The best first-class airlines
Daniel SLIM/AFP via Getty Images, Bloomberg/Getty Images
Skytrax conducted a passenger satisfaction survey to determine the best airlines to fly first class.
Air France was named the best airline to fly first class for its 38-square-foot La Première suite.
Airlines across the industry are adding more premium offerings to attract higher-paying customers.
As airlines across the industry bolster their premium offerings to attract higher-paying passengers , first-class amenities are only getting more luxurious.
In some first-class cabins, travelers can enjoy private suites with double beds and food by Michelin-starred chefs. Other airlines offer spacious pods with multiple seating options and headrests with built-in speakers.
Between September 2025 and August 2026, travelers from over 100 nationalities filled out an airline passenger satisfaction survey conducted by Skytrax, an aviation rating company , to determine the best airlines to fly first class.
Here are the winning first-class carriers in Skytrax’s 2026 World Airline Awards.
10. Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways’