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The most famous celebrities from every state, from Leonardo DiCaprio to Taylor Swift

Written by admin on May 16, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on The most famous celebrities from every state, from Leonardo DiCaprio to Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift, Lebron James, and Leonardo DiCaprio — Taylor Swift, LeBron James, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
XNY/Star Max/GC Images; Tim Warner; Mike Coppola via Getty Images

Many celebrities came from humble beginnings and moved frequently during childhood.
Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey were born in rural areas before moving to cities.
These actors, musicians, athletes, and authors have become household names.

Though many Hollywood stars have long been used to the lights and cameras in Los Angeles, many were born and raised thousands of miles away.

State lines don’t stop a person from hitting it big. Oprah Winfrey had a rural, poverty-stricken upbringing in Mississippi before becoming a household name with “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in Chicago in the 1980s.

“I was raised on a farm with my grandmother for the first six years of my life — I knew somehow that my life would be different and it would be better,” Winfrey told the Academy of Achievement.

Some stars have even become de facto ambassadors of their home states. Bruce Springsteen has been synonymous with New Jersey since he rose to fame in the 1970s and has become a cult hero among many New Jerseyans.

Business Insider compiled a list of the most famous living celebrities from all 50 states. Most of these actors, musicians, public figures, and occasional athletes or authors have become household names. They’ve been nominated for major awards such as Oscars and Grammys, have produced or appeared in major cultural works, and some continue to wear their state pride as a badge of honor.

The list was chosen based on where people were born, with one exception (see: Alaska). And, understanding this list is up for debate, we also included other notable figures from each state.

See where some of your favorite celebrities hail from.

ALABAMA: Lionel Richie was born and raised in Tuskegee.

The four-time Grammy-winning artist grew up on the campus of Tuskegee University, where he discovered his love of music, per the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

Richie also won an Oscar in 1986 for the song “Say You, Say Me,” which appeared in the film “White Nights.”

Other notable celebrities from the state: Courteney Cox, Octavia Spencer, Sonequa Martin-Green, Emmylou Harris, Channing Tatum, Walton Goggins, and Laverne Cox

ALASKA: Jewel Kilcher is known as an Alaskan, but she was actually born in Utah, making her the exception to our rule.

Kilcher was raised in Homer, Alaska. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter was born in Utah when her dad was attending Brigham Young University, Rolling Stone reported. She has appeared on Discovery Channel’s “Alaska: The Last Frontier,” which followed her family’s life in the Alaskan wilderness.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Darby Stanchfield, Irene Bedard

ARIZONA: Emma Stone grew up in Scottsdale.

As a child, Stone was involved in community theater. When she was around 14, she persuaded her parents to let her try her hand in Hollywood.

The move proved to be worth it, with Stone later becoming a two-time Oscar winner and being named to Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list in 2017.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Lynda Carter, Matt Dallas, Mare Winningham, Shannon Woodward, Danielle Fishel, Dierks Bentley, Michelle Branch, Stevie Nicks, Jordin Sparks, and Diana Gabaldon

ARKANSAS: Billy Bob Thornton was born in Hot Springs and grew up in a cabin in the woods.

Thornton and his family lived in his grandmother’s cabin for the first few years of his life.

The Academy Award winner opened up about his humble beginnings, telling ABC News in 2016, “We didn’t have a lot of money. But you know when you’re a kid you don’t know that. I mean you’re not aware of all of that kind of stuff.”

Other notable celebrities from the state: Mary Steenburgen, Wes Bentley, George Newbern, John Grisham, and Ne-Yo

CALIFORNIA: Leonardo DiCaprio was born and raised in Los Angeles.

Leonardo DiCaprio in a suit with a bowtie. — Leonardo DiCaprio grew up in Los Angeles.
James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images

The “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” actor also grew up in Los Angeles in real life, moving to different neighborhoods in the area throughout his childhood.

DiCaprio has been nominated for eight Oscars and has become a household name for his roles in “Titanic,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and other films.

Other notable celebrities from the state: The Kardashians, Olivia Rodrigo, Tom Hanks, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Katy Perry, Adam Driver, Chris Pine, Tessa Thompson, Elizabeth Olsen, Milo Ventimiglia, Will Ferrell, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kendrick Lamar, James Franco, Tyler, The Creator, and Zendaya

COLORADO: Tim Allen grew up in Denver.

A few years after his father was killed in a car accident, his mother remarried, and the combined family moved to Michigan, per the Detroit Historical Society.

Allen found his comedy roots in Michigan and later became a Golden Globe-winning actor.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Melissa Benoist, Kelly Bishop, David Fincher, T.J. Miller, Trey Parker,

CONNECTICUT: Seth MacFarlane spent his childhood in New England, born and raised in Kent.

The creator of “Family Guy” and “American Dad” spent his entire childhood in the same town and even attended a boarding school his mom taught at, IGN reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Amy Brenneman, Glenn Close, Paul Giamatti, Allison Janney, Justin Long, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Allison Williams, and Meg Ryan

DELAWARE: Aubrey Plaza was born and raised in the state’s largest city, Wilmington.

Plaza acted in the town’s drama league productions as a youngster, Delaware Today reported.

She later found fame for her role in NBC’s sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” and has seen recent success from acting in HBO’s “The White Lotus.” The latter role earned Plaza a Golden Globe nomination in 2023.

Other notable celebrities from the state: John Gallagher Jr., Ryan Phillippe, Elisabeth Shue, and Raúl Esparza

FLORIDA: Ariana Grande was born in Boca Raton.

Ariana Grande making a pose during a performance. — Ariana Grande was born in Boca Raton, Florida.
Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

The actress and singer performed at the Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theatre, per the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Grande has received 20 Grammy nominations and three wins.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Pitbull, Jason Derulo, Sarah Paulson, Doechii, Josh Gad, Maya Rudolph, Wilmer Valderrama, Abigail Spencer, Chrissy Metz, Eva Mendes, Norman Reedus, and Bella Thorne

GEORGIA: Julia Roberts grew up in Smyrna.

