US carriers shamed in surprising new list of the world’s ‘cleanest’ airlines

Whether you’re a frequent flyer or tentative traveler, no one wants to be on a dirty plane.

From tissues left in the seat-back pocket, gross complimentary blankets, crumbs on the tray table and germ-ridden windows, there’s plenty to be wary of when boarding a plane.

But a handful of airlines really prioritize the cleanliness of the cabins.

Skytrax, an international air transport rating organization, released its list of the World’s Cleanest Airlines for 2025, based on passenger surveys examining the standard and quality of cleanliness of aircraft cabins.

Passengers were asked to score seat areas, tables, carpets, cabin panels and lavatories in the survey, which was conducted from September 2024 to May 2025 on a voluntary basis.

The top three cleanest airlines were all based in Asia, with Taiwan-based Eva Air rewarded as the cleanest airline in the world, moving up from its No. 3 spot in last year’s rankings.

In second place was Japanese-based All Nippon Airways (ANA), followed by Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific in third.

“We believe a pristine cabin environment is fundamental to our passengers’ comfort and peace of mind,” a spokesperson for ANA told Condé Nast Traveler. “We are dedicated to continuously enhancing our cleaning protocols to ensure every ANA journey is a pleasant and fresh experience.”

Rounding out the top five were Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Aside from the top three, 10 more Asia-based carriers made it into the top 20 — marking 13 total carriers in Asia.

Notably, not a single U.S. airline made it onto the global list of the world’s cleanest airlines.

However, Skytrax also listed the cleanest airline by region, and Delta Air Lines was named Cleanest Airline in North America 2025.

According to Reader’s Digest, Delta works hard to maintain a clean cabin with specialized cleaning teams that perform a thorough cleaning process between every single flight.

The airplanes also reportedly get deep cleanings overnight that include vacuuming, shampooing the carpets and detailing the seats and tray tables.

Here is Skytrax’s complete top 20 list of cleanest airlines in the world for 2025:

1. EVA Air
2. ANA All Nippon Airways
3. Cathay Pacific Airways
4. Qatar Airways
5. Singapore Airlines
6. Hainan Airlines
7. STARLUX Airlines
8. Japan Airlines
9. Korean Air
10. China Southern Airlines
11. China Airlines
12. Malaysia Airlines
13. Hong Kong Airlines
14. Asiana Airlines
15. Finnair
16. Swiss International Air Lines
17. Austrian Airlines
18. Qantas Airways
19. Lufthansa
20. Saudia