After launching the world's longest flight this year from Singapore to New York and inaugurating some of the most advanced aircraft in its fleet, Singapore Airlines is rounding out the year by capturing the title of world's best airline 2019.

Editors at AirlineRatings.com released their picks for their annual Airline Excellence Awards, giving Singapore Airlines the top honour for setting the gold standard in inflight service, fleet, design and operational safety.

It marks the first time the Asian carrier has topped the list, narrowly edging out long-time winners Air New Zealand and Qantas Airways.

For the ranking, seven editors judged airlines based on 12 key criteria: Fleet age, passenger reviews profitability, investment rating, product offerings, and staff relations.