The Oscar winner’s parents ran a workshop for actors and writers in Atlanta when she was a child, Roberts told Oprah Winfrey in an interview.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Kelly Rowland, Kenan Thompson, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Ed Helms, Chloë Grace Moretz, Raven-Symoné, Luke Bryan, André 3000, Jason Aldean, Kanye West, and 2 Chainz

HAWAII: Bruno Mars, born Peter Gene Hernandez, grew up in Honolulu.

His dad played percussion and his mom was a hula dancer, the New York Daily News reported.

Mars, born Peter Gene Hernandez, has 16 Grammy wins and netted the best-performing song of the 2010s for “Uptown Funk,” according to Billboard. He has described his home state as “paradise.”

Other notable celebrities from the state: Jason Momoa, Jack Johnson, Carrie Ann Inaba, Janel Parrish, Timothy Olyphant, Bette Midler, Auli’i Cravalho, Tia Carrere, and Hoku

IDAHO: Aaron Paul was born in Emmett.

The “Breaking Bad” star moved around a bit and ended in Boise, Idaho before moving to Hollywood when he was 17 to pursue his career, GQ reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Tara Buck and Dree Hemingway

ILLINOIS: Harrison Ford was born and raised in Chicago.

Ford played the titular character in the “Indiana Jones” films as well as Han Solo in the “Star Wars” franchise. His roles have earned him Oscar and Emmy nominations.

Both of Ford’s parents were actors, but his dad found success as an advertising executive, GQ reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Chance the Rapper, Bill Murray, Busy Philipps, Michael Ian Black, Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Nick Offerman, Melissa McCarthy, and Gillian Anderson

INDIANA: David Letterman grew up in the state capital of Indianapolis.

Letterman’s career as a late-night talk show host spanned more than three decades and 6,000 episodes, Yahoo News reported. He was the longest-running host of all time, and perhaps the most iconic.

Letterman graduated from Ball State in Muncie, and the college’s communications building is named after him.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Jenna Fischer, Vivica A. Fox, Brendan Fraser, Greg Kinnear, Ryan Murphy, Jim Gaffigan, John Green, and Janet Jackson

IOWA: Ashton Kutcher was born in Cedar Rapids.

Kutcher, best known for his roles in “That ’70s Show” and “Punk’d,” has gone back to Iowa over the years to support local schools and students. He also helped launch the Native Fund, which provides disaster relief for Iowans, per the Des Moines Register.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Michelle Monaghan, Robin Lord Taylor, Caitlin Clark, and Elijah Wood

KANSAS: Janelle Monáe spent her childhood in Kansas City.

janelle monae — Janelle Monáe lived in Kansas City, Kansas.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Monáe has received 10 Grammy nominations and appeared in the films “Moonlight,” and “Hidden Figures.”

After growing up in Kansas City, she later moved to New York City after earning a scholarship to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, but then left for Atlanta.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Martina McBride, Annette Bening, Scott Foley, Colton Haynes, and Eric Stonestreet

KENTUCKY: George Clooney spent part of his childhood in Lexington.

The Clooney family moved to Ohio for a brief time but then returned to Kentucky, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported. The Oscar-winner’s career spans over 40 years.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Michael Shannon, and Chris Stapleton

LOUISIANA: Ellen DeGeneres was born and raised in Metairie.

DeGeneres has won 33 Daytime Emmy awards for her eponymous show. The talk-show host and comedian has spoken out about growing up in the South as a lesbian, US Weekly reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Reese Witherspoon, Jared Leto, Ian Somerhalder, Tim McGraw, Anthony Mackie, Zachary Levi, and Harry Connick Jr.

MAINE: Stephen King was born in Portland and spent his formative years in the state.

After being born in Maine, King moved around with his family before returning at the age of 11, per Britannica. He attended and later taught at the University of Maine. Many of his novels have taken place in the state.

King has written dozens of New York Times bestselling novels and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2015.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Anna Kendrick, Patrick Dempsey, Timothy Simons, and Erin Andrews

MARYLAND: Anna Faris spent her younger years in Baltimore while her dad taught at Towson University.

The actress and comedian’s family moved to Seattle when she was six, the Baltimore Sun reported. Faris has had roles in NBC’s “Friends” and CBS’s “Mom,” as well as a leading role in the “Scary Movie” films.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Julie Bowen, David Hasselhoff, Spike Jonze, Jada Pinkett Smith, Christian Siriano, and Ta-Nehisi Coates

MASSACHUSETTS: Steve Carell grew up near Boston in Concord.

Carell held a job in Littleton as a postal worker before his acting career took off.

Best known for his role as Michael Scott on “The Office,” Carell has received Emmy nominations as well as an Oscar nomination in 2015 for his role in “Foxcatcher.”

Other notable celebrities from the state: Matt Damon, Chris Evans, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, Bo Burnham, John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, Conan O’Brien, Elizabeth Banks, Joe Keery, and James Taylor

MICHIGAN: Stevie Wonder, born Stevland Hardaway Morris, was born in Saginaw and grew up in Detroit.

Stevie Wonder singing into a microphone. — Stevie Wonder was born in Saginaw, Michigan.
Fred Hermansky/NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Wonder sang in Whitestone Baptist Church in Detroit and later attended Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing.

Wonder has won 25 Grammys from 75 nominations, putting him among the winningest artists of all time, according to People.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Diana Ross, Madonna, Jerry Bruckheimer, Michael Moore, Selma Blair, Taylor Lautner, Terry Crews, and Lily Tomlin

MINNESOTA: Bob Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth.

The Nobel Prize-winning performer went to the University of Minnesota. Dylan has won 10 Grammys and is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Chris Pratt, Jessica Biel, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Lange, Winona Ryder, Shantel VanSanten, and Vincent Kartheiser

MISSISSIPPI: Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko to her teenage mother.

Her parents were unmarried and she spent her early years with her grandmother, The Guardian reported. The beloved talk-show host, actress, and author has an estimated net worth of over $3 billion in 2026, per Forbes.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Britney Spears, Fred Armisen, and Tig Notaro

MISSOURI: Jon Hamm grew up in St. Louis.

