London - Britain
Singapore Airlines topped the list of the best airlines in the world for the year 2026 in the Skytrax World Airline Awards, moving up from second place in 2025, while Qatar Airways came second, followed by Cathay Pacific third, Japan's ANA fourth, then Turkish Airlines fifth, and Emirates Airlines sixth.

A remarkable Arab presence

Arab airlines continued their strong presence in the global rankings; Saudi Airlines ranked 15th, Etihad Airways ranked 22nd, EgyptAir ranked 46th, and Flynas ranked 56th. At the Middle East level, Qatar Airways ranked first regionally, followed by Emirates, then Saudi Arabia, Etihad, and Flynas.

Qatar Airways excels in business

Qatar Airways not only ranked second in the world, but also won the title of best business class in the world. Qsuite also won the award for best business class seat, and the Al Mourjan Garden Lounge at Hamad International Airport won the award for best airline business class lounge. Qatar Airways also won the first award presented by Skytrax for the best Wi-Fi service on board.

The Emirates leads in air entertainment
For its part, Emirates Airlines won the award for the best in-flight entertainment system in the world for the year 2026, ahead of Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, in confirmation of the continued Gulf competition in the quality of the traveler’s experience, not only in the size of the networks.

Changi is the best airport in the world

In the Airport Awards, Singapore Changi Airport retained first place globally, followed by Seoul Incheon and Tokyo Haneda. In the Arab world, Dubai International came in 13th place, and Riyadh in 14th place after a jump from 24th place in 2025, while Bahrain Airport came in 20th place.

Awards draw a new map for competition

The results of “Skytrax 2026” reveal that the global competition is no longer focused on the title of “best airline” only, but rather extends to the details of the experience itself. From economy and business class to entertainment, communication and ground service. Singapore Airlines won the title of Best Airline and Best Economy Class, while Qatar Airways continued to excel in Business Class, at a time when the region's companies maintained a strong presence within the global and regional rankings. This reflects the transformation of quality from an additional element into a primary arena of competition between international carriers.