Air New Zealand has claimed the title of the world's best airline for 2023, according to the annual awards by AirlineRatings.com. The prestigious accolade was won by the Auckland-based airline, which had placed second behind Qatar Airways in the previous year. 

While Qatar Airways had secured the award in both 2021 and 2022, it slipped to second place this time, with Etihad Airways securing third place. Korean Air and Singapore Airlines took fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

The Airline Excellence Awards are judged by experienced editors with a combined aviation experience of over 200 years. The awards recognize the highest standard in the airline industry, evaluating more than 350 airlines based on strict criteria including passenger comfort, innovation, value, and safety. AirlineRatings.com, the world's only safety and product rating website, appointed five judges who assessed 11 key areas such as fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, product offerings, and staff relations.

Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas stated, "In our objective analysis, Air New Zealand excelled in numerous crucial areas, ultimately earning the top position, although the competition was very close among the top five." Notably, Air New Zealand not only secured the overall airline of the year award but also received recognition for having the best economy class and was ranked sixth for excellence in long-haul travel.