Singapore Airlines named world’s best airline for 2026

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been crowned the world’s best airline for the sixth time in a row, winning the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards in London. The prestigious award follows the carrier’s victory in 2023. Qatar Airways secured second place, while Cathay Pacific Airways took third. All Nippon Airways and Turkish Airlines rounded out the top five.

SIA also claimed additional accolades, including the titles of world’s best economy class, world’s best economy class onboard catering, and the best airline in Asia. It ranked second in the world’s best cabin crew category. The airline’s group CEO, Goh Choon Phong, expressed gratitude to customers for their trust and support, attributing the award to the dedication and professionalism of SIA’s workforce.

SIA’s low-cost subsidiary, Scoot, was named best long-haul low-cost airline for the sixth consecutive year. Scoot also placed second in the world’s best low-cost airlines category, edging out Malaysia’s AirAsia and Spain’s Vueling Airlines. Scoot’s CEO, Leslie Thng, stated that the recognition validates the company’s commitment to providing comfortable, reliable, and seamless travel experiences.

The Skytrax World Airline Awards are based on a survey of over 24.8 million global travelers who rated more than 300 airlines from September 2025 to August 2026. Skytrax, the award’s organizer, describes it as the "Oscars of the aviation industry." Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted congratulated SIA and Scoot on their achievements, praising the group’s product and service excellence.

In 2025-2026, Singapore Airlines and Scoot carried a record total of 42.4 million passengers, a 7.7 percent increase compared to the previous year. However, the group reported a net loss of S$76 million in the first quarter of 2026. A significant contributor to this loss was the 78.5 percent increase in net fuel costs due to Middle Eastern turmoil and additional losses from Air India.

Supply chain constraints also caused SIA to delay the rollout of new first and business class seats on its Airbus A350s, pushing back the schedule to the first quarter of 2027, beyond the originally announced second quarter of 2026.