Turkish Airlines just won the title of Europe’s Best Airline for the 11th time. The airline received eight awards at the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards, including trophies for World’s Best Business Class Catering and Best Airline in Southern Europe.
People in the travel industry often call these awards the “Oscars of Aviation.” Organizers held this year’s ceremony in London on September 18. Skytrax has been organizing these awards every year since 1999. These award are considered one of the most respected awards in the airline industry.
The rankings are based on the opinions of real passengers instead of airline industry experts. Skytrax surveyed customers about more than 300 airlines from around the world before announcing this year’s results.
Singapore Airlines ranked first overall in this year’s global rankings. Qatar Airways took second place, while Cathay Pacific ranked third and Japan’s All Nippon Airways came fourth. Turkish Airlines ranked on fifth place among airlines worldwide.
Turkish Airlines has also won the title of World’s Best Business Class Catering award for the 10th time and Best Airline in Southern Europe for the 13th time. Along with these awards, Turkish Airlines won five more awards in different economy and business class categories for Europe and Southern Europe. This gave the airline a total of eight awards.
Murat Seker, chairman of the board at Turkish Airlines said winning Europe’s Best Airline for the 11th time, plus leading in two other categories made the whole airline very proud. He explained that the results show real international recognition of the airline’s service covering everything from the overall passenger experience to the quality of food served onboard.
He also said “We thank all our colleagues who contributed to this success and our guests who trust us”. He added that Turkish Airlines plans to keep representing its country proudly in the airline industry and stay among the brands helping shape the future of global aviation.
Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted also congratulated Turkish Airlines on its strong showing this year. He specifically pointed to the airline’s European win, its fifth-place global ranking, and its award for business class catering. Plaisted appreciated the airline’s partnership with catering company DO&CO for continuing to set high standards across the whole industry.
Plaisted added that Turkish Airlines keeps offering passengers a full, well-rounded travel experience built on strong service and genuine hospitality throughout every flight.
Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline in the world, and its network reaches all six inhabited continents. Guinness World Records has officially recognized the airline’s wide global network. Turkish Airlines said it will continue to promote Turkish hospitality around the world while focusing on sustainability, new technology, and new ideas in the aviation industry.
This year’s results also showed strong competition among European airlines. Only six European carriers made it into the global top 20, showing just how competitive the rankings have become.
