London, United Kingdom: Singapore Airlines has been named the World’s Best Airline for 2026 at the Skytrax World Airline Awards, reclaiming the top position from Qatar Airways at a gala ceremony held at The Langham Hotel in London on 18 September 2026.
The World Airline Awards are organised by Skytrax, an international air transport rating organisation established in 1989 and based in London. Skytrax describes the World Airline Awards as an independent passenger satisfaction survey, with travellers worldwide voting for the airlines across multiple categories. The awards, introduced in 1999, are widely referred to as the “Oscars of the aviation industry”. The 2026 survey ran from September 2025 to August 2026, involved passengers from more than 100 nationalities and featured more than 300 airlines. Skytrax said it paid the costs of the survey and awards process and did not charge airlines an entry or registration fee.
Singapore Airlines won the overall title for the sixth time in the history of the World Airline Awards. It also won the World’s Best Economy Class and World’s Best Economy Class Onboard Catering awards. Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said the result reflected the trust of passengers and the commitment of the airline’s employees.
“We are grateful to our customers for their trust and support,” Goh Choon Phong said.
Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said Singapore Airlines’ performance across several categories demonstrated its product and service standards, noting that the 2026 result marked the airline’s sixth overall World’s Best Airline title.
World’s Top 20 Airlines 2026
- Singapore Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- Emirates
- Air France
- Hainan Airlines
- Japan Airlines
- Korean Air
- EVA Air
- Qantas Airways
- STARLUX Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Saudi Arabian Airlines
- Iberia
- Air Canada
- Virgin Atlantic
- Swiss International Air Lines
- Thai Airways
Qatar Airways, which won the overall award in 2025, finished second in 2026 and collected four major awards: World’s Best Business Class Airline, World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge, Best Airline in the Middle East and the inaugural World’s Best Onboard Wi-Fi award.
Qatar Airways Group CEO Hamad Al Khater said the awards recognised the work of its 60,000 employees.
“These awards belong to our people,” Al Khater said.
Cathay Pacific Airways ranked third overall and won the World’s Best Cabin Crew and World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge awards for The Wing lounge at Hong Kong International Airport.
Cathay Group CEO Ronald Lam said the recognition reflected the work of the airline’s employees and its investment in aircraft, cabins, lounges and digital technology.
“We are honoured to once again be named among the very best airlines in the world,” Lam said.
World’s Best Cabin Crew 2026
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines
- Hainan Airlines
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- EVA Air
- STARLUX Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Japan Airlines
- Thai Airways
Malaysia Airlines also received the Best Airline Staff Service in Asia award. Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar, President and Group CEO of Malaysia Aviation Group, said the result reflected the combined efforts of its airport, onboard and support teams.
“It is this spirit of warm, thoughtful and consistent service that sets the Malaysia Airlines experience apart,” Bakar said.
World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines 2026
- AirAsia
- Scoot
- Vueling Airlines
- Eurowings
- Iberia Express
- Volotea
- Transavia
- flynas
- IndiGo
- Allegiant Air
AirAsia retained the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline title for the 17th consecutive year. Capital A CEO and AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes said the award reflected the airline’s resilience and focus on low-cost operations.
“To be recognized as the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline for a landmark 17th consecutive year is truly monumental,” Fernandes said.
Scoot was named the World’s Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline for the sixth consecutive year. CEO Leslie Thng said the award recognised the carrier’s focus on comfortable and reliable travel.
“It is an honour to receive the World’s Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline award for the sixth consecutive year,” Thng said.
Vueling won Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe. CEO and Chair Carolina Martinoli said the award reflected the work of more than 5,000 employees and the airline’s customer focus.
World’s Best Regional Airlines 2026
- Bangkok Airways
- Porter Airlines
- Virgin Australia
- Aegean Airlines
- Azerbaijan Airlines
- Hong Kong Airlines
- jetBlue Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- RwandAir
- Azul Brazilian Airlines
Bangkok Airways retained the World’s Best Regional Airline title for the 10th consecutive year. President Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said the recognition reflected continued passenger trust and the efforts of employees across the airline.