The Emmy-winning actor attended the University of Missouri.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Sterling K. Brown, Don Cheadle, Matt Bomer, Andy Cohen, John Goodman, and Ellie Kemper

MONTANA: Michelle Williams grew up in Kalispell.

The “Dawson’s Creek” actress and five-time Academy Award nominee moved to San Diego, California, with her family when she was 9, The Telegraph reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Dana Carvey and Jesse Tyler Ferguson

NEBRASKA: Gabrielle Union is an Omaha native.

The actress is a big University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers fan, according to an interview with James Corden.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Bryan Greenberg, Jaime King, and Hilary Swank

NEVADA: Matthew Gray Gubler grew up in Las Vegas.

The “Criminal Minds” star graduated from the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Jena Malone, Rutina Wesley, Charisma Carpenter, and Mädchen Amick

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Mandy Moore was born in Nashua.

Moore became a platinum-certified recording artist in 1999 and was later nominated for an Emmy for her role in “This is Us.” She moved to Florida with her family when she was only two months old.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Matt Czuchry and Sarah Silverman

NEW JERSEY: Bruce Springsteen was born in Long Branch.

Jersey is synonymous with Springsteen. The Boss’s New Jersey upbringing plays into his lyrics and work and he speaks often of his love of the state.

Springsteen has won 20 Grammys over his career.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Jon Bon Jovi, Meryl Streep, Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, Zach Braff, Bobby Cannavale, Danny DeVito, Peter Dinklage, Ed Harris, Kal Penn, Joe Pesci, and Paul Rudd

NEW MEXICO: Neil Patrick Harris was born in Albuquerque.

The “How I Met Your Mother” actor spent much of his childhood in Ruidoso, Albuquerque’s KOAT News reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Demi Lovato, Adrian Grenier, Anna Gunn, and Demi Moore

NEW YORK: Tom Cruise was born in Syracuse, but moved around for much of his childhood.

The “Mission: Impossible” actor left the city before making any formative memories there. Cruise would go on to attend 14 schools in 15 years, according to The List.

While the internationally renowned star hasn’t won any competitive Academy Awards, he received an honorary Oscar in 2025. Cruise has also won three Golden Globes.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Timothée Chalamet, Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Denzel Washington, Robert Downey Jr., Amy Schumer, Adam Sandler, Jay Z, Billy Joel, Robert De Niro, Mariah Carey, Post Malone, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Kerry Washington

NORTH CAROLINA: Julianne Moore was born at Fort Bragg.

Because of her dad’s military career, the Oscar winner and her family moved 23 times, The Guardian reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Britt Robertson, Zach Galifianakis, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Evan Rachel Wood, and Bellamy Young

NORTH DAKOTA: Josh Duhamel was born and raised in Minot.

The “Transformers” actor played football at Minot State University, the West Fargo Pioneer reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Wiz Khalifa and Kellan Lutz

OHIO: LeBron James was born and raised in Akron.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer and a four-time champion, James is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time.

The NBA legend gives back to Cleveland in many ways. His foundation opened a school for at-risk children, The New York Times reported.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Drew Carey, Bow Wow, Dave Grohl, Kid Cudi, John Legend, Steven Spielberg, and Sarah Jessica Parker

OKLAHOMA: Brad Pitt was born in Shawnee.

The Academy Award winner’s family moved to Springfield, Missouri when he was young and he spent his childhood there, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Carrie Underwood, Kristin Chenoweth, Olivia Munn, Bill Hader, Ron Howard, and James Marsden

OREGON: Ty Burrell was born and raised in Grants Pass.

The “Modern Family” star graduated from Southern Oregon University, per Oregon Live.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Kaitlin Olson, and Thomas Mann

PENNSYLVANIA: Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas tree farm outside of Reading.

She convinced her parents to move to Nashville to help her pursue a music career when she was 14, Vanity Fair reported.

Crowned the top artist of the 21st century by Billboard, Swift has won 14 Grammy awards from 58 nominations and has become a household name.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Will Smith, Sabrina Carpenter, Kevin Bacon, Shane Gillis, Tina Fey, Bradley Cooper, Joe Manganiello, Lee Daniels, Miles Teller, and Krysten Ritter

RHODE ISLAND: Damien Chazelle was born in Providence.

Chazelle became the youngest-ever Oscar winner for “La La Land,” in 2017, winning the award at age 32, per Guinness World Records. The filmmaker was born in Rhode Island but grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, according to Deadline.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Olivia Culpo, Mena Suvari, Meredith Vieira

SOUTH CAROLINA: Aziz Ansari grew up in Columbia.

The comedian and “Parks and Recreation” actor later moved to New York City to attend New York University, according to the New York Times.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Chris Rock, Viola Davis, Mary-Louise Parker, Jaimie Alexander, Anna Camp, and Mike Colter

SOUTH DAKOTA: January Jones was born in Sioux Falls.

The “Mad Men” actress also briefly lived in Hecla.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Amy Hill and Tom Brokaw

TENNESSEE: Dolly Parton was born in Pittman Center.

Born into poverty, Parton grew up in a small cabin on a farm in Locust Ridge. The “Queen of Country” became synonymous with the Smoky Mountains and has found ways to give back to her home state. In 2024, she donated $1 million to the Mountain Ways Foundation, which helped victims of Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee and the surrounding areas, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.

Parton has won 10 Grammys from 55 nominations.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney, Christina Hendricks, Quentin Tarantino, Morgan Freeman, Megan Fox, Morgan Wallen, Kathy Bates, and Miley Cyrus

TEXAS: Beyoncé Knowles was born and raised in Houston.

Beyonce — Beyoncé Knowles was born and raised in Houston.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Beyoncé spent the better part of her childhood in the city’s Third Ward, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The singer is the winningest artist of all time at the Grammys, with 35 awards from 99 nominations.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Solange, Tom Ford, Wes Anderson, Chace Crawford, Hilary Duff, Jamie Foxx, Woody Harrelson, Eva Longoria, Nick Jonas, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Robin Wright, Selena Gomez, Jessica Simpson, Usher, and Matthew McConaughey

UTAH: Chrissy Teigen was born in Delta.

