During my very unique fall trip, I tried an incredible number of 17 different airlines! It was my very first experience with 13 of them, which I found very interesting as a traveler who loves variety and trying everything. I’m sharing a very brief review of each to continue the content about this trip.
I’ve already shared my reviews of my 15 Marriott Bonvoy hotels (and 3 hostels) from the trip.
I’ll also soon share my reviews of the 20+ different VIP airport lounges easily accessible for free that I visited during the trip as well (I’ll briefly mention some of them below because they’re undeniably part of the experience at each airline’s hub airport).
Here are my brief impressions of the 17 airlines.
Basics of my trip
This fall, I did a round-the-world trip to take advantage of a promotion that gave 1 million SAS airline points. All I had to do was fly on 15 airlines from the SkyTeam global airline alliance!
I flew 3 more airlines for various reasons, the main one being that I already had a separate trip planned afterward, which got merged with this trip (my annual stay in Miami for the excitement of Miami Art Week). I’ve included those airlines here too, while I’m at it.
That should make 18 airlines, not 17… but Aeromexico, 1 of the 15 for the promotion, is missing. I managed to fly it at no cost by integrating it into one of my 3 October trips that were already planned *before* this big trip. So I’ll talk about it separately since I want to make an effort to create content about all my trips, as many have requested.
(Better late than never?)
The SkyTeam alliance was the one I had taken the least often in my 500+ lifetime flights, by far. As an aviation enthusiast who loves trying new airlines, I was genuinely happy to be able to do so many in just a few weeks!
Of course, alliance member airlines are generally more premium, but still: I found almost all these airlines excellent!
Let’s look at each airline in chronological order.
Airline #1: Virgin Atlantic 🇬🇧
Virgin Atlantic is a British airline with a fleet of 44 aircraft. Before SAS joined (which led to this promotion), it was the most recent new SkyTeam member (since 2023).
In Canada, it just returned on March 30, 2025, after a long absence of several years (Toronto-London).
In the United States, it serves 11 airports: Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington.
I took 1 Virgin Atlantic flight:
- New York-Kennedy (JFK) – London-Heathrow (LHR)
This was my 1st experience on Virgin Atlantic, and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t associate Richard Branson’s famous brand with premium quality, for a reason I honestly don’t know.
This perception may have been reinforced by the fact that transatlantic flight prices from the United States are often very low; I paid just $193, by the way. And by my experience on the now-defunct Virgin America a few years ago (very typical of North American airlines, meaning very much *not* premium).
In short, I expected a more ordinary airline. Yet, it was very chic and really good.
It was also my 1st ever flight on the sublime new A350 model (and since then I’ve already taken 2 more, including 1 takeoff in the cockpit; see next section).
Having a whole row to myself to sleep (thanks to our pro tip) on this short transatlantic flight (6h55m) that was overnight certainly helped make the experience more pleasant.
But even without that, it’s an excellent option I would take again…
If it weren’t for the fact that Heathrow (or the entire country) is a place I prefer to avoid as much as possible as a transit point if I can go elsewhere at a similar price (especially as long as I haven’t had to pay for their new electronic visa requirement).
The free VIP airport lounge at Heathrow was good, at least.
SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) is a Scandinavian airline with a fleet of 122 aircraft. It recently switched from Star Alliance to SkyTeam in 2024, and to celebrate that, they offered the easiest million points to earn in the history of travel rewards.
It’s quite unique because it’s the flag carrier for all 3 Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway).
In Canada, it just resumed its only seasonal route on April 2, 2025 (Toronto-Copenhagen).
In the United States, it serves 9 airports: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington.
I took 2 SAS flights:
- London (LHR) – Oslo (OSL)
- Oslo (OSL) – Paris (CDG)
I enjoyed this 1st experience on SAS, with 2 flights on the A320neo.
The airline that offered the incredible promotion was very good. Both flights were very short (2h15m and 2h30m; going completely in the wrong direction and back)…
But I just recently got to try them again in March on my return from Asia on 2 very long flights (including in business class), so I’ll talk more about that very soon.
That was excellent too! I even got to live the absolutely indescribable experience of witnessing takeoff from the cockpit (it’s crazy, at least for an AvGeek like me). The best seat I’ve ever had (yes, better than luxurious lie-flat business class seats).
Anyway, the airline has an excellent reputation, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Transiting in Oslo was efficient (and it was the same at Copenhagen, their main hub, on the trip I just did).
However, there was no accessible free lounge, so at a similar price, I would avoid Oslo (there are lounges in Copenhagen).
Airline #3: Air France 🇫🇷
Air France is a French airline with a fleet of 226 aircraft. It was 1 of the 4 founding members of SkyTeam in 2000.
In Canada, it’s one of the most present foreign airlines, with flights between Paris and 5 cities: Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver.
