Singapore Airlines Crowned World's Best Airline 2026

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Singapore Airlines has been named the World's Best Airline at the 2026 World Airline Awards held by Skytrax.

The awards ceremony took place in London, England, on Friday (18/9/2026).

Singapore Airlines edged out Qatar Airways, which placed second, and Cathay Pacific Airways in third place.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/DAMIEN AIELLO Illustration of an Airbus A380 operated by Singapore Airlines.

Meanwhile, ANA All Nippon Airways ranked fourth and Turkish Airlines fifth in the 2026 World's Best Airlines list.

This accolade is based on customer survey results conducted by Skytrax, an international air transport rating organization.

Skytrax describes the World Airline Awards as the Oscars of the aviation industry. The event has been held since 1999 and is said to be independent and impartial.

"The World Airline Awards began in 1999 and remain independent and impartial, with all customer survey and awards event costs covered and funded by the organizer, Skytrax," the company stated in a press release on Friday (18/9/2026).

Singapore Airlines Wins World's Best Airline Title for Sixth Time

Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said the award is a form of appreciation for customer trust and support.

"We thank our customers for their trust and support, and we are committed to delivering outstanding, world-class travel experiences every time they fly with us," said Goh.

KOMPAS.com/SAKINA RAKHMA DIAH SETIAWANSingapore Airlines named World's Best Airline at the 2026 World Airline Awards hosted by Skytrax.

According to him, the award also reflects the dedication and professionalism of Singapore Airlines' employees.

"This award is proof of the dedication and professionalism of our people, who continuously strive to maintain the well-established SIA service standards and operational excellence," Goh added.

Meanwhile, Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said Singapore Airlines delivered strong performances in several other categories at the 2026 World Airline Awards.

"Congratulations to Singapore Airlines on this outstanding achievement as the 2026 World's Best Airline, which highlights the level of product and service excellence they provide to customers," Plaisted said.

Singapore Airlines also won the World's Best Economy Class and World's Best Economy Class Onboard Catering awards.

Plaisted noted this is the sixth time Singapore Airlines has claimed the top title in the history of the World Airline Awards.

"This success should be a source of pride and motivation for Singapore Airlines management and staff, made even more special because it marks the sixth time in the award's history that Singapore Airlines has won the highest accolade," he said.

Top 20 Airlines in the World for 2026

Skytrax included over 300 airlines in the 2026 World Airline Awards survey results. Here are the top 20 ranked airlines.

KOMPAS.com/SAKINA RAKHMA DIAH SETIAWANSingapore Airlines named World's Best Airline at the 2026 World Airline Awards hosted by Skytrax.

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Qatar Airways
3. Cathay Pacific
4. ANA All Nippon Airways
5. Turkish Airlines
6. Emirates
7. Air France
8. Hainan Airlines
9. Japan Airlines
10. Korean Air
11. EVA Air
12. Qantas Airways
13. STARLUX Airlines
14. Lufthansa
15. Saudi Arabian Airlines
16. Iberia
17. Air Canada
18. Virgin Atlantic
19. Swiss International Air Lines
20. Thai Airways

Qatar Airways, which previously won the World's Best Airline award nine times, ranked second in 2026.

Although not topping the main list, Qatar Airways won four major awards at the event, including World's Best Business Class Airline for the 13th time.

Qatar Airways also received the World's Best Business Class Lounge award for its Al Mourjan Business Lounge The Garden, Best Airline in the Middle East, and the inaugural World's Best Onboard Wi-Fi awards.

Cathay Pacific Wins Best Cabin Crew Award

Cathay Pacific Airways, ranked third in the 2026 World's Best Airlines, won the World's Best Cabin Crew award.

The airline also received the World's Best First Class Airline Lounge award, given to The Wing Lounge, which recently underwent a transformation.

Cathay Group CEO Ronald Lam said the awards reflect the team's efforts to deliver exceptional experiences and service to customers.

"We are honored to be once again recognized as one of the world's best airlines and to receive the World's Best Cabin Crew and World's Best First Class Airline Lounge awards," Lam said.

KOMPAS.com/SAKINA RAKHMA DIAH SETIAWANSingapore Airlines named World's Best Airline at the 2026 World Airline Awards hosted by Skytrax.

He added that Cathay Group has committed to investing around 150 billion Hong Kong dollars to expand and upgrade its fleet, refurbish cabins and lounges, and innovate digitally.

According to Lam, this investment aims to enhance customer experience and strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international aviation hub.

AirAsia Retains World's Best Low-Cost Airline Title

In the low-cost carrier segment, AirAsia once again won the World's Best Low-Cost Airline 2026 award.

This marks the 17th consecutive year AirAsia has received this award since 2010.

AirAsia ranked first in the best low-cost airlines category, followed by Scoot, Vueling Airlines, Eurowings, and Iberia Express.

AirAsia co-founder and Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes said the award reflects the company's resilience and commitment amid industry challenges.

"Being recognized as the World's Best Low-Cost Airline for the 17th consecutive year means a great deal and is something I will never take lightly," Fernandes said.

"Especially today, when aviation continues to face so much uncertainty and geopolitical challenges," he added.

Fernandes noted this award also belongs to all AirAsia employees and the customers who consistently place their trust in the airline.

Scoot Wins World's Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline

Scoot, a low-cost carrier under the Singapore Airlines Group, won the World's Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline 2026 award.

KOMPAS.com/SAKINA RAKHMA DIAH SETIAWANSingapore Airlines named World's Best Airline at the 2026 World Airline Awards hosted by Skytrax.

This is the sixth consecutive year Scoot has won this honor.

Scoot CEO Leslie Thng said the award reflects the company's commitment to providing a comfortable, reliable, and seamless travel experience for customers.

"It is an honor to receive the World's Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline award for the sixth consecutive year. This recognition validates Scoot's commitment to providing comfortable, reliable, and smooth travel experiences for our customers," Thng said.

Asian Airlines Dominate Several Categories

Besides Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Scoot, several other Asian carriers also won awards at the 2026 World Airline Awards.

STARLUX Airlines won World's Cleanest Airline and earned 5-Star Airline status for the second consecutive year.

Bangkok Airways was named World's Best Regional Airline for the tenth consecutive year and also received the Best Regional Airline in Asia award.

EVA Air took home three major awards: World's Most Family Friendly Airline, World's Best Premium Economy Class, and World's Best Premium Economy Class Amenities.

ANA All Nippon Airways, ranked fourth on the world's best airlines list, also won the World's Best Airport Services award.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines won Best Airline Staff Service in Asia and ranked third in the World's Best Cabin Crew category.

Skytrax organizes the World Airline Awards based on customer evaluations from various countries. The 2026 results include more than 300 airlines that participated in the survey.