The model and television personality’s family moved around a bit until settling in Huntington, California, where she was discovered while working in a surf shop.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Roseanne Barr, Matthew Davis, and Julianne Hough

VERMONT: Joanna “JoJo” Levesque was born in Brattleboro.

The singer became the youngest solo artist on Billboard’s pop chart in 2004, at the age of 13. Her family moved and settled in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where she spent most of her childhood, per Boston.com.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Grace Potter and Zosia Mamet

VIRGINIA: Sandra Bullock was born in Arlington.

Her dad was an employee of the United States Army and met Bullock’s mom in Germany. Bullock herself was raised in Germany for 12 years.

Bullock won an Oscar in 2010 for her lead role in “The Blind Side.”

Other notable celebrities from the state: Missy Elliott, Rob Lowe, and Hilarie Burton

WASHINGTON: Bill Gates was born and raised in Seattle.

It was at the Lakeside Prep School in Seattle where the Microsoft founder’s interest in computers and programming was fostered.

Having amassed a net worth of over $100 billion, Gates is considered to be among the most successful entrepreneurs of all time. In 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Macklemore, Sydney Sweeney, Ben Gibbard, Emma Dumont, Constance Zimmer, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Kyle MacLachlan

WEST VIRGINIA: Steve Harvey was born in Welch.

Steve Harvey poses on the set of an ABC game show. — Steve Harvey was born in Welch, West Virginia.
Lisa Rose/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

The “Family Feud” host and Daytime Emmy winner moved to Ohio with his family when he was a teenager.

Other notable celebrities from the state: John Corbett, Josh Stewart, and Chris Sarandon

WISCONSIN: Mark Ruffalo was born in Kenosha.

The Oscar-nominated actor was in high school when the family moved to Virginia, per ABC News.

Other notable celebrities from the state: John Ridley, Heather Graham, Kristin Bauer Van Straten, and Willem Dafoe

WYOMING: Jim Beaver was born in Laramie while his father was doing graduate work at the University of Wyoming.

jim beavers — Jim Beaver was born in Laramie, Wyoming.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/National Geographic Channels via Getty Images.

The “Supernatural” actor’s family soon moved back to Texas, where they were originally from.

Other notable celebrities from the state: Pete Williams, Jim J. Bullock

Read the original article on Business Insider

After 3 years of living out West, I moved to North Carolina. It was the best decision I could’ve made for myself.

Written by admin on May 16, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on After 3 years of living out West, I moved to North Carolina. It was the best decision I could’ve made for myself.

Mikala sits in a field of yellow flowers with her dog. — After years of living in big cities out West, I moved to Asheville, North Carolina.
Mikala Lugen

After spending a few years living in big Western cities, I moved back East to be closer to family.
Now, I live in Asheville, North Carolina, and my quality of life has really improved.
Life in Asheville has made family, affordability, and everyday ease feel more accessible.

As a small-town girl from Forestville, New York, moving to Denver for my dream job after college felt electric. I enjoyed skiing (when I could justify the three-hour drive to my favorite slopes), hiking, and seeing many shows at Red Rocks Amphitheater.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the city’s shine quickly wore off. Hiking trails became more crowded, live music all but disappeared, and suddenly, I felt very alone on the other side of the country.

Visiting my family back East wasn’t easy without expensive flights or long days on the road, and I started to feel closed in, with no way to reset or reconnect.

After sticking things out in Denver for a few more months, I moved to Salt Lake City for work. At first, it felt like an upgrade: world-class skiing was just 30 minutes away, rugged desert trails were within reach, and there was a stunning mountain backdrop.

Eventually, though, I realized what mattered most to me was being close to my family.

So, after three years of living out West, I decided I was ready for a change and settled in Asheville, North Carolina — a city that still gives me proximity to nature but has made family, affordability, and everyday ease feel more accessible.

Since moving, my quality of life has really improved

Mikala hikes with her dog in the mountains on a fall day. — Living in Asheville means I still get to spend time in nature.
Mikala Lugen

Now that I’m back on the East Coast, I don’t feel as cut off from my loved ones.

When I was living out West, the flights were so expensive that I only ended up seeing my family once a year for Christmas. Now, however, I can somewhat easily drive up to New York multiple times a year for birthdays, graduations, and other gatherings.

Being closer to my family hasn’t been the only perk of moving here, either. I’ve also found that the pace of life feels much more natural. There’s a collective ease here in the way people pause to chat, hold doors, and make everyday interactions feel more personal and less rushed.

Southern hospitality feels present in everyday interactions, especially when I go over to a friend’s house to sip tea on their porch.

The landscape seems to shape this rhythm, too. I can step onto a hiking trail or into a river within 15 minutes of leaving my house, and enjoy four distinct seasons — including mild winters — without the extremes of high-altitude living.

Now, my life feels much more balanced

A man and women pose with mountains in the background. — My partner and I are saving to buy a house.
Mikala Lugen

At the end of the day, I don’t think Asheville is “better” than the other places I’ve lived. The Rockies and Appalachians both offer breathtaking landscapes, endless opportunities to get outside, and ways of living that aren’t found in other parts of the country.

However, moving to North Carolina has allowed me to better align my life with the things that are most important to me.

And a bonus? I’m finally able to save for my future in a way that felt impossible when I was living in bigger cities.

Now, I’m paying less than $2,000 a month for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom rental with a fenced-in backyard. Meanwhile, comparable options I saw in Denver and Salt Lake City could run at least $3,000.

This breathing room has allowed my partner and me to save money toward buying land and a home.

Overall, moving to North Carolina shifted more than just my address — it changed my relationship to affordability, time, family, and what “living well” actually means.

