Qatar Airways Won Best Business Class Award

The airline secured the top business class honor for the thirteenth time at the September 2026 Skytrax ceremony.

Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in Business Travel

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Qatar Airways secured the World's Best Business Class award at the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards, marking its thirteenth win. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Qatar Airways claimed the World's Best Business Class award at the Skytrax World Airline Awards held on September 18, 2026. The carrier also earned recognition for providing the World's Best Onboard Wi-Fi.

Why it matters

Securing these awards reinforces the carrier's reputation for premium cabin services and advanced connectivity in a competitive global market. These accolades highlight the airline's focus on passenger luxury and technological integration.

Qatar Airways operates three daily flights between Manchester Airport and Doha. The Airbus A350-1000 serves the route with 46 business class seats and 247 economy seats.

The players

Qatar Airways

This state-owned flag carrier of Qatar operates a fleet serving over 150 international destinations.

Skytrax

This United Kingdom-based consultancy conducts global airline and airport reviews and quality rankings.

The details

The airline's business class Qsuite features sliding wall panels and doors for enhanced privacy. Passengers in this cabin access over 4,000 entertainment options on touch screens, while the Starlink Wi-Fi system delivers connectivity speeds up to 500 Mbps.

Timeline

  1. The Skytrax World Airline Awards were held on September 18, 2026.

  2. The publication reviewed Cathay Pacific in August 2026.

Travel Outlook

The Skytrax World Airline Awards serve as a consistent annual benchmark for service quality across the global aviation industry. Qatar Airways maintained its position within the competitive framework established by these rankings.

Travelers seeking premium experiences can utilize these rankings to evaluate cabin features before booking long-haul flights. Those prioritizing connectivity should look for aircraft equipped with high-speed Starlink integration.

The takeaway

Travelers should verify specific aircraft configurations when booking to ensure access to preferred amenities like Qsuites. The awards underscore that cabin design and digital connectivity are now core metrics for evaluating luxury flight experiences.

Further reading

Explore more trends in Business Travel to understand global aviation service standards.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Manchester Evening News.

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