Best Airlines to Fly to Europe
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As an American living in Europe, I know a lot about flying from the United States to Europe.
Family and friends are always asking for my opinion on the best airlines to fly to Europe.
Even my frequent flier friends ask me to compare airlines, the best flight routes, and which airline’s first class service is truly the best.
So I’m going to fill you in on all of the opinions, industry chatter, and personal experience that I have about the airlines that fly from the USA to Euroep.
Without further ado, here’s my breakdown of the airlines that can take you to Europe.
Best Airlines to Fly to Europe
What Makes an Airline “The Best”?
WHAT’S THE CRITERIA THAT MAKES AN AIRLINE THE BEST TO FLY TO EUROPE?
It’s really simple: the best airline to fly from the United States to Europe is the one that will get you to your destination in the least amount of time, and at the highest level of comfort and service that you are willing to pay for.
Sure, all of the factors that go into choosing an airline can be confusing.
For one, there are a lot of airlines.
All these airlines have different loyalty programs, fare classes, lounge types, and alliances.
It’s no wonder that it can make your head spin!
This confusion is also why we seek “best of” lists or external recommendations on which airlines to fly.
But remember - the best airline is simply the one that will get you to your destination in the least amount of time, and at the highest level of comfort and service that you, my dear friend, are willing to pay for.
Best Domestic Airlines to Fly to Europe
Thanks to airline consolidation over the past decades, we’re left with three major U.S.-based carriers that can fly you to Europe.
A lot of folks worry about the service they’ll receive if they don’t have status with a particular airline.
Here’s something my frequent flier friends and I have observed:
PERSONAL STATUS WITH AN AIRLINE LOYALTY PROGRAM MATTERS ON THE GROUND, WHILE FARE CLASS MATTERS IN THE AIR.
Things like customer service queues, baggage allowances, and lounge access will be influenced by personal status, while the level of service, food quality, and seat amenities will be influenced by your fare class, or whether you are in Economy, Economy Plus, or Business Class.
(Insider Tip: If you want to book Business Class for a flight to Europe but can’t stomach the price, book a mixed-fare ticket:
Book Business Class for the overnight leg of your flight, so that you can be most comfortable during the sleeping portion of your flight.
On the return trip, which takes place during the day, book a lower, more affordable class as you won’t be trying to sleep.
Conversely, if you’re one of the lucky few who can sleep anywhere, book an Economy fare for your overnight leg and then enjoy all that Business Class has to offer during the daytime flight.
There you have it, my mixed-fare ticket hack 😉.)
Delta Air Lines
Major U.S. Hubs: Atlanta (ATL), New York City (JFK), and Detroit (DTW)
Global Airline Alliance: SkyTeam
Aircraft Fleet: Mix between older Boeing models and new Airbus aircrafts
If it was possible, I would choose Delta Airlines every time I fly internationally.
It’s my favorite U.S. airline, and the airline of choice among most of my friends.
This may have something to do with shared geography, though, as Delta has a strong network in the Southeastern United States, where I lived for many years.
NEVERTHELESS, I FIND THAT DELTA IS THE BEST AIRLINE AT DELIVERING CONSISTENTLY GOOD SERVICE REGARDLESS OF FARE CLASS.
This reliable service level is something that’s often an issue with other domestic airlines.
Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, which includes international airlines like Air France, KLM, and ITA Airways.
This means that those flying to Paris, Amsterdam, and Milan or Rome will often find the best routes and airfare on Delta or its alliance partners.
I’m a big fan of the lie flat seats in Delta’s first class cabin, Delta One.
I TRULY LOVE THEIR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS SERVICE, DELTA ONE.
Perhaps the best flight I ever took to Frankfurt passed by like a dream in Delta One, where I laid my head on the pillow and then, seemingly minutes later, awoke to the news that we were preparing our descent into Germany.
My only gripe about Delta is that most of their U.S. to Europe flights route through Atlanta rather than JFK or Detroit.
This means that passengers from the midwest or northeast will likely be tempted by the greater route availability on United Airlines.
United Airlines
Major U.S. Hubs: Newark (EWR), Chicago (ORD), and Washington Dulles (IAD)
Global Airline Alliance: Star Alliance
Aircraft Fleet: Predominantly Boeing, with new Airbus aircrafts on order
Not to say that being tempted by United Airlines is necessarily a bad thing.
United is good, ok, it’s fine, there is nothing wrong with United.
BUT IT’S A BIT OF AN UNEVEN EXPERIENCE TO FLY UNITED AIRLINES TO EUROPE.
If you’re flying their Polaris business class, you’ll likely appreciate the improved seat design and plush bedding.
Economy can be a bit more hit and miss.
Their staff contributes to this choppy service - even on the same flight I’ve had incredibly kind, helpful flight attendants along with those who snapped at me for asking basic questions.
United’s greatest strength, though, is their route map and the transatlantic network afforded to them through the Star Alliance.
Ah, United. A reliable, if not awe-inspiring, airline.
Star Alliance includes Lufthansa, Air Canada, and Scandinavian Airlines, and it’s also the largest global airline alliance by market share.
So if you’re flying to Germany, Switzerland, Austria or the Nordics, United’s got you covered.
United’s U.S. hubs also make it a great choice for those traveling from the midwest and northeast: Chicago (ORD), Newark (EWR), and Washington, D.C. (IAD).
