Vehicles & Machines
The World's Best Business Class Airlines
The top 20 in Skytrax's 2026 World Airline Awards for business class, voted by travellers and announced in London on September 18, 2026. Qatar Airways is #1 again, and its Qsuite was also named the best business class seat.
Pictured: Trek Trendy's review of the Qatar Airways Qsuite. Qatar Airways is #1 in 2026.
Basis and caveats: Skytrax's World Airline Awards are based on its survey of airline customers, which ran from September 2025 to August 2026 for the 2026 awards. Skytrax publishes the business class ranking to 20th place. The 2025 column comes from Skytrax for the top three; places 4 to 20 come from reports at the time, because Skytrax has since replaced its 2025 pages. Those reports swap Cathay Pacific and ANA at #3 and #4, but Skytrax's own 2025 announcement put Cathay third, and that's what's shown. Finnair and Saudia, 19th and 20th in 2025, dropped out. "Flagship business class" is the airline's newest or best-known business seat and the aircraft that carries it. Older planes in the same fleet often have an older seat, so not every flight gets the one shown.[1][2][3]
The Top 10
#1
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways has topped this ranking in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Its Qsuite, launched in 2017, gives every business seat a sliding door, and the centre suites can be opened into a private space for four. In 2026 Skytrax also named the Qsuite the best business class seat, Qatar's Al Mourjan Garden lounge in Doha the best business class lounge, and Qatar the winner of its first award for onboard Wi-Fi. Trek Trendy has reviewed the Qsuite several times; this is his 24-hour trip.[1][4]
#2
Singapore Airlines
Second for a third straight year, and Skytrax's World's Best Airline for 2026. Singapore's A380 business class, introduced with its new Suites in 2017, has wide seats without doors, and the centre pairs can be made into a double bed. The airline's official video shows both cabins.[1][2]
#3
Cathay Pacific
Cathay's Aria Suite, its first business class seat with a door, made its debut in October 2024 on refitted Boeing 777-300ERs, which are being converted about one a month. Skytrax ranked it the third best business class seat of 2026. Cathay's Hong Kong lounge was also named best for first class. The video is Cathay's own tour of the refitted cabin.[1][5]
#4
ANA
ANA's THE Room, launched in 2019 on the Boeing 777-300ER, has sliding doors and seats about twice as wide as ANA's previous business class, arranged so neighbours alternately face forward and backward. Skytrax ranked it the second best business class seat of 2026. Trek Trendy reviewed it when it was new.[1]
#5
Hainan Airlines
Hainan is the only mainland Chinese airline in the business class top 20, up one place from 2025. Its Boeing 787-9s carry business seats in a 1-2-1 layout, so every seat has aisle access, and Skytrax gave Hainan its 2026 award for business class amenities. The video is travel creator Sam Chui's review.[1]
#6
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines rose three places and again won Skytrax's award for the best business class catering, a title it has won repeatedly. Its new Crystal Business Suite, with a door, was unveiled in 2024 and is being fitted to its Boeing 777s from 2025. Trek Trendy flew its older business class twice and wasn't impressed; the video is the airline's own film of the new suite.[1][6]
#7
STARLUX Airlines
Taiwan's STARLUX was founded in 2018 and started flying in 2020, which makes it the youngest airline in the top 20. Its Airbus A350-1000 business class has 40 seats with sliding doors, styled by BMW Designworks. Trek Trendy has flown STARLUX in first class.[1][7]
#8
Air France
Air France fell three places in business class in the year it won first class outright. Since January 2023 its refitted Boeing 777-300ERs have had a business suite with a sliding door. Trek Trendy's 2021 review shows the earlier seat, which still flies on older aircraft.[1][8]
#9
Japan Airlines
JAL's newest business class arrived with the Airbus A350-1000 in 2024 and has a door at every seat. Skytrax ranked it the sixth best business class seat of 2026. The video is JAL's own introduction to the aircraft.[1]
#10
EVA Air
EVA climbed back into the top 10 from 12th. Its business class, Royal Laurel, has a BMW Designworks seat on the Boeing 787 without doors; a new suite is being developed for its A350-1000s. Skytrax also ranked EVA third for business class amenities.[1]
For first class, see The World's Best First Class Airlines. Of the rest of the top 20, Trek Trendy has reviewed the business class of Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Lufthansa, Etihad, Iberia and British Airways.
Sources
- Skytrax, World's Best Business Class Airlines 2026 — worldairlineawards.com
- Skytrax, "Singapore Airlines named World's Best Airline at 2026 World Airline Awards" (September 18, 2026) — worldairlineawards.com; 2025 press release — worldairlineawards.com
- Skytrax, Top 10 Business Class Airlines 2024 — skytraxratings.com; List Magazine, 2025 business class ranking (June 20, 2025) — listmag.com
- Qatar Airways, Qsuite — qatarairways.com
- The Points Guy, Cathay Pacific Aria Suite — thepointsguy.com
- Turkish Airlines, Crystal Business Suite — youtube.com
- Executive Traveller, STARLUX A350-1000 — executivetraveller.com
- One Mile at a Time, Air France's new business class seat — onemileatatime.com
