In terms of first-class comfort and quality for 2010, Bennett rates British Airways best in first- class flying, while British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, and Delta Air Lines, all rate equally high for business class. Bennett's "London Flight Guide" provides passengers a wealth of information to assist them in selecting the best airline to meet their needs, from which airlines offer the best frequent flier programs to which offer the best fares.
If you are unable to afford business class and are reluctant to travel coach, some airlines offer premium economy class. Premium economy charges marginally more than coach fares for perks such as emergency exit aisle seats with more legroom, expedited check-in and complimentary in-flight extras such as free headphones and beverages. According to Independent Traveler, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Air France, United, Scandinavian Airlines, BMI, Icelandair, Air New Zealand and KLM offer premium economy.
Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles is the best loyalty program when it comes to upgrades on your trans-Atlantic flight, allowing you to shop around its partner airlines, such as American Airlines, Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Finnair and Quantas, to find the best deal.
Seat pitch, or the distance between rows of seats, in economy class is an important consideration. According to Airline Quality's website, with a seat pitch of 34 inches Air New Zealand's economy class seats have more space than any other airline. The average seat pitch for most airlines offering trans-Atlantic flights is 31 inches.