IT’S A FINE AIRLINE THAT PERFECTLY ILLUSTRATES MY RULE ABOUT WHAT MAKES FOR THE BEST AIRLINE:
You might want to fly Delta, but if United will get you home quicker, then United is likely what you’ll fly.
American Airlines
Major U.S. hubs: Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), New York City (JFK), and Miami (MIA)
Global Airline Alliance: oneworld
Aircraft Fleet: Predominantly Boeing, with new Airbus aircrafts on order
Right out of the gate, American Airlines lands at third place on this list due to the limited European coverage of its oneworld alliance.
It includes heavyweight British Airways, as well as Iberia and Finnair.
Great news for those heading to London, Madrid, or Helsinki, but not as extensive as Star Alliance or SkyTeam.
The airline operates flights from its U.S. hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), New York (JFK), and Charlotte (CLT), to key European destinations.
BUT AMERICAN IS AN ANOMALY OF SORTS IN THAT IT’S HARD TO FIND REAL FANS OF THE AIRLINE.
Like I mentioned before, most of my friends will always take a Delta flight, even if they have to pay more.
And folks who at least have status on United will sing its praises.
BUT IT’S NOT OFTEN THAT I HEAR THE SAME KIND OF POSITIVE CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF AMERICAN.
So here, it sinks even deeper into third place: it’s fine, they’ll get you to Europe, but it’s probably not going to be a trip to write home about.
Best International Airlines to Fly to Europe
There is a long list of international airlines that fly to Europe, so check back as more airlines will be added to this list soon…
Air Canada
Major Canadian Hubs: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
Global Airline Alliance: Star Alliance
Aircraft Fleet: A mix between newer Boeing and Airbus aircraft
PERSONALLY, I LOVE FLYING AIR CANADA FROM THE U.S. TO EUROPE.
Their aircraft fleet is particularly new, and the service level, even in economy, seems more attentive and dare I say, European.
Because of Air Canada’s extensive U.S. to Canada network, you can fly with Air Canada from the U.S. to a Canadian hub and then onwards to Europe.
If you’ve got your heart set on flying Air Canada, though, be sure to book direct.
I’ve had two recent flight segments with Air Canada, booked through their Star Alliance partner, United, which were ultimately changed to United flights, presumably to save on codeshare fees. 😥
British Airways
Major UK Hub: London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Global Airline Alliance: oneworld
Aircraft Fleet: A Boeing-heavy fleet with some Airbus aircraft
Wow, when it comes to British Airways people either love it or they hate it.
I’VE YET TO ENCOUNTER ANY OPINION IN THE MIDDLE.
Fans, mostly Brits, in my experience, say that it’s the best airline they’ve ever flown.
Critics hate it, and vow to arrive in Heathrow via other carriers.
Love it or hate it, no other airline has a lock on Heathrow Airport like British Airways
BA’s been flying to the U.S. for more than 70 years, but over the past decade, they’ve been expanding even deeper into the North American market.
They now operate an eye-watering 400 weekly direct flights from the U.S. to Europe, from smaller markets like Pittsburgh (PIT), New Orleans (MSY), and Cincinnati (CVG).
So, to harken back to my rule about what makes the best airline:
If you’re from a smaller city and want to avoid the usual two-flight and a layover combo, then perhaps British Airways will be the best airline (for you).
Lufthansa
Major German Hubs: Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC)
Global Airline Alliance: Star Alliance
Aircraft Fleet: A mix between Boeing (they still fly the iconic 747) and Airbus aircraft
It should be clear that this is not a ranked list, because I would never list Lufthansa so far down!
I’ve spent a lot of time on Germany’s largest airline, and in most respects, it lives up to its reputation.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR GERMAN EFFICIENCY AND TOP-NOTCH SERVICE, LUFTHANSA IS A SOLID CHOICE.
Their hubs in Frankfurt and Munich offer seamless connections to destinations all over Europe, and their premium cabins get rave reviews.
As a German resident, I do a lot of flying on Lufthansa, and it mostly gets top marks from me.
I’m a fan of their Boeing 747s, known for their distinctive two-story cabin, where business class sits upstairs.
Economy is economy, but even in this regard, I find Lufthansa’s food to be better than, say, United’s, on international routes.
The only downside with Lufthansa is that their sterling reputation often affords them a higher degree of pricing power.
On same-day routes, Lufthansa is often a bit more expensive than United from the U.S. to Europe.
Air France
Major French Hub: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Global Airline Alliance: SkyTeam
Aircraft Fleet: An Airbus-heavy fleet, with a few Boeings still in service
Air France is a wonderful airline.
THE PROBLEM, THOUGH, IS THAT ITS MAIN HUB AIRPORT IS PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE (CDG).
I call it the “Newark of Europe” due to de Gaulle’s ridiculous airport terminal design, which has smaller gate areas with limited food and shopping options.
Air France can get you to Paris fast, though, if you’re traveling from major cities like New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), and Miami (MIA).
Its first-class service, La Première, is legendary, with a dedicated lounge at CDG boasting an Alain Ducasse dining experience and Sisley spa treatments.
Regardless of your fare class, though, Air France is known for the quality of its in-flight dining and attentive service from staff.
These are the four most familiar international airlines that fly to Europe.
But they certainly aren’t the only ones.
I’ll update this post in the coming months with more international airlines. 😉
That’s all for now, though.
xx,
Angela ✈️
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