Three years after its previous win, Singapore Airlines has returned to the top of Skytrax’s global airline ranking.
The results of the 2026 World Airline Awards, announced in London on September 18, 2026, place the Singapore carrier ahead of Qatar Airways, which took the top spot in 2025, and Cathay Pacific Airways.
This marks the sixth time Singapore Airlines has been named “World’s Best Airline,” following previous wins in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2018 and 2023.
Singapore Airlines takes home multiple awards in 2026
In addition to topping the overall ranking, Singapore Airlines received several other honors at the 2026 World Airline Awards.
The carrier was named the best airline in Asia, as well as the world’s best airline for Economy Class and the best for Economy Class onboard catering.
It also finished second for the quality of its cabin crew, behind Cathay Pacific Airways.
Its low-cost subsidiary Scoot, meanwhile, was named the world’s best long-haul low-cost airline for the sixth consecutive year.
In a statement released following the awards, Singapore Airlines noted that the results are based on ratings submitted by millions of passengers around the world.
Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines, thanked the carrier’s customers for their trust and support, while also crediting the airline’s employees for the recognition.
Singapore Airlines ahead of Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific
In the 2026 global ranking published by Skytrax, Singapore Airlines moves up one place from 2025 to take the No. 1 position from Qatar Airways, which led the ranking last year.
Cathay Pacific Airways remains in third place, followed by ANA All Nippon Airways and Turkish Airlines.
Emirates, which ranked fourth in 2025, falls to sixth place.
Air France moves up from eighth to seventh place worldwide. The French carrier was also named the world’s best airline for First Class in 2026.
Lufthansa ranks 14th overall, Iberia 16th, Air Canada 17th and Swiss International Air Lines 19th.
The full ranking of the world’s top 100 airlines for 2026 is available on the World Airline Awards website.
A ranking based on feedback from more than 24.8 million travelers
The World Airline Awards are not decided by a panel of professional judges.
According to Singapore Airlines, the 2026 results are based on an international survey of more than 24.8 million travelers, who rated more than 300 airlines between September 2025 and August 2026.
Skytrax describes the World Airline Awards as passenger-choice awards and states that both the survey and the awards event are funded by the organization itself.
Travelers rate a range of aspects of their experience with airlines, from ground and airport services to the onboard experience, including seat comfort, food and beverages, entertainment and cabin service.
Qatar Airways remains the world’s top Business Class airline
Although it ranks second overall this year, Qatar Airways retained several major honors at the 2026 World Airline Awards.
The Qatari carrier was named the world’s best airline for Business Class for the 13th time. Its Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden in Doha was also recognized in the Business Class lounge category.
Qatar Airways additionally received Skytrax’s first award for the world’s best onboard Wi-Fi, a category introduced in 2026.
Cathay Pacific Airways, which ranks third overall, was named the airline with the world’s best cabin crew.
In the low-cost segment, AirAsia remains the world’s top-ranked budget airline, while Scoot once again stands out among long-haul low-cost carriers.
VisasNews Take
Skytrax’s “World’s Best Airline” title should be viewed primarily as an indicator of passenger satisfaction. The ranking is based on travelers’ assessments of their experience with airlines and is not, for example, a ranking of airline safety or on-time performance. Still, with more than 24.8 million participants and over 300 carriers evaluated, the survey provides a broad snapshot of how airlines are perceived by their customers worldwide.
