Here are the best airlines in Canada

A good flight can set the tone for a great holiday but choosing an airline can be difficult.

While many people go for the cheapest ticket, that less-expensive airfare could end up costing travellers. Bad experiences — such as travellers stranded in Mexico or the sudden closure of airlines — can leave passengers in limbo.

A London, England-based company, Skytrax, has been rating airlines around the world since 1999.

Skytrax does a detailed analysis of airlines and rates from 1-Star through to the exclusive 5-Star Airline. The ratings focus on the quality of customer experience for relevant product and service factors.

All the major Canadian airlines have either 3- or 4-star rankings.

Here are the 4-star airlines:

Air Canada

Air Canada got four stars for its seat comfort, personal space and comfort items such as blankets and pillows. Inflight entertainment, food and beverages also got four stars.

The airline got three stars for washroom and cabin cleanliness.

Air Transat 

This airline got four stars for seat comfort in the larger planes but is some planes the seats feel “cramped”. Food, beverages and in-flight entertainment got four stars. There was a three-star rating for washroom and cabin cleanliness.

Porter Airlines

The rating mentions good onboard comfort standards, clean and well-maintained cabins. There is good legroom. Porter provides a free bar service which includes beer and wine, and a small snack. Staff service is “above average for friendliness and service attention.”

Here are the 3-star airlines:

WestJet

Food and beverages are still complimentary on long-haul flights, and the business class delivers a good 4-star experience,  Skytrax notes. Some routes use older, less comfortable Boeing 767 planes. Product standards on short-haul are fair, and cabin staff service is generally a strong area for the airline.

Air Canada Rouge 

Long-haul flights have complimentary amenities, food and drink. For shorter routes, the airline has a “decent” buy-on-board selection. Staff service can be very good, but this lacks consistency and this is a primary reason the airline is not meeting 4-Star standards, according to Skytrax.

Flair

Charges apply to all baggage aside from smaller purses and briefcases and this is stringently checked. Seat comfort is basic and fine for shorter flights. Airport and onboard service standards lack quality consistency, the ranking notes. There is a lack of selection for buy-on-board food and beverages and there is no pre-order hot meal choice on longer flights.

For the complete ranking and more information, see the Skytrax site here.

Lead photo: SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS