The Airline Brands Pyramid: A New Hierarchy of Airline Carriers

If you’re looking for a practical guide to gauge where your favorite airline brand is placed before you think of your next holiday or business trip, look no further than our Pyramid of Airline Brands.

First you might notice that the airline brand you love are linked from budget airlines to the ultimate luxury of private jets and anything in between. Remember airlines are offering a wide variety of destinations, planes, interior designs, destinations, quality, pricing and, yes, experiences.

The Pyramid of Airline Brands

*Source: SmartZup

Notes: A band refers to a curated group of airline brands with common attributes such as quality, exclusivity, and pricing. However, being part of the same band does not imply a hierarchy or ranking, no brand is positioned “higher” or “lower” within the band based solely on logo placement or visual order. We acknowledge that the world of airline brands is vast and ever-evolving, with many more noteworthy airline brands across the globe. We welcome your suggestions to help expand and refine our airline brand bands and hierarchies.
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In the dynamic landscape of the experience economy, airlines have adeptly adapted to shifting consumer preferences. This has led to the emergence of a new era in interior air travel experiences.

Among these innovative offerings, you will discover ultra-private First Class suites that transform air travel into a truly bespoke experience. These suites feature everything from floor-to-ceiling privacy partitions to designer bedding, spa-inspired bathrooms, and fine dining on demand. In Business class, the flat-bed seating has redefined comfort at 30,000 feet, and the premium economy option that bridges the gap between luxury and affordability without the cost of a business class ticket.

Onboard entertainment takes a quantum leap with an array of choices, presenting passengers with a vast selection of movies and TV channels to cater to every taste. Moreover, the culinary journey unfolds with the expertise of Michelin-starred chefs curating exquisite onboard meals, transforming your flight into a gourmet exploration.

As airlines continue to push boundaries, the passenger experience reaches new heights, harmonizing technology, comfort, and gastronomy in unprecedented ways.

On the flipside, the spectrum of options widens further to accommodate the no-frills model, where the base fare is just the beginning, and passengers have the opportunity to tailor their experience with a variety of add-ons and enhancements. This approach allows travelers to curate their journey according to their preferences, whether it’s opting for extra legroom, priority boarding, or specialized in-flight amenities.

Finally, we have a majority of airlines that just are there to move you from A to B,  offering captivating service tiers, distinctive cabin layouts, and aircraft harking back to a different epoch.

Budget Airline Brands

On the lowest level of the airline pyramid, we find the budget airlines and they have taken over the short-haul flights in the world in the last 30 years. In the Americas, we have Southwest Airlines, Frontier, JetBlue, and Gol. In Europe EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz. In the Middle East Air Arabia and FlyDubai. Finally, in Asia, there is Air Asia and Scoot, and IndiGo. These no-frills airlines provide travel to A-B at low cost with no frills. Customer service do not expect much, and extras you will have to pay for.

Mass Market Airline Brands

The next level is the legacy air carriers from Asia, Africa, and Middle and South America. Often still under government ownership, they are not known for providing the best customer experience and services, the use of older planes and safety records is so-so. The planes are relatively old, and there is often clear wear and tear in the interior of the planes.

Premium Airline Brands

The next level is like so many cases, those airlines that try to provide a better customer experience, but somehow often just fall short of expectations. These premium airlines are also legacy carriers, including Saudia, Iberia, and Air Canada, for instance. The new planes are coming, but often you still get confronted with old, tired seats. Business Class lie-flat might be available on many planes, but not all. Let us not talk about the food, it is still far from an experience.

Aspirational Airline Brands

The next tier is the aspirational airline brands such as Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, Air France, Delta, Qantas and United. These airlines  have started to put in the investment to become better operators focusing on planes interior design, destination mix, innovations, and customer service. New planes are being introduced, including improved services on the ground and in the air. However, the economy is still forgotten, and business class has become the new first class for most operators. Many of these airlines have phased out First class.

Supreme Airline Brands

The final group is the crème de la crème of the aviation industry and airlines include Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Ana and Japan Airlines. Over the years it has been these airlines that have focused on a number of areas to improve the customer experience. 

Besides all offering 3, or 4 class configurations – First, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy, they operate a relatively young and large fleet of aircraft, good to excellent customer service both on the ground and in the air, and offer a hub strategy (Dubai, Singapore, Doha, Istanbul) offering many connections and destinations.

We love the ICE system (over 6,500 films, TV, and audio programs) by Emirates, Singapore’s first class, and Qatar’s Q-suite and Economy Class with Emirates, and Singapore Airlines.

Private Jets

The pinnacle of air travel remains private. For the world’s millionaires and billionaires, owning a personal aircraft, a sleek Gulfstream or a customized Learjet, is not a luxury, but a functional necessity, offering unmatched privacy, flexibility, and time efficiency. Yet for those who aspire to the private jet experience without the full financial commitment of ownership, a growing number of elite aviation companies have emerged to bridge the gap.

Among the most prominent players in this space are NetJets, the industry leader in fractional jet ownership, VistaJet, known for its global reach and consistent fleet of silver-and-red Bombardier jets; and Jet Linx, which specializes in personalized private aviation. These companies offer varying models, from on-demand charters and memberships to fractional and shared ownership, catering to high-net-worth individuals, executives, and families seeking the exclusivity of private aviation with more flexibility and less operational burden.

The private jet segment continues to thrive, bringing the dream of ultra-premium flight closer to those just outside the stratosphere of ownership.