How Emirates won ‘Best Overall Airline in the Middle East’ at 2026 APEX Awards
Passenger ratings place Dubai carrier ahead of regional rivals
DUBAI – Emirates has added another major accolade to its growing list of international honours after being named ‘Best Overall Airline in the Middle East’ at the 2026 APEX Best in Airline Awards, reinforcing its position among the world’s most recognised aviation brands.
The award was announced during a ceremony in Dublin, Ireland, where the Dubai-based carrier was recognised for delivering a consistently high-quality passenger experience. The distinction is based on verified traveller feedback and reflects strong customer satisfaction across five core pillars: seat comfort, cabin service, food and beverage, entertainment and connectivity.
The latest recognition comes as Emirates continues to invest heavily in fleet modernisation, customer experience and digital innovation across its global network.
Seat comfort
Passenger comfort remains one of the defining features of the Emirates travel experience. Across its Airbus A380, Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 fleets, the airline has focused on creating cabins that provide generous personal space, ergonomic seating and a quieter onboard environment for long-haul travel.
The carrier’s extensive retrofit programme continues to introduce upgraded interiors and next-generation seating throughout the fleet. From October, Economy Class customers will begin seeing new lightweight Safran Z400 seats designed to improve comfort during extended journeys. The seats include adjustable eight-way headrests intended to provide enhanced neck and head support.
Premium Economy, one of Emirates’ fastest-growing products, continues to receive strong passenger reviews. The cabin features cream leather seats with deep recline, generous legroom, footrests and six-way adjustable headrests. Additional features include in-seat charging, side cocktail tables and 13.3-inch entertainment screens.
Business Class customers are increasingly experiencing Emirates’ latest generation seats inspired by Safran’s S Lounge design, first introduced on the Airbus A350. The seats transform into fully flat beds and offer wireless charging, personalised lighting controls, enhanced storage space, minibar features and multiple charging points.
At the top end of the aircraft, Emirates First Class remains one of the airline industry's most premium products. Fully enclosed suites offer electronically controlled doors, personal climate controls and mood lighting. Passengers can also convert their seats into lie-flat beds or use the airline’s signature ‘zero gravity’ position designed to maximise comfort during rest periods.
Cabin service
The airline’s customer service culture was another area highlighted through passenger feedback.
Emirates’ cabin crew represent more than 140 nationalities and collectively speak over 70 languages, enabling the carrier to serve a diverse international customer base across six continents. The airline’s hospitality approach centres on four key principles: excellence, attentiveness, innovation and passion.
Behind the scenes, crew members undergo extensive training programmes influenced by global hospitality standards, including service techniques associated with Michelin-starred dining environments. The objective is to equip staff with both technical expertise and interpersonal skills that allow them to anticipate passenger needs throughout a journey.
Customers regularly highlight the airline’s carefully coordinated service delivery. From meal timings and cabin lighting transitions to proactive comfort checks and personalised interactions, Emirates aims to create a seamless experience from boarding to arrival.
The approach has become a significant differentiator as airlines increasingly compete not only on routes and fares but also on the overall quality of customer engagement.
Dining excellence
Food and beverage offerings remain one of the most frequently discussed aspects of the Emirates experience.
The airline serves multi-course meals across all cabin classes, combining international culinary influences with destination-inspired flavours. Complimentary beverages include juices, soft drinks, tea, coffee and alcoholic drinks, while dedicated meal options are available for children, infants and passengers with specific dietary requirements.
Customers can select from a broad range of special meals tailored to medical, cultural and lifestyle preferences, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and low-sodium options. Emirates also introduces seasonal dishes and celebratory menus throughout the year to coincide with major global occasions such as Eid, Christmas, Diwali and Lunar New Year.
Premium Economy customers receive meals presented on Royal Doulton china accompanied by stainless-steel cutlery and linen tablecloths. The cabin’s beverage programme includes wines, beers, spirits and the exclusive Chandon sparkling wine.
Business Class travellers enjoy regionally inspired gourmet menus paired with an extensive selection of premium beverages. Emirates has also strengthened its partnership with Moët & Chandon, allowing customers to enjoy specially paired dishes and champagne selections during flight.
First Class passengers continue to benefit from the airline’s signature dine-on-demand concept, allowing meals to be served whenever customers choose. The experience includes unlimited caviar, premium seasonal ingredients and a comprehensive à la carte menu.
The carrier’s beverage portfolio remains one of the most extensive in commercial aviation. Emirates is the only airline serving Dom Pérignon in First Class across its entire global network, alongside a curated selection of premium wines and spirits sourced from leading wine-producing regions around the world.
Entertainment edge
Entertainment was another category where Emirates received particularly strong passenger ratings.
Its award-winning ice inflight entertainment platform offers more than 6,500 channels of content, making it one of the largest entertainment libraries available in commercial aviation.
Passengers have access to nearly 3,000 films, 3,000 music albums, more than 600 television channels and box sets, over 200 documentaries and a broad selection of children’s programming.
The platform continues to expand through partnerships with major content providers including HBO Max, Disney+, Paramount+, Discovery+, BBC, Bloomberg Originals, Shahid and Spotify. The content catalogue spans blockbuster films, acclaimed television series, documentaries, podcasts, educational programming and music collections from around the world.
Beyond traditional entertainment, travellers can also access language-learning programmes, interactive games, live news channels and live sports coverage during selected flights.
For many passengers, ice has become one of the airline’s most recognisable products and remains a key factor influencing repeat travel decisions.
Connected skies
The fifth pillar underpinning Emirates’ APEX success is onboard connectivity.
As passenger expectations continue to evolve, reliable internet access has become increasingly important for both leisure and business travellers. Emirates has responded by accelerating the rollout of Starlink technology across its fleet.
The partnership, announced in November 2025, will eventually see Starlink installed on all in-service Emirates aircraft, with completion targeted for mid-2027.
The next-generation system provides high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity that allows passengers to stream content, participate in video calls, browse websites, work remotely and access social media platforms while airborne.
Deployment has progressed rapidly. Emirates reports that 33 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft have already been fitted with the technology, while the first three Airbus A380 aircraft equipped with Starlink have entered service.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers have already travelled on Starlink-enabled flights, experiencing internet speeds and reliability levels that more closely resemble ground-based connections than traditional inflight Wi-Fi systems.
The investment forms part of Emirates’ wider strategy to strengthen digital services while improving convenience for travellers throughout every stage of their journey.
APEX Awards
The APEX Best in Airline Awards are based on independently verified passenger feedback collected through APEX’s partnership with TripIt from Concur, one of the world's most widely used travel-planning applications. For the 2026 awards programme, travellers rated more than one million flights across over 600 airlines worldwide using a five-star scoring system, with Emirates emerging as the highest-rated overall airline in the Middle East.