I can’t say that I generally respect Skytrax much, but the company has just published its annual airline awards, which does tend to get a lot of media attention. So I’d like to take a look at that, as the incumbent airline didn’t win.
Singapore Airlines ranked best airline in the world
Skytrax has published the results of its annual World Airline Awards. While there are awards across a variety of areas, the most coveted is of course getting the title of “World’s Best Airline.” For 2026, here are the top 10 winners:
- Singapore Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- All Nippon Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- Emirates
- Air France
- Hainan Airlines
- Japan Airlines
- Korean Air
For those curious, here’s how this compared to the 2025 results:
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Cathay Pacific
- Emirates
- All Nippon Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- Korean Air
- Air France
- Japan Airlines
- Hainan Airlines
As you can see, the top 10 airlines remained the same compared to last year, it’s just the order that has changed.
Lastly, for those curious about which airline won the first place spot for the last 15 years (the awards didn’t take place in 2020, due to the pandemic):
- Qatar Airways won the award nine times, in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025
- Singapore Airlines won the award three times, in 2018, 2023, and 2026
- Emirates won the award two times, in 2013 and 2016
- Cathay Pacific won the award one time, in 2014
The methodology used for the Skytrax World Airline Awards
To Skytrax’s credit, the World Airline Awards have some legitimacy, in the sense that the company is relatively transparent about how this is awarded. This isn’t based on the choice of some expert panel, or anything. Instead, the public can vote on various aspects of their experience when flying with airlines around the world, and that’s how the results are determined.
So over the course of the past 12 months, people have been able to vote on which airline they think is best, and that’s what determines the winners. The company does note that it applies weighting for airline sizes, to provide equity when evaluating carriers of different sizes, by using passenger numbers.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising to see that Singapore Airlines beat Qatar Airways this year. Both are world class airlines, but with the ongoing war and impact that had on operations earlier this year, it’s logical this had an impact on passenger perception.
This award concept is all a lot more transparent than the system by which Skytrax awards its star ratings, especially given that the company also does consulting for airlines. Just keep in mind how in 2017, Lufthansa was awarded a Skytrax 5-star rating, and that was given less than two weeks after the airline unveiled its Allegris business class (lol at the past decade). This is when any of Skytrax’s remaining credibility went out the window.
At the time, Skytrax’s CEO explained the following was a key reason that Lufthansa received a 5-star rating:
“A key factor behind Lufthansa gaining 5-Star Airline Certification is the recently announced new business class cabin and seat that will be delivered when the airline receives their first Boeing 777X aircraft.”
Yet at the time, Skytrax also stated that the following was how star ratings were determined:
“The consistency of an airline’s Product and service is a critical issue within their final Rating, and detailed focus is applied to the delivered realities. Particular attention is applied to the quality and consistency of cabin seating, IFE systems and associated cabin products. An airline offering less than 80% fleet-wide product consistency may find these conditions will have a negative impact on their final quality rating determination.”
So consistency is important, and any airline with less than 80% consistency could find that that those conditions lead to a negative impact on the final score. But Lufthansa got a 5-star rating, with one consideration being a product it hadn’t actually yet introduced?
Bottom line
Skytrax’s World Airline Awards have just been published for 2026, and Singapore Airlines has stolen the top spot from Qatar Airways. While these are the two most awarded airlines, Qatar Airways has won the award more often than Singapore Airlines has.
Unlike the Skytrax star rating system, the World Airline Awards are actually based on passenger surveys, so it’s not surprising to me that Qatar Airways may have had a rougher than usual year, given operational irregularities.
What do you make of the World Airline Awards and the results this year?
Having flown both Singapore and Starlux on both long and short haul flights in Business recently, I would give the edge to Starlux. Great seats, service and food/beverage. Singapore was also quite good but Starlux felt even more premium (pajamas in Business, seats with doors and huge monitors, more proactive service). Starlux would rank with Qatar as my top airlines for Business class with Air France as top European carrier.
I was just taking a look at the category awards, and spotted that Emirates won the fairly specific title of, "best catering in economy class in the Middle East".
Whether that's true or not, I don't know; but it seems strange when you consider that they weren't in the top 10 ranking for "best catering in economy class", while QR placed 5th.
How the mighty have fallen :)
And yet their prices nor mileage redemptions have not followed suit
Singapore Airlines flight crews have suffered from an overly robotic attitude which is really off-putting. Not quite #1.
Someone that has Flown Qatar several times in the past 2 years(Platinum But Gold now), I have to agree with the Downgrade of Qatar. I noticed the Difference in the last 2 years.
a)The quality of service, FA's are not as attentive, just too busy stuffing their Faces even when they are supposed to be working. b)Toilets not being cleaned as Frequently.
c) The influx of Indian FAs, DOH to SFO Flights has...
