Travel + Leisure has published its World’s Best Awards 2026 results for the best international airlines, and Thai Airways International has made the global top 10. The ranking places the Thai national carrier tenth in the world, a result that reflects the airline’s ongoing recovery following years of business rehabilitation.
The survey behind the ranking drew more than 207,000 readers from around the world, who cast over 661,000 votes to select the best travel brands across multiple categories. Airlines were evaluated on cabin comfort, in-flight service, customer service and overall value.
Taiwan’s EVA Air claimed the top spot for the first time in the publication’s history, scoring 91.63 from the reader survey to beat Qatar Airways and Emirates into second and third place, respectively, as reported by Bangkok Post.
The full top 10
- EVA Air — Taiwan
- Qatar Airways — Qatar
- Emirates — United Arab Emirates
- La Compagnie — France
- Singapore Airlines — Singapore
- Japan Airlines (JAL) — Japan
- Korean Air — South Korea
- Virgin Atlantic Airways — United Kingdom
- Etihad Airways — United Arab Emirates
- Thai Airways International — Thailand
La Compagnie, the French boutique airline that operates all-business-class transatlantic flights, holds fourth place, ahead of Singapore Airlines in fifth.
What the result means for Thai Airways
Thai Airways chief executive Chai Eamsiri described the top-10 placement as a positive signal following the airline’s sustained rehabilitation programme. The carrier has spent recent years upgrading its fleet, improving in-flight service standards, developing its passenger lounges, revising its food and beverage menus and expanding its international route network.
The ranking reflects a measurable recovery in international passenger confidence toward the airline since it entered and subsequently completed its business reorganisation process.
Why EVA Air took the top spot
Travel + Leisure cited EVA Air’s high-quality business class service and extensive connections across Asia as the primary factors behind its first-ever number one ranking. The airline’s fourth-generation Premium Economy Class, introduced in 2025, also received strong feedback from passengers during the survey period.
Qatar Airways and Emirates, which consistently appear at the top of global airline rankings, held their positions in second and third place respectively, maintaining their standing as carriers with the broadest multi-continent network coverage.
Industry Analytics
Industry analysts note that this year’s rankings reflect a shift in how passengers weigh their choices. Price alone is no longer the deciding factor. Seat comfort, food quality, cabin crew service, in-flight entertainment and punctuality are increasingly the elements that determine which airline a traveller chooses, particularly for long-haul international routes where the hours spent onboard matter considerably more than on short domestic flights.
The full Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2026 results are published in the August 2026 issue of the magazine and available at travelandleisure.com.
The story Thai Airways breaks into the world’s top 10 airlines for 2026 as seen on Thaiger News.