Singapore Airlines has claimed the title of the ‘World’s Best Airline’, taking out the top prize at the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards.
Qatar Airways finished second, ending a two-year reign at the top, followed by Cathay Pacific in third, while ANA All Nippon Airways and Turkish Airlines rounded out the top five.
The awards are based on the results of Skytrax’s global passenger satisfaction survey, with the 2026 rankings drawing on feedback from more than 25 million passengers across more than 100 nationalities between September 2025 and August 2026.
Singapore Airlines also took the titles of ‘Best Economy Class’ and ‘Best Airline in Asia’, while Qatar Airways retained the awards for ‘Best Business Class’ and ‘Best Onboard Wi-Fi’. Cathay Pacific was chosen for the ‘Best Cabin Crew’.
For Australian travellers, Qantas delivered a strong result, climbing to 12th place in the global top 100, up from 14th in 2025. It was also named ‘Best Airline in Australia/Pacific’, retaining the regional title ahead of Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia.
Qantas also collected the award for ‘Best Airline Staff in Australia/Pacific’, with the airline’s overall global ranking continuing a significant improvement from its 2024 position of 24th.
Virgin Australia ranked 37th overall, while placing third among airlines in the Australia/Pacific region behind Qantas and Air New Zealand.
Jetstar was ranked 88th globally, while QantasLink came in at 91st. Fiji Airways, another major carrier serving the Australian market, ranked 38th.
The Skytrax awards, which are regularly described as the “Oscars of the aviation industry”, are positioned as passenger choice awards, with travellers determining the results through the annual survey.
