The travel expert said it had an exceptional safety record
Simon Calder’s opinion was met with surprise by podcast host Greg Dickinson
Travel expert Simon Calder has revealed which airline he believes is the best in the world. Speaking on his The Travel Expert podcast on the Daily Telegraph, he said that budget carrier Ryanair deserves the top position.
He pointed to safety, value for money, and the crew as crucial factors behind his choice. The verdict may surprise some, with Ryanair frequently receiving flak for its bare-bones flying experience, its multitude of extras when purchasing a ticket, and its uncompromising enforcement of baggage rules.
It is also unashamedly combative on social media, while CEO Michael O’Leary is renowned for his forthright and commercially-driven views. Nevertheless, it does possess an outstanding safety record and an extensive range of flights at remarkably cheap prices.
This has enabled it to emerge as the largest airline in Europe by scheduled passengers transported annually. Across the globe, it is the biggest airline by international passengers flown.
Justifying his verdict, Mr Calder said: “Ryanair is not just the biggest budget airline in Europe, I think it’s probably the best carrier in the world.”
“The world? !” host Greg Dickinson replied, taken aback. “It’s got the best safety record of any airline, it’s flown 2.2 billion people without any fatal accidents. It’s mostly on time, I found the staff to be uniformly very friendly and hospitable, and best of all is the price,” Mr Calder continued.
“For my three flights, I paid a grand total of £52, and I didn’t have any paninis.
“I think sometimes, Simon, we will just have to agree to disagree,” Mr Dickinson answered.
In 2025, Ryanair ran more routes than any other airline across the globe, serving 5,400 airports. Italy remains its most sought-after destination with 46 million seats per annum, with Spain close behind at nearly 39 million seats.
The budget carrier has established itself as Italy’s biggest domestic airline, commanding 48 per cent of the market in 2025. London Stansted remains its busiest hub, with Dublin coming in second place.
This year, Ryanair posted an operating profit of €2,374.2m, operating a short-haul fleet of 647 aircraft and carrying 208 million booked passengers.