The passengers’ choice awards for the world’s best airlines to be unveiled

The world’s best airlines for 2026 are to be announced in the upcoming Passengers’ Choice Awards, taking place at the World Airline Awards at The Langham, London on the 18th September 2026. This year marks the 27th year for these major airline awards.

The event is hosted by Skytrax, the international air transport rating organisation, and the Awards are based on the annual, global international airline customer survey covering millions of travellers. The World Airline Awards are widely recognised as “the oscars of the aviation industry”.

The customer survey was operated from September 2025 to August 2026, and more than 100 customer nationalities participated. Every survey entry was screened to identify IP, user information etc, and all duplicate, suspect and ineligible entries were deleted. The customer survey was offered in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, and over 300 airlines are featured in the 2026 World Airline Awards results.

Edward Plaisted of Skytrax commented: “the World Airline Awards were introduced by us in 1999 to provide an airline customer satisfaction study that is truly global, and a project that has remained totally independent and impartial. To ensure the credibility and independence, Skytrax pay all costs of the Survey and for the entire Awards event, with no outside sponsorship. There is no survey entry or registration fee, and the World Airline Awards event has always remained free for all airlines to attend. Associated with this, there are no charges or royalty payments for use of the World Airline Awards logos and results. This year, we are looking forward to welcoming many major airline CEO’s, Chairmen, Presidents and Top-level management already confirmed to attend the awards event in London.”

As well as the first year of the World Airline Awards, 1999 saw the launch of the Euro currency, it was the year of Y2K when businesses and governments were panicking to fix computer software before the year 2000 arrived, and it was also the year when British Airways launched the first full-flat business class bed / seat in their Club World cabin.

Photo: British Airways

Over 80 awards will be presented at the 2026 event, including:

• The World’s Best Airline / Airline of the Year 2026
• The World’s Top 100 Airline Ranking 2026
• The World’s Best Airline Cabin Staff
• The World’s Best Airport Lounge Group
• The World’s Best Airline Alliance
• The World’s Best Inflight Entertainment
• The World’s Best Onboard WiFi
• The World’s Best Airline First Class
• The World’s Best Airline Business Class
• The World’s Best Airline Premium Economy Class
• The World’s Best Airline Economy Class
• The World’s Best Low-Cost Airline
• The World’s Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline
• The World’s Best Regional Airline
• The World’s Best Leisure Airline
• The World’s Most Improved Airline
• The World’s Most Family Friendly Airline
• The World’s Best Airport Services
• The World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge
• The World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge
• The World’s Best Frequent Flyer Airline Lounge
• The World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge
• The World’s Best First Class Seat
• The World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat
• The World’s Best Premium Economy Class AirlineSeat
• The World’s Best Economy Class AirlineSeat
• The World’s Best Onboard WiFi Service
• The World’s Best First Class Airline Onboard Catering
• The World’s Best Business Airline Class Onboard Catering
• The World’s Best Premium Airline Economy Class Onboard Catering
• The World’s Best Economy AirlineClass Onboard Catering
• The World’s Best Airline Buy-Onboard Catering
• The World’s Best First Class Airline Amenity Kits
• The World’s Best Business Class Airline Amenity Kits
• The World’s Best Premium Class Airline Amenity Kits
• The World’s Best Economy Class AirlineAmenity Kits
• The World’s Best Airlines by region – Africa, Asia, Australia/Pacific, China, Europe, Middle East, Central Asia & CIS, North America, South America, Central America/Caribbean, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe
• The World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines by region – Africa, Asia, Europe, China, Middle East, India & South Asia, Central Asia & CIS, North America, South America, Australia/Pacific
• The World’s Best Regional Airlines by region – Africa, Australia/Pacific, Asia, Central Asia & CIS, Europe, India & South Asia, Middle East, North America, South America, China, Central America/Caribbean
• The World’s Best Airline Staff by region – Africa, Australia/Pacific, Asia, Central Asia & CIS, Europe, India & South Asia, Middle East, North America, South America, China, Central America/Caribbean

For information about attending the World Airline Awards event in London on the 18th September, please Contact us.