Someone that has Flown Qatar several times in the past 2 years(Platinum But Gold now), I have to agree with the Downgrade of Qatar. I noticed the Difference in the last 2 years.
a)The quality of service, FA's are not as attentive, just too busy stuffing their Faces even when they are supposed to be working. b)Toilets not being cleaned as Frequently.
c) The influx of Indian FAs, DOH to SFO Flights has probably 99% Indian Crew in Business Class.If the thinking is because many passengers are Indian expatriates, they are wrong! even if that is the case, they assume the needs of Indian passengers better, which is wrong.
d) The choice in movies is not the same as past, very low Budget movies as "New".
@Qatar Airways is not the same anymore!, racist much? Why would having Indian FAs make any difference? They all go through the same training. Plus, you cannot always tell where people are from by just looking at them.
I don’t see a problem with Skytrax’ Lufthansa rating back in 2017. For years to come, Lufthansa consistently did not offer a single plane with Allegris. It doesn’t get more consistent.
Flew SQ in 2025 JFK-SIN-SYD & MEL-SIN-EWR
The flights to and from SIN to the US were good but the crews were eager to get off after those 18 hour non-stops. Great food in Premium Economy. Their new service rolled out recently. Windows remained shut throughout the 18 hour stretches. lots of water and drink runs.
SIN-SYD was in J and my best flight ever. I hope you don't mind me posting the video...
Flew SQ in 2025 JFK-SIN-SYD & MEL-SIN-EWR
The flights to and from SIN to the US were good but the crews were eager to get off after those 18 hour non-stops. Great food in Premium Economy. Their new service rolled out recently. Windows remained shut throughout the 18 hour stretches. lots of water and drink runs.
SIN-SYD was in J and my best flight ever. I hope you don't mind me posting the video here (wink).
https://youtu.be/b3DhHaZc2qM
MEL-SIN while great with meals, movies etc the SQ girls were lacking in service. No smiles while the guys were at least better. Maybe just so many flights between Singapore and Down Under?
Full playlist
Around the world with Singapore Airlines - March 2025: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGXvXZxUyg-0Bpj7Sle_KP_rZciaz68yI
*Qatar oil revenues down*
*Singapore check clears*
Skytrax: Ok, we’re ready to announce…
I remember the days where Singapore and Cathay were neck & neck with Emirates and even British thrown in.
Flights on the 744 and A346 were a great way to fly! (Excuse the Singapore slogan pun)
I miss the days of Singapore naming their aircraft (Megatop for the 744, Jubilee for the 772, Celstar for the A343, Leadership for the A345 and so on)
Ansett apparently has won an award as well.
I’m fly SQ Monday JFK FRA. Nice but tRumps war made me switch from SIN to FRA in Suites. Plus no Seat 1A in UA SFO to SIN.
HOME STILL THE SAME ON LH 747-8.
Taking train to Berlin Any Recommendations for Berlin activities
Tbh, last time I flew in Q Suites all you can eat at any time was a thing of the past. While that will reduce food waste significantly it also results in a degraded on board experience.
Is this the reason why QR decided to cut ties with Skytrax as was recently reported or is there more?
Being 2nd to Singapore Airlines is really nothing to shy from, is it?
Hahaha your 2 favs JAL and AF are way down on the list
Can't believe JAL is below Hainan :/
Cathay Pacific: world's most elusive award seat
Personally, I wasn’t impressed with SQ either. While I didn’t try their premium cabins (yet), in Economy it just felt like they did their textbook service and then went hiding into the galley. Akin to a domestic AA flight.
My contender for best airline across all cabins would be EY, EK, or QR. Haven’t flown JL, JX, or CX to compare them.
They may have gone into hiding but if you want or need anything they will respond promptly and happily to the call button.
I feel that these awards just aren’t useful. It’s only really meant for publicity so that people can be incentivized to choose one airline over another. I feel greater value comes from reviewers and also YouTubers. Simply Aviation is personally my favorite YouTuber, tho I also enjoy watching Jeb Brooks, probably more for entertainment purposes than being scientific but he’s honest and humble when he does review things which I like a lot.
Wonder what Qatar got for their hissy fit a few weeks ago. You wouldn't know anything was wrong based on the Qatar press release. Maybe they pulled strings so that Oneworld could win best alliance? Star Alliance had won that one for the last 5 years or so?
Who knows. Palace intrigue that has the importance of, well, absolutely nothing.