In the United States, it serves 18 airports: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, Orlando, Phoenix, Raleigh, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington.
I took 1 Air France flight:
- Paris (CDG) – Amsterdam (AMS)
Air France has an excellent reputation, and my 1st experience was also positive, although it was an extremely short flight. It was actually the 2nd shortest flight of the entire trip (1h20m).
It was my 1st ever flight on the very rare A318 — Air France is the only airline that still operates them, with just 6 aircraft in service.
Like almost all economy classes on Western airlines, it was tight.
We had a very French snack despite the short flight. Overall, it was fine.
However, Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport remains one of my least favorites among the ~200 I’ve visited worldwide. Transiting there makes me miss transiting in England; that says a lot.
Plus, many terminals don’t even have free airport lounges. Zee horror!
Airline #4: KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) 🇳🇱
KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) is a Dutch airline with a fleet of 116 aircraft. It has been part of SkyTeam since 2004.
In Canada, it’s another very present airline, with flights between Amsterdam and 5 cities: Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver.
In the United States, it serves 15 airports: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington.
I took 1 KLM flight:
- Amsterdam (AMS) – Bucharest (OTP)
This was my 1st time on Air France’s sister airline.
It’s another airline with an excellent reputation, and my experience was indeed positive.
The B737 seats have adjustable headrests, which I always love having.
I had 2 snacks during the 2h45m flight, but they were quite basic.
Transiting in Amsterdam was very efficient, which is almost surprising for such a busy airport. I think I remember it going well back in 2017, too. I love the airplane on top of the airport roof, which you can visit for a panoramic view of the airport.
The free VIP airport lounge was very good.
Airline #5: TAROM 🇷🇴
TAROM is a Romanian airline with a fleet of 14 aircraft. It has been part of SkyTeam since 2010.
In Canada and the United States, it’s not well-known. It’s one of the smallest airlines that’s part of any of the 3 alliances. It has no wide-body aircraft and therefore no flights to North America. Its network is mostly European.
I took 1 TAROM flight:
- Bucharest (OTP) – İstanbul (IST)
My 1st experience with TAROM started badly: my flight was supposed to be to Amman (in Jordan), but it was canceled a few weeks before without a suitable alternative.
But I have to give them credit because once at the airport, it was super easy to get rebooked for free on the alternative itinerary I asked for — even though it was on one of their partner airlines. I’ll write a detailed separate article about this situation soon.
Plus, for my new TAROM flight to İstanbul, I was upgraded to “business class” for free. Of course, it happens on my shortest flight of the entire trip (1h15m)!
However, it’s an excellent example of one of the most important things mentioned in our new guide on how to fly business class for less than economy (and also in our guide on airplane seat classes): business class varies enormously from one airline to another and even from one aircraft to another on the same airline.
I was on a small ATR-72 turboprop (propeller) aircraft, so the business class was extremely basic. I didn’t even have what is the only advantage of almost every business class worldwide: disembarking first! No, the ATR-72’s door is located at the rear, not the front!
There wasn’t even more space than in economy class! The meal was extremely basic. In short, you need to check the quality of business class if you’re paying for it (whether it’s in points or in cash)!
The onboard service was very good, though, and the flight went well.
Bucharest Airport isn’t the most modern, but it’s small enough to be very efficient. The bus to the city center costs $1 (CAD 1) and has few stops, so it’s quick.
The airport lounge situation there is disastrous, though; there are no free ones (at least I got free access thanks to my business class ticket).
Airline #6: Turkish Airlines 🇹🇷
Turkish Airlines is a Turkish airline with a fleet of 477 aircraft. It’s part of Star Alliance and therefore had nothing to do with the SAS promotion.
In Canada, it serves 3 cities from İstanbul: Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
In the United States, it serves 14 cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington.
I took 1 Turkish Airlines flight:
- İstanbul (IST) – Amman (AMM)
I had already taken Turkish Airlines 11 times, including for my 1st long-haul business class flight (with Aeroplan points). That’s because Turkey is one of my favorite countries.
But I love Turkish too! The B737 doesn’t have more space than others, though, especially when the person in front keeps their seat reclined for almost all of the 2h50m flight.
The airline has a partnership outside the alliance with TAROM, so I asked to have this flight for free to get to Amman because of my initially canceled flight.
The experience was as good as usual. Turkish has an excellent reputation, especially for the quality of the food onboard. An interesting fact is that it’s the airline that serves the most different countries in the world!
I always love transiting in İstanbul, despite the long walks in this brand new mega-airport. The downside is that it’s far from the city, but the metro has been going there since 2023.
The free massage and delicious food in the free VIP airport lounge are always pleasant.
Airline #7: Saudia 🇸🇦
Saudia is a Saudi airline with a fleet of 143 aircraft. It has been part of SkyTeam since 2012.
