The Worst European Airlines Rated for 2025
What airlines are the worst in Europe? Explore AirAdvisor’s 3 most poorly-rated European carriers in 2025 and know which ones to avoid for your next EU flight.
Travel can be both a fun and frustrating experience. Part of that frustration can come from interrupted flights, uncomfortable seats, and even the high price you pay for the privilege. At AirAdvisor, we help customers claim compensation for flight cancellations and delays, so we know firsthand how important it is to choose the best airline possible.To determine the 3 worst European airlines, we looked at:
- Over 7.6 million flights from 2023 and 2024 to determine reliability.
- 831,513 reviews from passengers.
- 13 European airline policies related to comfort and both pet and family travel.
- The average revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) to determine affordability.
All these numbers (and more) led us to establish the Best Airlines in Europe, and now we explore the flip side of that – the 3 worst.
Europe’s Worst Airline - Air Europa
After we totalled all the scores for the 15 European airlines involved in our study, Air Europa emerged as the worst overall, with the fewest points across the 9 categories.
While Air Europa wasn’t technically at the bottom for any category except professional reviews, below-average performance in just about every category is what earned them this unfortunate title.
First, the good news. Air Europa received top points for safety because they did not have an accident in 2024. The Spanish airline is also in the middle of the pack for comfort, which is respectable. They offer complimentary snacks and drinks, Wi-Fi for a fee, and the seats are fairly comfortable.
For reliability, the airline is among the best for cancelled flights because there aren’t many in a year. They also have respectable numbers for delayed flights, so flight interruptions are relatively uncommon. The small number of annual flights drags their percentage down, but that shouldn’t affect passengers.
Has your European flight been interrupted recently? If so, you may qualify for compensation based on EU Regulation 261.Contact us today to start your claim
Where Air Europa predominantly falls short is with professional reviews. Of the 46 professional awards we used, Air Europa did not receive a single one. As for their below-average scores, that’s everything from price to customer reviews to lounges to family travel. If you’re looking for a well-rounded European Airline, this likely isn’t it.
Second-Worst European Airline – LOT Polish Airlines
Unless you’re flying to or from Poland, you may not run into LOT very often, the second-worst airline in Europe. Although this airline is fairly good for travel as a family and has average scores for comfort and passenger reviews and zero accidents in 2024, that’s pretty much where the positives end.
LOT Polish Airlines fell into a below-average position for reliability and professional reviews, and was in the bottom 3 for airport lounges.
For example, LOT’s average on-time rate for flights was 76% in 2023, which was the worst of all 15 airlines. In 2024, we saw a slight increase of 3% in that number, so hopefully the carrier’s upward trend continues.
Compared to our 2024 top European airlines list, LOT took the biggest overall dip in 2025. Now in 14th position, in 2024, they reached 8th place!
The “Bronze Medal” – Wizz Air
It’s always best to start with the positives, and for Wizz Air, that’s easy: price. Of the airlines we reviewed that had publicly available financial data for 2024, Wizz emerged on top as the cheapest airline in Europe. The average cost per seat kilometre was only €0.0417.
Other than that, the airline had an unblemished safety record for 2024 and was the third-most reliable airline in the EU. Wizz Air actually had the worst flight cancellation rate in 2023 of 5%, but that decreased significantly to 0.5% (the best rate) in 2024, so the potential for improvement is there. Overall, Wizz moved from 14th place in 2024 to 13th in 2025.
The negatives for Wizz include scoring the worst on customer reviews and the worst for travel with family and pets. Wizz Air also ranks second-last for comfort and third-worst for professional awards. The only notable professional accolade the carrier received was the #3 spot on the 2024 list of the Best Eastern European Airlines.
Encountered a delay with Wizz or another European airline? Check our compensation calculator today to see if you qualify for up to €600.
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AirAdvisor Worst European Airlines Rating 2025
| Ranking | Consolidated score | Most Reliable | Most Comfortable | Safest Airline | Cheapest Airline | Customer reputation score | Air Lounges reviews | Professional reviews | Family | Pets | |
| Air Europa | 1st place | 5.33 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| LOT Polish Airlines | 2nd Place | 6.22 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
| Wizz Air | 3rd Place | 6.33 | 13 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Ryanair | 4th place | 6.44 | 15 | 1 | 10 | 5.5 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 1 |
| Vueling | 5th place | 6.50 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 8.5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Volotea | 6th place | 6.78 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
| TAP Air Portugal | 7th place | 7.22 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| Air France | 8th Place | 8.00 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 5.5 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 10 | 6 |
| Norwegian Air Shuttle | 9th Place | 8.11 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
| SAS | 10th Place | 8.78 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| KLM | 10th Place | 8.78 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| Lufthansa | 12th Place | 9.67 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 |
| Iberia | 13th Place | 9.78 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 8.5 | 3 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 10 |
| Finnair | 14th Place | 9.89 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
| Aegean Airlines | 15th place | 10.30 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Will You Fly With the Worst EU-Based Airlines?
As part of your selection process for your next flight, knowing what you can likely expect is essential. Now you know that Air Europa, LOT Polish Airlines, and Wizz Air are the worst airlines. Europe is full of flight choices, so you should avoid these if possible – unless price is your number one factor, of course. Then, by all means, book with Wizz Air.
FAQs
What is the worst airline in Europe?
Based on a comprehensive study by AirAdvisor, Spain’s budget carrier, Air Europa, is the worst European airline. When we look at 9 factors, Air Europa doesn’t stand out in any category and generally ranks below the average of the 15 airlines included in our research. We covered price, reliability, customer reviews, and so much more.
What is the best airline in Europe?
For 2025, our extensive research found that Aegean Airlines is the best choice for a flight in Europe. They are safe, comfortable, well-reviewed by passengers, fairly reliable, and great for travel with pets or kids. What more do you need?
Author:
Amy Lancelotte
Job/Position: Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Amy Lancelotte is a Senior Content Writer and editorial contributor at AirAdvisor with over seven years of experience producing research-based articles for international audiences. Her work focuses on travel, aviation, and air passenger rights, with an emphasis on factual accuracy, verified data, and clear, reader-first explanations.
