Ten Five-Star Airlines According to Skytrax, All from Asia

Global the airline industry has once again been in the spotlight after Skytrax, the air transport rating organisation, released a list of five-star airlines. Interestingly, of the ten airlines awarded five-star status, none are from Europe or the United States. Citing Skytrax’s official site on Friday 22 May 2026, the five-star status is described as recognition of an airline’s service quality both at the airport and on board. Skytrax explains that the accolade is given to airlines that maintain high standards consistently across cabin crew service, seat comfort, cleanliness, in-flight entertainment, and passenger experiences at the airport.

‘The 5-Star Airline Rating is awarded to airlines that provide very high standards of airport product and in-flight services, as well as consistently outstanding staff service across the airport and on board,’ Skytrax states. Currently, Skytrax notes only ten airlines worldwide hold this status. Most are from Asia and the Middle East. Asian carriers have in recent years been aggressively raising service quality, both in economy and premium classes. Not only offering more comfortable seats and entertainment, they have also invested in the overall passenger experience. Singapore Airlines, for example, is widely known for its premium service on its Airbus A380. Qatar Airways has also drawn continued attention with its business class product ‘Qsuite’, which provides a private space with a door and premium lounge facilities at airports. Meanwhile, Korean Air has received recognition for its onboard service and its passenger loyalty programme. The South Korean carrier was even named ‘Airline of the Year 2025’ by AirlineRatings.com.