Singapore Airlines Tops Global Passenger Choice Awards for 2026

The 2026 Flyers' Choice Awards by AirlineRatings.com, based on passenger votes rather than expert opinions, named Singapore Airlines as the leading airline worldwide. Singapore Airlines won four categories: preferred economy class, best cabin crew service, top airline in Central and Southeast Asia, and the airline providing passengers the greatest sense of security and peace of mind. This last accolade highlights not only flight experience but also the trust passengers place in the airline. Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings.com, emphasized that passenger trust is built over time through consistency, reliability, and safety.

Australian carrier Qantas ranked second in the "peace of mind" category, followed by Etihad Airways from the UAE in third place. In the low-cost airline category, Vietnam's VietJet Air took first place, Malaysia's AirAsia was second, and EasyJet tied for third with Australia's Jetstar. European airlines struggled to secure top spots in major categories such as aircraft design, business class, premium class, economy class, and cabin crew service. Latvia's airBaltic, recently resumed flights to Israel, was the only European low-cost airline to make the extended "peace of mind" list, ranking sixth.

In Europe, British Airways, Lufthansa, and KLM were recognized as preferred airlines despite modest international rankings. In North America, Delta Air Lines led the rankings ahead of United and American Airlines. In Northeast Asia, Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong was named the top airline, followed by Japan Airlines and ANA, with Japan Airlines gaining attention for its new Aria Suite and upcoming Aria Studio business class offerings. In the Middle East, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways secured the top three positions. Notably, Israeli airlines were not mentioned in the passenger choice rankings.