British Airways edges easyJet to top YouGov consideration table

British Airways has taken top spot in the UK airline consideration ranking, narrowly beating easyJet, according to new research from YouGov.

The YouGov UK Airline Rankings 2026 report reveals a virtual tie at the top of the consideration index.

British Airways leads with 52.3% of future travellers saying they would consider flying with the carrier the next time they book a flight, closely followed by easyJet at 51.7%.

Jet2.com secured third place at 39.9%, while Ryanair reached 33.4% and Tui 29%.

Jet2.com was also named the most improved airline for consideration year on year, growing by 2.7 percentage points.

Demographic data within the report highlights British Airways is the preferred choice for Millennials. In contrast, easyJet ranks first among Gen Z, Gen X and Baby Boomers.

When converting general consideration into an actual intent to book, British Airways proved the most efficient major brand.

The data shows 41% of those who consider the flag carrier go on to name it as their most likely next purchase. This puts it ahead of easyJet at 37%, Jet2.com at 36%, Ryanair at 34% and Tui at 24%.

In the customer satisfaction metrics, long-haul carriers dominated the top of the table. Singapore Airlines led with 74.3%, followed by Emirates at 71.8% and Air New Zealand at 68.0%.

Emirates leads the quality rankings with a net score of 40.1, beating British Airways at 38.1 and Virgin Atlantic at 29.5.

On perceived value, easyJet takes the top position with a score of 26.3, followed by Jet2.com at 19.1 and Tui at 8.1.