World's Top 100 Airlines 2026 by Skytrax: How Southeast Asia Ranked
Singapore Airlines tops Skytrax's World's Top 100 Airlines 2026. See the top 10 and where Thai, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia & other SEA carriers ranked.
Singapore Airlines is once again the world's best airline. In the World's Top 100 Airlines 2026 ranking released by Skytrax as part of the World Airline Awards, the Singapore flag carrier climbed from second place to first, nudging last year's winner Qatar Airways into the runner-up spot.
It's a strong year for Asia overall, with seven of the top ten airlines based in the region. Closer to home, ten Southeast Asian carriers made the Top 100, with Thai Airways and Malaysia Airlines both posting notable gains.
The World's Top 10 Airlines 2026
| 2026 Rank | Airline | 2025 Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore Airlines | 2 | ▲ 1 |
| 2 | Qatar Airways | 1 | ▼ 1 |
| 3 | Cathay Pacific Airways | 3 | – |
| 4 | ANA All Nippon Airways | 5 | ▲ 1 |
| 5 | Turkish Airlines | 6 | ▲ 1 |
| 6 | Emirates | 4 | ▼ 2 |
| 7 | Air France | 8 | ▲ 1 |
| 8 | Hainan Airlines | 10 | ▲ 2 |
| 9 | Japan Airlines | 9 | – |
| 10 | Korean Air | 7 | ▼ 3 |
Top 10 Highlights
- Singapore Airlines reclaims the crown. After finishing second to Qatar Airways in 2025, SIA returns to No. 1.
- Asia dominates. Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Hainan Airlines, Japan Airlines and Korean Air, plus Qatar Airways from West Asia, give the continent seven of the top ten places.
- Movers. Hainan Airlines rises two places to 8th, while Korean Air drops three places to 10th and Emirates slips from 4th to 6th.
- Just outside the top 10. EVA Air (11th), Qantas (12th) and Taiwan's STARLUX Airlines, which jumped from 18th to 13th.
Southeast Asian Airlines in the World's Top 100 (2026)
| 2026 Rank | Airline | Country | 2025 Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore Airlines | Singapore | 2 | ▲ 1 |
| 20 | Thai Airways | Thailand | 29 | ▲ 9 |
| 21 | Malaysia Airlines | Malaysia | 27 | ▲ 6 |
| 26 | AirAsia | Malaysia | 28 | ▲ 2 |
| 28 | Scoot | Singapore | 30 | ▲ 2 |
| 29 | Bangkok Airways | Thailand | 31 | ▲ 2 |
| 55 | Vietnam Airlines | Vietnam | 56 | ▲ 1 |
| 66 | Garuda Indonesia | Indonesia | 46 | ▼ 20 |
| 93 | Royal Brunei Airlines | Brunei | 85 | ▼ 8 |
| 99 | Sun PhuQuoc Airways | Vietnam | 156 | ▲ 57 |
How Southeast Asia Performed
- Eight of ten SEA airlines moved up. Only Garuda Indonesia and Royal Brunei Airlines lost ground this year.
- Thai Airways is the region's biggest climber among the major carriers, jumping nine places to break into the global top 20.
- Malaysia Airlines rises six places to 21st, sitting just one spot behind Thai Airways.
- Low-cost carriers hold their own. AirAsia (26th) and Scoot (28th) both rank ahead of many full-service airlines from Europe and North America.
- A newcomer breaks in. Vietnam's Sun PhuQuoc Airways made the biggest leap in the region, from 156th to 99th, to enter the Top 100.
- Tough year for Garuda. Indonesia's flag carrier fell 20 places, from 46th to 66th.
- Who's missing? No airlines from the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar appear in this year's Top 100.
By Country
| Country | Airlines in Top 100 | Best Ranked |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 2 | Singapore Airlines (1) |
| Malaysia | 2 | Malaysia Airlines (21) |
| Thailand | 2 | Thai Airways (20) |
| Vietnam | 2 | Vietnam Airlines (55) |
| Indonesia | 1 | Garuda Indonesia (66) |
| Brunei | 1 | Royal Brunei Airlines (93) |
About the Skytrax Rankings
The Skytrax World Airline Awards are based on customer satisfaction surveys of airline passengers worldwide and are often described as the "Oscars of the aviation industry." The Top 100 list ranks airlines on the overall passenger experience, from check-in and seat comfort to cabin staff service and inflight food.
This article covers the top 10 and Southeast Asia's carriers only. For the complete ranking, see the World's Top 100 Airlines 2026 on the Skytrax World Airline Awards website.
Source: Skytrax World Airline Awards, World's Top 100 Airlines 2026.
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