Ryanair one spot ahead of American is somewhat funny... I guess Ben would recommend switching CEOs? ;)
It's interesting to see how many well-known airlines managed to even get behind Air India. And some people might say that TUI Airways would get a higher ranking by ditching Go2Sky.
American got #4 most improved airline for 2026! Right behind EgyptAir, Air India and Royal Jordanian. I can only assume that's the next headline on this site - would make for an amusing comments section at least.
This is some poor reporting from you, didn't you just do an article last month on a related topic, and no reference or expounding on it? It seems highly correlated that the supposed "beef" between QR and Skytrax is linked to them being dethroned, no?
"Qatar Airways & Skytrax Have Beef: “World’s Best Airline” No More?"
@ yoloswag420 -- I'm not sure how that's poor reporting? Yes, I theorized the airline would lose its ranking of being number one in the world. I didn't feel the need to say "see, I was right," since I'm not sure what that accomplishes?
To play Devil's advocate, not having Allegris in any of their planes is (technically) consistent 😉
@ studentFlyer -- Hah!
Skytrax is a joke. And these rankings are a joke.
Singapore has been chipping away at its excellence. Last trip I had with them they didn't provide an amenity kit nor did they provide pajamas. The pre-ordered food was much less in quantity and quality then it used to be, the quality of wine and spirits was very ordinary. Their business class lounge would struggle to even get in the Top 10 business class...
Skytrax is a joke. And these rankings are a joke.
Singapore has been chipping away at its excellence. Last trip I had with them they didn't provide an amenity kit nor did they provide pajamas. The pre-ordered food was much less in quantity and quality then it used to be, the quality of wine and spirits was very ordinary. Their business class lounge would struggle to even get in the Top 10 business class lounges in the world. But somehow it's the best airline in the world.
@ BBT -- Respectfully, I'm not sure how that would be chipping away at their excellence? Back in the day, the airline didn't have amenity kits at all, and the carrier hasn't historically had pajamas (though is expected to add them soon). So I understand those are areas where you feel the airline may have fell short, but that has been the status quo at the airline for a long time.
Yes, but that begs the question, how did they get voted into first place. It’s fair enough to wonder. That system might not be terribly reflective of quality.
I do have to agree with BBT. Tend to fly SQ a lot and it’s the small things they don’t get right anymore on short haul and regionals. Used to be 9/10 flights were exceptional and now maybe 4/10. It’s the small things like letting business pax use First class toilets. It’s genuinely small things but they forgot my meal twice in J in the past year alone. They seem to just hide and don’t...
I do have to agree with BBT. Tend to fly SQ a lot and it’s the small things they don’t get right anymore on short haul and regionals. Used to be 9/10 flights were exceptional and now maybe 4/10. It’s the small things like letting business pax use First class toilets. It’s genuinely small things but they forgot my meal twice in J in the past year alone. They seem to just hide and don’t check in as much anymore in premium cabins. Dealt with broken wifi on many 350s etc.
Of course, this is different to what BBT described issues wise but I do agree that morale at the airline is downhill.
@Apple. I’ve noticed considerable inconsistency in the service on my last few SQ flights. Only one genuinely lived up to the old Singapore Airlines standard, although I accept that service experiences can be subjective.
What is harder to dispute is that SQ’s overall soft product is no longer world-class, not by a long shot. Its hard product is controversial as well. That hardly supports the claim that it is the best airline in the world.
@Ben. Your response misses the central point, and that's very surprising coning from you, a travel super expert.
SQ's J product does not deserve to be ranked the best in the world, far from it
Whether SQ historically offered pajamas or amenity kits is beside the point. Several competing airlines offer them today, along with better catering, superior wines and spirits, more competitive seats, and considerably better lounges. On my last SQ trip,...
@Ben. Your response misses the central point, and that's very surprising coning from you, a travel super expert.
SQ's J product does not deserve to be ranked the best in the world, far from it
Whether SQ historically offered pajamas or amenity kits is beside the point. Several competing airlines offer them today, along with better catering, superior wines and spirits, more competitive seats, and considerably better lounges. On my last SQ trip, the pre-ordered meal was disappointing in both quantity and quality, the beverage selection was ordinary, and its business-class lounge was nowhere near world-leading. IIRC SQ's business class lounge did not even make it to your Top 10 lounge list.
Being “the best” is a comparison with today’s competitors, not with your own historical practices. Saying SQ never offered certain amenities does not strengthen its claim to the top ranking, it helps illustrate why that ranking is so difficult to justify.
Only one North American airline in the Top 20, and that's Air Canada. I can feel a disturbance in the Force.