Read the original article on Business Insider

How Heathrow partnered with Salesforce to build a customer-service AI agent

Written by admin on May 15, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on How Heathrow partnered with Salesforce to build a customer-service AI agent

Departures hall at London Heathrow Airport Terminal. — Heathrow is the UK’s busiest airport.
Heathrow

Heathrow’s AI assistant handles traveler inquiries via WhatsApp, reducing the need for phone calls.
Heathrow leveraged its longtime partnership with Salesforce to create the tool, called Hallie.
Hallie is set to expand to the airport’s website and app later this year.

Nearly 85 million travelers passed through Heathrow Airport in 2025. Amid the hustle and bustle, they had plenty of questions: How long will it take to get through security? Which Starbucks is closest to my departure gate? If my bag was left behind at security, how can I find it?

Peter Burns, Heathrow’s director of digital, e-commerce, and marketing, told Business Insider that he wanted to improve customer service at Europe’s busiest airport, where demand keeps increasing. “As we grow capacity, we have to find a technology solution,” he said. To do that, Heathrow spent the past three years deepening its longtime partnership with Salesforce, which started in 2009, Burns said.

Heathrow first implemented Salesforce’s generative and agentic AI products in 2023, with a focus on customer service applications. These initial tests led to the launch of Hallie, the airport’s customer service AI agent that lives on WhatsApp and answers nearly all traveler questions without human help, in March 2025, said Burns. Since finding earlier this year that Hallie significantly reduced the number of customer calls to the airport, Heathrow is looking to further implement the tool on its website and app.

Customer service has been a popular use case for generative AI across industries since the debut of ChatGPT in 2022, said Gartner Research Vice President Bern Elliot. Elliot told Business Insider that a company’s customer contact centers can act as AI incubators because their return-on-investment metrics — time saved, agent call volume, response times, and response quality, among others — are clearly defined.

“You don’t have to connect very many dots to get from what you deployed to what is the measurable improvement,” Elliot said. “It makes for a great starting place in your AI journey.”

However, infusing AI into customer service systems isn’t a straightforward process, said Elliot. AI systems should be trained on a company’s most up-to-date data; otherwise, large language models are more susceptible to giving incorrect responses. “Having AI-ready data is a huge issue,” Elliot said.

Burns — along with Salesforce’s senior vice president of solution engineering, Paul O’Sullivan — spoke with Business Insider about how Heathrow and Salesforce collaborated to navigate these data complexities and launch Hallie.

Timeline of key events in the use of AI at Heathrow

The tech

Though Heathrow’s initial Salesforce investments lacked AI capabilities, Burns said they were critical to creating a unified database that would later serve as the foundation for the airport’s customer service AI agents.

Heathrow’s relationship with Salesforce started in July 2009 when it deployed Salesforce Service Cloud, a platform that helps customer service agents manage inquiries across multiple channels. By July 2021, Heathrow’s customer and marketing data had been uploaded to Salesforce’s real-time data platform, giving airport employees in customer service, marketing, and e-commerce live views of passenger data.

Burns said Heathrow became an early adopter of Salesforce’s generative AI capabilities in 2023, largely because of the airport’s existing Salesforce product use. AI deployment began that January with two internal use cases: autonomously drafting replies to customer inquiries and creating case wrapups, the summaries that customer service agents prepare after helping someone. These two tests fed more information into Heathrow’s database, helping to continuously refine the quality of AI-drafted responses, Burns said.

By late 2023, Salesforce’s Agentforce — the software company’s autonomous AI platform that can complete customer service, sales, and marketing tasks automatically — was deployed in the airport’s contact center to assist human agents with two specific tasks: Writing responses to customer questions and, after a case was resolved, generating a summary. Previously, agents had to type out every response and case summary, Burns said.

He added that Heathrow worked closely with O’Sullivan and his team of UK-based engineers to test and improve the airport’s AI capabilities before Hallie’s launch. Salesforce has regularly met with Heathrow’s team since their partnership began in 2009, with in-person visits about once per quarter and regular virtual catch-ups every other week, O’Sullivan said. In recent years, their meetings have focused on observing contact agents’ workflows and identifying pain points where AI could be applied.

O’Sullivan told Business Insider that it is critical for executive leadership, product managers, engineers, and representatives from security, data, and cloud teams to be on the same page before deploying tools like Agentforce, since internal databases could be outdated and make the technology less useful. “The reality is these agents need to be exactly like you and I, and how we work, because we’re constantly learning,” he said.

At Heathrow, Agentforce pulls from the airport’s database of 500 articles outlining processes. However, some of the policies took several months to gather, update, and implement, Burns told Business Insider.

In July 2024, Heathrow added more of its internal data to Salesforce’s data platform, enabling the airport to provide customers with real-time flight-tracking data.

Heathrow’s unified data foundation, which brought together Heathrow customer data, airport maps, flight statuses, and advances in generative AI, led to the March 2025 launch of Heathrow’s AI agent Hallie. On WhatsApp, travelers can ask Hallie questions about upcoming flights, how to find specific airport amenities and terminals, and the length of the security line.

The outcome

Prior to the launch of Hallie, 70% of customer inquiries were handled by phone, said Burns. Thanks to the bot’s agentic capabilities, by March 2026, phone calls accounted for 10% of traveler inquiries.

Later this year, Hallie will expand beyond WhatsApp so customers can access the tool on Heathrow’s website and app, Burns added. The airport is also considering future rollouts for Hallie, like at kiosks throughout its terminals.

Still, Hallie’s guardrails are limited: it only scrapes data from Heathrow’s website and internal database, Burns said. “We aren’t letting the agent go out into the open web and pull out other information,” he said. This decision somewhat limits the AI agent’s outputs, as it cannot yet handle personalized questions like, “Where can I pick up my checked bags?”

Burns said it was important for Hallie to provide accurate responses, and added that external sources could have inaccurate or out-of-date information. Looking forward, Heathrow plans to add more functionality to Hallie so passengers can use the tool on platforms beyond WhatsApp, Burns said.