“This recognition reflects the trust that passengers around the world have continued to place in Bangkok Airways,” Prasarttong-Osoth said.
Azerbaijan Airlines was named Best Regional Airline in Central Asia & CIS. Chairman of the Management Board Samir Rzayev said the award reflected passenger trust and the airline’s investment in its fleet and services.
World’s Most Family Friendly Airlines 2026
- EVA Air
- Emirates
- Lufthansa
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Singapore Airlines
EVA Air won the category and also received the World’s Best Premium Economy Class and World’s Best Premium Economy Class Amenities awards. Chief Executive Vice President Albert Liao said the results reflected the airline’s continued investment in safety, service and sustainability.
“We are grateful to travelers around the world for this recognition,” Liao said.
World’s Cleanest Airlines 2026
- STARLUX Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Hainan Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
STARLUX Airlines was also awarded a Skytrax five-star airline rating for the second consecutive year. CEO Glenn Chai said the recognition reflected the airline’s attention to detail across the passenger journey.
“These honors reflect not only the quality of our service, but also the dedication of every STARLUX colleague,” Chai said.
World’s Best Leisure Airlines 2026
- Air Transat
- SunExpress
- TUI Airways
- Sun PhuQuoc Airways
- Condor
Air Transat received the World’s Best Leisure Airline award for the eighth time. President and CEO Annick Guérard said the recognition reflected the work and hospitality of the airline’s employees.
“Being named the World’s Best Leisure Airline for the eighth time is a tremendous source of pride,” Guérard said.
World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment 2026
- Emirates
- Singapore Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Qatar Airways
- Virgin Atlantic
World’s Best Airport Services 2026
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Malaysia Airlines
- Japan Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- Hainan Airlines
ANA ranked fourth overall and retained its strong position in the airport-services category.
World’s Most Improved Airlines 2026
- Egyptair
- Air India
- Royal Jordanian Airlines
- American Airlines
- Sun PhuQuoc Airways
Egyptair received the World’s Most Improved Airline award. Chairman and CEO Captain Ahmed Adel said the award recognised the airline’s transformation across fleet, cabins, onboard service, digital systems and ground operations.
“We see this recognition as both an honor and an encouragement to continue raising our standards,” Adel said.
Air India finished second in the Most Improved Airline category.
World’s Best Independent Airport Lounges 2026
- Chase Sapphire Lounge – LGA
- Plaza Premium – FCO
- Chase Sapphire Lounge – HKG
- Plaza Premium – LHR T4
- Capital One – JFK
Plaza Premium Group was separately named the World’s Best Airport Lounge Group for the 10th consecutive year. Founder and CEO Song Hoi See said the award reflected passenger trust and the work of its teams.
“Being named World’s Best Airport Lounge Group for a tenth consecutive year is an incredible honour,” Song said.
World’s Best First Class Airlines 2026
- Air France
- Singapore Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Emirates
- Cathay Pacific Airways
Air France won the World’s Best First Class award, along with World’s Best First Class Lounge Dining and World’s Best First Class Comfort Amenities. It was also named Best Airline in Western Europe.
World’s Best Business Class Airlines 2026
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Hainan Airlines
Qatar Airways’ Al Mourjan Business Lounge The Garden was also named the World’s Best Business Class Lounge.
World’s Best Premium Economy Class Airlines 2026
- EVA Air
- Emirates
- Singapore Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Virgin Atlantic
EVA Air also won the World’s Best Premium Economy Class Amenities award.
World’s Best Economy Class Airlines 2026
- Singapore Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Qatar Airways
- EVA Air
- ANA All Nippon Airways
Singapore Airlines also won the World’s Best Economy Class Onboard Catering award, while Korean Air was recognised for the World’s Best Economy Class Airline Seat.
Other Major Regional And Airline Awards
Several additional awards were announced across regional and airline-specific categories.
Ethiopian Airlines was named Best Airline in Africa, while FlySafair won Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa and RwandAir won Best Airline Staff Service in Africa. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said the recognition reflected customer confidence and employee commitment.
“Being recognized as the Best Airline in Africa for the ninth consecutive year is a proud milestone,” Tasew said.
RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo said the Best Airline Staff Service in Africa award belonged to the airline’s employees and reflected their service and professionalism.
Hainan Airlines won Best Airline in China, Best Airline Staff Service in China and World’s Best Business Class Airline Amenities. Chairman Zhu Tao said the awards recognised the airline’s service quality and product development.
Iberia won Best Airline Staff Service in Europe. President and CEO Marco Sansavini said the award recognised the airline’s employees and its plans to improve passenger experience through people, products and digital capabilities.
IndiGo was named Best Low-Cost Airline in India & South Asia. CEO Willie Walsh said the recognition reflected the carrier’s focus on operational performance and passenger experience.
“This recognition belongs to our committed workforce,” Walsh said.
JetSMART Airlines won Best Low-Cost Airline in South America. CEO and Founder Estuardo Ortiz said the award recognised the airline’s low-fare model, modern fleet and passenger experience.
LOT Polish Airlines won Best Airline in Central Europe, with CEO Michal Fijol linking the award to improvements in the passenger experience and its lounges.
LATAM Airlines won Best Airline in South America and Best Airline Staff Service in South America. Chief Customer and Experience Officer Paulo Miranda said the awards reflected the commitment of LATAM employees and passenger trust.
Airline Alliance Awards
oneworld was named the World’s Best Airline Alliance, reclaiming the title for the first time since 2021 and receiving the award for the fifth time.
oneworld CEO Ole Orver said the award recognised the consistency of service delivered by member airlines and their customer benefits.
“This recognition is acknowledgment of the elevated, consistent experience our member airlines provide,” Orver said.
Star Alliance again won the Best Airline Alliance Lounge award for its Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 1 lounge.
Air Astana won Best Airline in Central Asia & CIS and Best Airline Staff Service in Central Asia & CIS, while its low-cost subsidiary FlyArystan won Best Low-Cost Airline in Central Asia & CIS.
Air Astana Group CEO Ibrahim Canliel said the awards reflected passenger confidence in both airlines. FlyArystan President and CEO Johan Eidhagen said its fourth consecutive win reflected the dedication of its employees.
flynas retained Best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East for the ninth consecutive year. CEO and Managing Director Bander Almohanna said the recognition reflected passenger trust and the carrier’s expanding role in Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector.
FlySafair won Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa. CEO Elmar Conradie said the award recognised the work of its employees and the confidence of its passengers.
Additional Major 2026 Winners
Saudia retained Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East. Saudia Group Director General Ibrahim Al-Omar said the result reflected the airline’s investment in people, technology and products. Chief Guest Experience Officer Rossen Dimitrov said the award showed consistency in the customer experience.
Qantas won Best Airline in Australia/Pacific and Best Airline Staff Service in Australia/Pacific. Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said the awards reflected the work of its employees and passenger feedback.
Turkish Airlines won Best Airline in Europe, World’s Best Business Class Catering and Best Airline in Southern Europe. Chairman Murat Şeker said the awards reflected passenger evaluations and the airline’s focus on service and Turkish hospitality.
Air Canada was named Best Airline in North America and also won Best Business Class Lounge Dining for its Toronto Pearson Signature Suite. Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Mark Nasr said the awards recognised the work of its 40,000 employees.
Allegiant Air won Best Low-Cost Airline in North America for the third consecutive year. CEO Greg Anderson said the award recognised the work of its teams and the passengers who continue to choose the carrier.
2026 Survey Methodology
Skytrax said the World Airline Awards are based on its global passenger satisfaction survey. The 2026 survey operated from September 2025 to August 2026 and included more than 100 customer nationalities.
More than 300 airlines were included in the survey results. Skytrax said survey entries were screened for duplicate, suspicious and ineligible submissions. The survey was available in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Skytrax said it funds the survey and awards process itself, with no sponsorship, survey entry fee or registration fee. The awards event is also free for airlines to attend, and Skytrax said there are no charges or royalties for using the award logos and results.
Skytrax was established in 1989 and is based in London. Its airline and airport rating programmes assess product and staff service standards, while the World Airline Awards are based on passenger voting.
