World’s best airlines 2026: Singapore Airlines tops list; where do Air India, IndiGo rank?

Singapore Airlines has been named the world’s best airline for 2026, according to Skytrax’s annual World Airline Awards. Qatar Airways, which topped the previous ranking, came second, while Cathay Pacific retained the third position.

Air India ranked 57th globally, improving from 84th in 2025. IndiGo, however, fell to 61st from 39th last year. The rankings are based on passenger feedback collected across more than 300 airlines between September 2025 and August 2026.

Top 10 airlines in the world

Rank	Airline
1	Singapore Airlines
2	Qatar Airways
3	Cathay Pacific
4	ANA All Nippon Airways
5	Turkish Airlines
6	Emirates
7	Air France
8	Hainan Airlines
9	Japan Airlines
10	Korean Air

Singapore Airlines moved up from second place in 2025 to claim the top position. Qatar Airways slipped to second, while Cathay Pacific remained at number three.


ANA rose from fifth to fourth, and Turkish Airlines moved up one place to fifth. Emirates fell from fourth to sixth. Air France, Hainan Airlines, Japan Airlines and Korean Air completed the top 10.

How Indian airlines performed

Air India was the highest-ranked Indian airline in the global list. It stood at 57th place, a 27-place improvement from its 2025 position.

IndiGo was ranked 61st, down 22 places from last year. Despite its lower global position, IndiGo remained the second-highest Indian carrier in the ranking.

Skytrax’s regional ranking placed Air India first among airlines in India and South Asia. IndiGo was second, followed by Akasa Air, Air India Express, SriLankan Airlines and SpiceJet.

India and South Asia ranking

1. Air India
2. IndiGo
3. Akasa Air
4. Air India Express
5. SriLankan Airlines
6. SpiceJet
7. Beond
8. Biman Bangladesh Airlines
9. Pakistan International Airlines
10. Maldivian

The regional ranking means Air India leads the India and South Asia category, but its global position remains outside the top 50. IndiGo also appears in the global top 100, while Akasa Air, Air India Express and SpiceJet do not have a separate position in the global list.

How Skytrax prepares the ranking

The World Airline Awards are based on an international passenger survey. Skytrax said the 2026 survey ran from September 2025 to August 2026 and included more than 300 airlines.

Passengers rated airlines on areas including cabin service, airport service, seat comfort, cleanliness, meals, entertainment, Wi-Fi and value for money. The survey received participation from customers of more than 100 nationalities. Skytrax said the results were screened to remove duplicate or ineligible entries.

The ranking reflects passenger preferences and satisfaction, rather than an assessment based only on an airline’s fleet size, financial performance or punctuality.