Emirates named best airline in the Middle East at 2026 APEX awards
Airline earns top recognition for comfort, service, dining, entertainment and connectivity
Dubai: Emirates has been named 'Best Overall Airline in the Middle East' at the 2026 APEX Best in Airline Awards, reinforcing its position as a leading global travel brand.
The award was announced at a ceremony in Dublin, Ireland, recognising the airline’s consistent delivery of high-quality customer experiences. The accolade is based on verified passenger feedback across five key areas: seat comfort, cabin service, food and beverage, entertainment, and connectivity.
High scores for seat comfort
Emirates received strong ratings for seat comfort across its Airbus A380, A350 and Boeing 777 fleets. Passengers highlighted spacious cabins, ergonomic seating and thoughtful design features that enhance comfort on long-haul flights.
The airline continues to upgrade its cabins through its retrofit programme. From October, Economy Class will feature new lightweight Safran Z400 seats with adjustable eight-way headrests.
Premium Economy offers cream leather seats with generous recline, leg and footrests, and personal entertainment screens. Business Class features lie-flat seats, privacy-focused design and enhanced amenities, while First Class offers fully enclosed private suites designed for maximum comfort and privacy.
Recognised for cabin service
Emirates was also acknowledged for its cabin service, with praise for its diverse crew representing more than 140 nationalities and speaking over 70 languages.
The airline’s service is guided by four core principles: excellence, attentiveness, innovation and passion. Cabin crew are trained to deliver personalised service and anticipate passenger needs through structured service flows and customer engagement.
Strong food and beverage offering
Dining remains a key element of the Emirates experience, with multi-course meals offered across all cabin classes. Menus feature global flavours, seasonal dishes and a wide range of beverages.
Premium Economy provides meals on Royal Doulton china with linen table settings, while Business Class offers gourmet menus paired with premium wines and champagne. First Class includes a dine-on-demand service with à la carte meals, premium ingredients and caviar.
Award-winning entertainment system
Emirates’ 'ice' inflight entertainment system continues to be a major highlight, offering more than 6,500 channels of content. This includes films, television, music, podcasts, live sport and educational programming.
The system features content partnerships with global platforms and provides a wide range of options for different passenger preferences.
Advanced connectivity
The airline’s connectivity offering, powered by its partnership with Starlink, was also recognised. The system delivers high-speed, low-latency internet, enabling streaming, browsing and remote work onboard.
The rollout is underway across the Boeing 777 fleet and Airbus A380 aircraft, with full implementation expected by mid-2027. The service is offered complimentary to passengers.
Industry recognition
The APEX Best in Airline Awards are based on passenger feedback collected through TripIt, with more than one million flights rated across over 600 airlines worldwide.
The recognition highlights Emirates’ continued focus on innovation, service excellence and enhancing the overall passenger experience across its global network.