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LIVE Q&A: Meet tech’s dealmakers backing the next big thing

Written by admin on May 15, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on LIVE Q&A: Meet tech’s dealmakers backing the next big thing

Colorful graphic showing four people from the back and text reading "Top Seed Investors of 2026" — This is the sixth year of Business Insider’s Seed 100 list.
Business Insider

Business Insider will reveal our sixth annual Seed 100 list, celebrating the most successful early-stage investors.
The list makes it clear AI is changing seed investing, just like it’s changing everything else.
Find out who made the 2026 list and hear from two investors in a LIVE Q&A, Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Scroll down to watch.

Spotting young companies that are poised to make a big splash isn’t easy.

That’s why Business Insider compiles an annual Seed 100 list, celebrating the top 100 early-stage investors – venture capitalists whose bets are paying off in measurable ways.

Now in its sixth year, the list also highlights how seed investing is changing. As hot AI startups dominate the scene, small checks are being replaced by multi-million dollar investments. Seed rounds may now total a billion dollars or more.

Alongside the Seed 100, Business Insider also publishes the Seed 40, which specifically highlights successful women investors.

Both lists include investors who have made at least 5 active investments between 2011 and 2026 and whose companies have gone public, been acquired, and/or attracted additional rounds of funding.

The lists are compiled using data analysis supplied by Termina, a software platform spun out of Tribe Capital.

So who landed on this year’s Seed 100 and Seed 40? Join senior correspondents Ben Bergman and Melia Russell in this live Q&A to find out.

Bergman and Russell will also interview two prominent investors from the list. Those conversations will dig into the investments each made and the companies they are eyeing next.

Tune in Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The 20 best countries in the world, ranked

Written by admin on May 15, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on The 20 best countries in the world, ranked

Aerial view of downtown Geneva in Switzerland. — Downtown Geneva, Switzerland.
pawel.gaul/Getty Images

Switzerland kept its No. 1 spot on US News & World Report’s list of the best countries in the world.
The 2026 rankings compared 100 countries across factors like infrastructure, health, and tourism.
The US didn’t crack the top 10 in this year’s list.

Once again, Switzerland has claimed the top spot as the best country in the world.

The 2026 rankings, released Thursday, were compiled by US News & World Report in partnership with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Unlike previous iterations of the list, this year’s rankings did away with a perception-based approach of surveying experts and business leaders, and instead used a data-driven methodology.

To determine the rankings, researchers evaluated 100 countries across eight categories, including governance, culture and tourism, civic health, economic development, health, infrastructure, opportunity, and the natural environment. The rankings also factored in 24 other subcategories, including healthcare, public safety, labor markets, poverty, and wealth.

The resulting best countries are predominantly a mix of popular and more underrated destinations across Europe. Some major global favorites, including the United States and Japan, didn’t crack the top 10.

US News senior data editor Evan Comen told Business Insider that the reason the US didn’t make the top 10 is its uneven performance across the eight major categories.

“The US is No. 2 in economic development, No. 1 in culture and tourism,” Comen said. “But then these advantages are offset by weaker performance in some of the more data-heavy categories that wouldn’t really be reflected in perceptions; things like health, infrastructure, and civic health.”

Below are the 20 best countries in the world, according to US News & World Report.

Population data for each country is from the US Census Bureau, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) information was sourced from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

20. South Korea

Dongdaemun traditional gate at night in Seoul, South Korea. — Seoul, South Korea.
Sayan Uranan /Getty Images

Population: 51.4 million
GDP: $3.1 trillion

Rounding out the top 20, South Korea still ranks high in a few categories. Its capital city, Seoul, is a cultural hub for fashion, technology, and entertainment.

The Asian country ranked sixth in economic development, its highest finish in a category. It also ranked seventh in health.

19. Canada

The Toronto city skyline from Lake Ontario, Canada. — Toronto.
Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images

Population: 39.5 million
GDP: $2.7 trillion

Canada, the northern sibling to the US, matches fairly closely with its border mate in overall ranking, but has separation in some categories, like economic development.

Canada doesn’t rank high in a lot of categories, but finishes in the top 20 mostly, signaling balance. Culture and tourism is Canada’s highest ranking, where it finished eighth.

18. United States

Downtown Chicago. — Chicago.
also The Mag Mile

Population: 342.4 million
GDP: $29.3 trillion

In what might be a surprising placement to some, the US barely cracked the top 20 in this year’s rankings. A leader in cultural tourism and economic development, the country had uneven performance across other categories.

The US has the highest GDP on the list by far; however, it struggles in many categories, such as health and infrastructure, where it doesn’t rank in the top 20.

17. Japan

shibuya scramble crossing in tokyo — Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Getty Images

Population: 122.1 million
GDP: $6.7 trillion

Japan has cultural significance that reaches every corner of the world. With its busy cities and mountainous landscapes, it’s a popular tourist destination.

Japan ranked highest in health and civic health, finishing in fifth and second, respectively.

16. Singapore

An aerial view of the Singapore skyline. — Singapore.
Calvin Chan Wai Meng/Getty Images

Population: 6.1 million
GDP: $547.4 billion

Singapore, an island nation in Southeast Asia, is a bustling country marked by tall buildings and modern architecture.

The country leads in infrastructure, according to US News, and finishes near the top in other categories, such as economic development, governance, and health.

15. Iceland

A seaside village in Iceland. — Eskifjordur, Iceland.
Flottmynd/Getty Images

Population: 370,000
GDP: $32.3 billion

Iceland, the least populous country on the list, packs a punch in a lot of US News’ important categories. Known for its vast landscapes, it finished 10th in culture and tourism, while it ranked first in the heritage and cultural attractions subcategory.

The Nordic island nation finished first in both health and opportunity on this year’s list.

14. Australia

Aerial view of the Sydney cityscape. — Sydney.
zetter/Getty Images

Population: 27.9 million
GDP: $2 trillion

Home to the Great Barrier Reef, the Sydney Opera House, and wildlife galore, Australia is a unique country with loads to do.

However, culture and tourism aren’t its strongest assets: it ranked 18th in that category. Australia’s best finish was in health, where it ranked sixth.

13. Ireland

A cathedral in the background with a row of colorful homes in the foreground. — Cobh, Ireland.
by Andrea Pucci/Getty Images

Population: 5.3 million
GDP: $759.6 billion

Ireland, the third-largest island in Europe, is only about 100 miles from the United Kingdom, but it has its own culture.

