London, England, 18 September 2026 — The Skytrax World Airline Awards 2026 were announced in The Langham Hotel in London. The awards are based on the opinions of passengers from around the world. They cover many parts of air travel, including service, food, seats, lounges, and entertainment. More than 300 airlines are included in the awards.
Singapore Airlines takes the main award.
The biggest award of the evening went to Singapore Airlines. The airline was named World’s Best Airline 2026, making this its sixth win of the main Skytrax award. Singapore Airlines also received awards for World’s Best Economy Class and World’s Best Economy Class Onboard Catering. The results show that the airline received strong passenger support in several different parts of the travel experience.
World’s Top 10 Airlines:
- Singapore Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- Emirates
- Air France
- Hainan Airlines
- Japan Airlines
- Korean Air
Qatar Airways wins in business class
Qatar Airways finished second in the main world ranking but received several important awards. It was named World’s Best Business Class and also won World’s Best Business Class Seat. The airline also received the first-ever World’s Best Onboard Wi-Fi award. Its business-class lounge at Doha was also named the world’s best business-class airline lounge.
The new Wi-Fi award is interesting because internet access has become an important part of modern air travel. Passengers can now work, communicate, and use online services during many long flights.
Cathay Pacific and ANA
Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong took third place in the main ranking. It also won World’s Best Airline Cabin Staff, recognizing the service provided by its cabin crew. Its airport facilities in Hong Kong also received awards, including the World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.
ANA, all Nippon Airways from Japan, was fourth in the overall ranking. The Japanese airline also won the award for World’s Best Airport Services. This award looks at the experience passengers receive at the airport, including services before and after the flight.
European airlines
European airlines also had several important results. Turkish Airlines was named Best Airline in Europe and also won awards for business-class catering and economy-class service in Europe.
Air France received the award for World’s Best First Class. Its La Première first-class cabin was also recognized for comfort, while Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport received an award for first-class lounge dining.
Lufthansa won awards for first-class catering and was named the Most Family-Friendly Airline in Europe. Its Frankfurt first-class lounge also received a European award.
Iberia was recognized for airline staff in Europe, while Vueling was named Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe.
SunExpress is Europe’s best leisure airline
For SunExpress, the European award is an important result because the airline focuses strongly on holiday travel. It connects Turkey to many European destinations with popular holiday regions. In the 2026 Skytrax results, SunExpress was placed first in the Best Leisure Airline in Europe category and second in the worldwide leisure-airline category behind Air Transat.
The award also continues a strong record for SunExpress. The airline previously won the European leisure-airline award in 2023 and 2024. In 2022, it received an even bigger Skytrax award and was named World’s Best Leisure Airline. SunExpress itself lists these earlier awards in its company information.
Other important awards
There were also awards for airlines from other parts of the world. EVA Air from Taiwan won World’s Best Premium Economy Class and World’s Most Family-Friendly Airline.
AirAsia was named World’s Best Low-Cost Airline, while Bangkok Airways won World’s Best Regional Airline.
The 2026 awards show how many different parts of flying are now important to passengers. From economy seats and family services to business-class lounges and Wi-Fi, airlines are competing in many areas to improve the travel experience.