In Canada, it serves Toronto.
In the United States, it serves 3 cities: Los Angeles, New York, and Washington.
I took 2 Saudia flights:
- Amman (AMM) – Jeddah (JED)
- Jeddah (JED) – Singapore (SIN)
I had a negative perception of Saudia before my 1st experience, and I don’t even know why.
Perhaps it’s because the country is investing a huge amount to launch a more premium new airline in 2025, Riyadh Air, and I thought it was because Saudia wasn’t good.
Or because its neighboring competitors, the Gulf “Big 3” (Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad), take up all the space and have such a good reputation that I imagined Saudia was much worse.
Yet, I found the experience excellent. The seats were very comfortable, the food was good, and the service was nice. No alcohol, of course, if that matters to you!
My flight to Asia was the 2nd longest of my entire trip (8h55m), and it was pleasant on Saudia’s B787, even though I was in economy class! They even offer a toiletry kit.
The shorter flight (2h15m) on the A320 was good too.
The transit experience in Jeddah was efficient, although it was in the middle of the night, so it was certainly quieter because of that. The only negative: they don’t seem to heat certain parts of the terminal. I also saw a gun lying around, but it probably was a toy (surely right?).
The free lounges were below my expectations though, given the usual quality in the Middle East. There was no alcohol, but it’s mainly that the food was limited. That said, it was the middle of the night too!
Airline #8: Garuda Indonesia 🇮🇩
Garuda Indonesia is an Indonesian airline with a fleet of 75 aircraft. It has been part of SkyTeam since 2014.
In Canada and the United States, the airline isn’t known because it doesn’t serve the continent at all. Its network is mostly Asian.
I took 1 Garuda Indonesia flight:
- Singapore (SIN) – Bali (DPS)
This was my 1st experience on Garuda Indonesia.
Despite being less well-known in North America (like almost all airlines that don’t have a presence here), the airline has an excellent reputation.
The experience was accordingly, with a very nice 3-hour flight on a B737, including an excellent, typically Indonesian meal.
The airline has been rated among the best in the world not too long ago, but it has lost some of that since. It remains incredibly better than the economy class of our North American airlines (as is the case on almost all Asian full-service airlines).
Bali isn’t their main hub (that’s Jakarta), but they still have several international flights there. It’s a fairly pleasant airport, which is especially close to where many want to go on the island of Bali (Kuta).
The free airport lounge was far from being among the best in Asia, but still very good.
Airline #9: Scoot 🇸🇬
Scoot is a Singaporean airline with a fleet of 55 aircraft. It’s an ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC) that doesn’t belong to any alliance (like all ULCCs).
In Canada and the United States, the airline isn’t known because it doesn’t serve the continent either. Its network is also mostly Asian (although their few routes to Europe are often the cheapest between the two continents).
I took 3 Scoot flights (but I had bought just 2):
- Bali (DPS) – Singapore (SIN)
- Singapore (SIN) – Phnom Penh (PNH)
- Phnom Penh (PNH) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)
I had already taken Scoot in 2018 (on the same Bali-Singapore route, actually). I like ULCCs in general, so I didn’t mind adding one to this trip because Scoot is an excellent ULCC, probably one of the best in the world.
It was my only ULCC and my only airline that isn’t part of an alliance on the trip (that’s rare for a long trip). I chose to add this airline to my itinerary to be able to test the Marriott hotels that cost very few points in Bali.
I was supposed to have just 2 flights this time, but the Singapore-Vietnam flight was diverted to Cambodia due to weather, so technically I took 3 flights (3 takeoffs and 3 landings), even though we stayed onboard at least.
Otherwise, the experience was very good, like in 2018. The 1st flight of 2h40m was on a wide-body aircraft (B787), and the other flight (which became 2) was on an A320 and lasted even longer than the scheduled 2h10m.
Singapore is consistently voted as the best airport in the world, period. It’s fully deserved. It’s truly a destination in itself. I love transiting there. And the metro to downtown is very convenient (it’s an incredible city).
There are also plenty of great free lounges. That’s where I visited 10 different ones in one day just for fun (in 2018, not during this already very fast-paced trip)!
Airlines #10 to #17: Part 2
You can read part 2 for the 8 other airlines from the trip.
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Summary
Even for me, who likes to test different airlines and take a lot of flights, taking 17 airlines in one trip… is pretty intense. The trip was anything but ordinary, obviously. But I’m happy to have been able to experience many new airlines! You can read part 2 for the rest.
What would you like to know about my airline reviews during my round-the-world trip? Tell us in the comments below.
See the flight deals we spot: Cheap flights
Discover free travel with rewards: Travel rewards
Explore awesome destinations: Travel inspiration
Learn pro tricks: Travel tips
Featured image: My full flight itinerary (image credit: Great Circle Mapper)