Scoring highest in culture and tourism, Ireland finished in the top 20 for nearly every category, including economic development, governance, and infrastructure.

12. France

French flag with the Eiffel Tower in the background. — Paris.
querbeet/Getty Images

Population: 68.7 million
GDP: $4.3 trillion

France is a popular tourist destination with a diversity of attractions, from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to historic chateaus to a stunning Mediterranean coastline.

That diversity landed it fifth in the culture and tourism rankings — its highest finish. It also ranked high in economic development and health, at 10th and 11th, respectively.

11. Belgium

Graslei quay on the right bank of the Leie river in the historic city center of Ghent, Belgium. — Ghent, Belgium.
alxpin/Getty Images

Population: 12 million
GDP: $880.2 billion

Belgium borders four different countries, and, in turn, blends a lot of those cultures into its own unique brew. It has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German.

Civic health is its strongest category, where it ranks seventh, but it has generally high rankings across the board.

10. Austria

A view of Hallstatter Lake in Austria with surrounding homes. — Hallstatter lake, Austria.
Anton Petrus/Getty Images

Population: 9.2 million
GDP: $695.4 billion

Austria may be a less popular tourist destination than other European favorites like the UK and Italy, but it has been gaining attention for its relatively lower costs and scenic views.

In this year’s rankings, it placed 14th for both culture and tourism and economic development. It also ranked 21st for modern urban livability and quality of life.

9. Luxembourg

An overview of Luxembourg at sunset. — Luxembourg.
querbeet/Getty Images

Population: 701,000
GDP: $105.6 billion

Luxembourg is often overshadowed by its larger neighbors, Germany to the east and France to the south, but the country ranks among the best in the world on US News’ list.

Though it placed ninth overall this year, Luxembourg ranked third in infrastructure, sixth in opportunity, seventh in governance, ninth in solo travel, and ninth among the best countries to start a business.

8. Finland

An overview of Helsinki. — Helsinki.
ShaoChen Yang/Getty Images

Population: 5.6 million
GDP: $366.1 billion

The “land of a thousand lakes” finally made the top 10 this year. In individual categories, Finland ranked first for modern urban livability, fourth for infrastructure, and fifth for civic health.

7. United Kingdom

A skyline view of London. — London skyline.
Karl Hendon/Getty Images

Population: 69 million
GDP: $4.3 trillion

The United Kingdom has weathered political and economic turmoil in the wake of Brexit, but even so, it remains a favorable destination and performed well in this year’s rankings.

It placed third in culture and tourism and fourth in economic development. The country also earned strong marks for infrastructure and opportunity.

6. Norway

An overview of Norway. — Ålesund, Norway.
Sergio Formoso/Getty Images

Population: 5.6 million
GDP: $588.8 billion

Norway is one of the world’s few remaining constitutional monarchies, giving it a unique blend of old-world tradition and modern governance.

This year, the country ranked second in health, fifth in opportunity, and fifth in governance.

5. Netherlands

A channel in Amsterdam with colorful boats and homes. — Amsterdam.
Yasonya/Getty Images

Population: 17.9 million
GDP: $1.5 trillion

The Netherlands, often informally referred to as Holland, finally made the top five in this year’s overall rankings. Across individual categories, the country ranked third in governance, seventh in both eco-tourism and infrastructure, and eighth in economic development.

4. Germany

An overview of Frankfurt am Main — Frankfurt am Main.
Haussmann Visuals/Getty Images

Population: 83.9 million
GDP: $6.2 trillion

Germany has repeatedly landed in the top 10 of the US News rankings, and this year it rose to fourth overall.

The country placed third in economic development, fourth in both culture and tourism, and seventh among the best countries for raising children.

3. Sweden

A view of the river in Stockholm: a boat with the Swedish flag. — Stockholm.
f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Population: 10.7 million
GDP: $752.8 billion

In the categories of governance and opportunity, Sweden ranked fourth and third, respectively, while ranking sixth in civic health.

Notably, the country ranked first for a comfortable retirement.

2. Denmark

An aerial view of Copenhagen. — Copenhagen.
SW Photography/Getty Images

Population: 6.1 million
GDP: $483.8 billion

The Northern European country located on the Jutland Peninsula ranked second in both infrastructure and governance.

Denmark also ranked high in categories like modern urban livability, education, entrepreneurship, and overall quality of life.

1. Switzerland

An overview of Lucerne in Switzerland — Lucerne, Switzerland.
querbeet/Getty Images

Population: 9 million
GDP: $877.8 billion

For another consecutive year, Switzerland ranked No. 1 on the Best Countries list.

The Central European nation also topped the rankings in categories such as economic development and governance, while placing second in opportunity, culture, and tourism.

It earned strong marks across several other areas, including education, entrepreneurship, solo travel, digital nomadism, modern livability, and quality of life.

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I flew economy on Singapore Airlines for the first time. It was so much better than my trips on US carriers.

Written by admin on May 15, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on I flew economy on Singapore Airlines for the first time. It was so much better than my trips on US carriers.

Singapore Airlines plane — I flew Singapore Airlines for the first time and thought it was far better than US carriers.
AKSARAN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

I flew on Singapore Airlines for the first time.
I was surprised that I could select my seat for free in economy.
The seats were spacious, the food was decent, and I loved the in-flight entertainment selection.

When it was time to plan my first trip to Asia, I knew I wanted to book an airline I’d never flown before. No option seemed better than Singapore Airlines.

A certified five-star airline by Skytrax, Singapore Airlines was named the world’s best international airline by Travel + Leisure in 2025. It also won the title of best airline in Asia at last year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards, considered the Oscars of the aviation industry.

While Singapore Airlines is famous for its luxurious suites and first-class cabins, I could only afford an economy ticket. But my experience was still far better than my recent trips on US airlines.

I was impressed with Singapore Airlines before my flight even began.

