World's best airlines for 2026 revealed... and only ONE European carrier makes the top 10

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 05:45 EDT, 21 September 2026 | Updated: 05:50 EDT, 21 September 2026 The best airline in the world has been named in the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards.Every year, the prestigious awards highlight the top-quality services provided across the industry. They are based on a survey of more than 24.8million travellers globally, who rated over 300 airlines between September 2025 and August 2026. Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been announced as the World's Best Airline, earning praise for its 'dedication to customer service'.Gourmet in-flight meals across all classes and its state-of-the-art entertainment systems were also mentioned. The carrier has received the prestigious accolade six times in total, and was also named Best Airline in Asia, World's Best Economy Class, and World's Best Economy Class Onboard Catering. Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been named the World's Best Airline in the Skytrax World Airline Awards The carrier earned praise for its 'dedication to customer service'Mr Goh Choon Phong, chief executive officer of Singapore Airlines, said: 'We are grateful to our customers for their trust and support, and we are committed to delivering an exceptional, world-class travel experience every time they fly with us. 'This award is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our people, who continually strive to uphold SIA's renowned standards for service and operational excellence.'Qatar Airways followed in second place, and managed to bag a range of other awards including World's Best Business Class, Best Airline in the Middle East, World's Best Business Class Lounge and World's Best Onboard Wi-Fi.It was praised for offering 'comfort, fine cuisine, the latest in-flight audio and video entertainment, award-winning service and a modern aircraft fleet averaging around 5 years of age'. Cathay Pacific Airways, based in Hong Kong, came third in the category. Scoot, SIA's low-cost subsidiary, was also recognised in the awards and named Best Long-Haul Low-Cost Airline for the sixth consecutive year. In total, with Scoot, SIA operates an impressive fleet of more than 180 aircraft covering more than 110 destinations. SIA's budget carrier, Scoot, was named Best Long-Haul Low-Cost Airline for the sixth consecutive yearMr Leslie Thng, Scoot's chief executive officer, said: 'It is an honour 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 our customers with comfortable, reliable, and seamless travel experiences. 'We are grateful to our loyal customers and valued industry partners, whose continued support makes this achievement possible. 'Scoot will continue to innovate, strengthen our operational resilience, and enhance the customer experience as we reinforce our position as a leading low-cost carrier.'Mr Edward Plaisted, Chief Executive Officer, Skytrax, said: 'We congratulate the Singapore Airlines Group on the major achievement of being named the World's Best Airline 2026 for Singapore Airlines, and the Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline for Scoot. 'These successes highlight the level of product and service excellence they are providing to customers and should be a source of great pride and motivation for the management and staff in the Group.' The top 10 airlines for 2026 Singapore AirlinesQatar AirwaysCathay Pacific AirwaysANA All Nippon AirwaysTurkish AirlinesEmiratesAir FranceHainan AirlinesJapan AirlinesKorean Airlines