The 'most comfortable' airlines revealed where you're most likely to get a good sleep
Sleeping on a plane is just one of those things that always feels impossible.
The seats are too cramped, lights and noises keep you awake, and you have to keep your legs at an awkward angle.
Some airlines are better than others, though, a recent study has found.
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Sleeping on planes isn't easy. Getty
The 2025 Airline Sleep Score Index has just been released by sleep-tracking app Sleepagotchi.
The ranking is based on leg room, seat width, cabin lighting and social media reviews from passengers.
Singapore Airlines' Premium Economy cabin came out on top, scoring 96.8 and beating their own business class seats.
The seats in this cabin have a 33-inch pitch and a 19-inch width. The airline is commended for these (relatively) comfy seats, circadian-aware lighting, and high levels of passenger satisfaction.
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Singapore Airlines ranked number one for the best sleep. Singapore Airlines
Alaska Airlines First Class seats came in second place (scoring 96.4), while Singapore Airlines' economy cabin and business cabin tied in third place, with a score of 96 out of 100.
Qantas, Air New Zealand, and Emirates all follow closely in the ranking, thanks mostly to recent changes to their in-cabin lighting.
For example, Qantas' "Project Sunrise" initiative introduced unique and customisable cabin lighting designed to minimise jet lag. The design is a result of more than 150 hours of testing.
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Qantas' Project Sunrise lighting is designed to mitigate jet lag. Qantas
Air New Zealand's Skynest will allow passengers to lie flat in economy. Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand has introduced lie-flat 'couches' in economy, which helped them achieve a high sleep score in this study. The airline also has plans for sleep pods in economy class, which can be accessed for a set amount of time at a higher cost.
Low-cost carriers like Jetstar, Ryanair, and Air Asia ranked near the bottom, with limited seat space, basic lighting, and negative reviews from passengers.
Anton Kraminkin of Sleepagotchi said: "Travel, especially air travel, continues to be one of the biggest disruptors of healthy sleep routines. That's why we created this index: to give flyers a clearer picture of how airlines are helping or hindering their ability to rest while in transit."
Singapore Airlines had the highest-ranking economy class. SIngapore Airlines
Best airlines for sleeping
- Singapore Airlines Premium Economy
- Alaska Airlines First Class
- Singapore Airlines
- Singapore Airlines Business Class
- Qantas (Project Sunrise lighting)
- Qantas
- Air New Zealand
- Emirates
- Korean Air
- Etihad Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Alaska Airlines Premium Economy
- JetBlue
- Japan Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