Screengrab of Singapore Airlines seat selection — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I decided to travel to Japan after a friend’s wedding in Sydney and booked an economy ticket on Singapore Airlines. There are four different tiers of economy — lite, value, standard, and flexi — but only standard was available on my flight.

The trip, which included a layover in Singapore, cost $814.

While booking my Singapore Airlines ticket, I was surprised to find that I could select seats on both of my flights for free. I could even choose one of the “Forward Zone” seats, which are closer to the doors and allow you to disembark first from economy. This felt like a great option since my layover at Changi Airport was less than an hour and a half.

Plus, I got to pick the window seat (my favorite) for both flights.

I was also surprised by the airline’s generous weight limit for checked bags.

Singapore Airlines check-in desk — Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

I’m a notorious overpacker. If there were a gold medal for shuffling items from your checked bag to carry-on to meet the 50-pound limit of most US airlines, I would be the Simone Biles of the sport. It’s a natural gift — I don’t even have to train!

So, I was shocked when the Singapore Airlines attendant told me I needed to put more stuff in my checked bag, not less. She informed me that the weight limit for checked bags in economy is 30 kilograms, or about 66 pounds. If you fly Singapore Airlines on economy lite or value, the limit is 25 kilograms, or about 55 pounds.

Being able to unload my overstuffed carry-on and gallivant around duty-free was an unexpected pre-flight treat.

Before boarding my flight, I grabbed a pair of headphones by the plane’s entrance.

Singapore Airlines headphones basket — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

It was a small detail, but I appreciated that I could immediately sit and start watching a movie without waiting for an attendant to pass out the headphones.

My chair was far more spacious than what I’ve come to expect from US airlines.

Singapore Airlines seats — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

As someone who’s only flown economy, I’ve become all too accustomed to the increasingly shrinking seats.

But I was flying on an Airbus A380-800, the world’s largest commercial aircraft, and it had some very comfortable seats — even in economy. My seat, which was 19 inches wide, felt surprisingly spacious.

A plush gray pillow and a hefty blanket were waiting on my seat.

Singapore Airlines seat — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

They both felt like major upgrades from the paper-thin sheet and the flimsy maxi-pad-esque contraption I’ve received on long-haul flights with various US airlines.

There was plenty of legroom.

Singapore Airlines seat space — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

When I first sat down, I was surprised I could still stretch out my legs, even with my backpack under the seat in front of me.

Once the woman in my row and I realized no one would be taking the seat between us, we easily slid both of our backpacks under the middle seat and enjoyed the extra space.

The seat in front of me had helpful buttons and compartments.

Singapore Airlines screen — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Under the left corner of my screen were buttons to turn on the overhead light and call the attendant, plus an outlet to charge my phone. Under the right corner was a stand-alone drink holder. There was also a shelf under my screen, where I stored my headphones when I wasn’t watching anything.

I also appreciated the four separate pockets in front of my seat. I could easily store my phone, book, magazine, charger, and water bottle in all of them.

I also had access to an extensive entertainment selection.

Singapore Airlines movie selection — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

According to its website, Singapore Airlines offers more than 1,900 on-demand options via its KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system.

There was everything from “Wicked” to “The Substance,” which I didn’t feel brave enough to watch on a plane.

TV options included food shows, kids’ programs, and classics such as “Law & Order” and “The Golden Girls.”

Before takeoff, flight attendants passed out hot towels to everyone on board.

Singapore Airlines hand towel — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

The custom, known in Japanese as “oshibori,” has been a longtime signature of the Singapore Airlines brand. Each towel is perfumed with the airline’s “Batik Flora” scent, which combines the floral notes of various flowers that are native to Singapore.

As soon as I had given my hands a refreshing cleanse, an attendant returned to retrieve the towel.

Within 20 minutes of takeoff, we were given our first drink and snack.

Singapore Airlines cupholder — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Who hasn’t chugged their little drink on a plane because there wasn’t enough space?

Thanks to the stand-alone cupholder, I could leisurely sip on my complimentary glass of white wine as I snacked on the peas-and-crackers snack and read my book.

Then came the dinner service.

An airplane meal on the tray table, comprising chicken and vegetables, a prawn noodle salad, cheese and crackers, a bread roll, and a bottle of water. — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Every tray included an entrée of chicken or fish (the vegetarian meals had already been served), bread, a small noodle salad, Australian cheese and crackers, and a mini water bottle. I was surprised it came with metal cutlery rather than the plastic or wood I’m used to seeing in economy.

I started with the salad, which featured vermicelli noodles and shrimp cooked far more delicately than expected for an in-flight meal. The shrimp were plump and fresh, pairing well with the light, tangy dressing that covered each noodle.

I opted for the chicken entrée, which was solid. The meat was tender and covered in sauce, while the potatoes were well-cooked but under-seasoned.

It wasn’t exactly gourmet, but it was a huge upgrade from the undercooked pasta and rubbery meat I’ve had on many long-haul flights with US airlines. (And I’ll never forget the tortilla filled with a cut-up hot dog.)

Shortly after we’d settled into dinner, attendants offered us an ice cream sandwich for dessert.

A hand holding a Superslice vanilla fudge brownie. — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

The delicious vanilla fudge brownie was a highlight of the flight. It featured a chocolate crunch on the bottom that satisfyingly snapped with every bite.

An hour before landing, we were given a hot snack.

A hand holding a sandwich filled with melted cheese. — Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

We were offered a choice between a sandwich with sweet potato and cheese or sweet chili chicken. I chose the latter, which was fine. I couldn’t taste the sweet chili, but it was a nice, warm snack.

Overall, I had a great first experience on Singapore Airlines.

A Singapore Airlines plane parked on the tarmac at Singapore Changi Airport. — A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380.
ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images

At the end of the day, economy is economy. Still, the experience has become increasingly uncomfortable as US carriers shrink their seats and add more fees.

By comparison, flying on Singapore Airlines felt like a breath of fresh air. From the hot towel and spacious seats to the decent in-flight entertainment and food options, my nine-hour flight seemed to fly by.

It’s easy to see why Singapore Airlines consistently ranks among the top in the world. I can’t wait to fly on one of its planes again.

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