Don't ask where Turkish Airlines is: The best airlines in the world this year

The 2026 Skytrax ranking has named Singapore Airlines the world's best airline, dethroning Qatar Airways which fell to second place. Turkish Airlines ranked fifth. The ranking is based on a global passenger satisfaction survey of over 100 nationalities, conducted between September 2025 and August 2026.

The 2026 Skytrax ranking was revealed this week, with Singapore Airlines winning the title of the world's best airline, surpassing Qatar Airways, the outgoing title holder. This is the sixth time Singapore Airlines has won the title since the awards were launched in 1999. The ranking is based on a global passenger satisfaction survey of over 100 nationalities, conducted between September 2025 and August 2026, which examined more than 300 airlines. Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted congratulated Singapore Airlines on the achievement. Qatar Airways, which has won the title nine times in the past, settled for second place this time, but won major awards: the world's best airline in business class (for the 13th time) and the world's best in-flight Wi-Fi award. Turkish Airlines ranked fifth. The top ten also includes Cathay Pacific (third), Japan's ANA (fourth), Emirates (sixth), Air France (seventh), Hainan Airlines (eighth), Japan Airlines (ninth), and Korean Air (tenth). American airlines did not rank high: Delta Air Lines came in 26th and United Airlines in 45th.