Abu Dhabi suburb of Khalifa City. Since last year, the airline fell a few places from No. 6, but its reputation for luxury and opulence persists — it's even one of the best places to have a romantic dinner for two.

EVA Air's main hub is Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan City, known for its bearable layovers. The Taiwanese airline serves 77 destinations internationally. Climbing two spots this year from No. 8, the airline is one of the safest in the world, having had no accidents or fatalities since its founding in 1989.

Dethroned from the number one spot, Emirates is a state-owned airline based in Dubai. The largest airline in the Middle East, Emirates serves 141 cities in 81 countries on every continent except Antarctica. A leading luxury airline, Emirates is known for actually having good airplane food as well as some of the best service in the business.

You can fly to 64 destinations with Singapore Airlines, which has found itself moving up a spot to second place this year in the world airline rankings. The national airline of Singapore, its hub is Singapore Changi Airport.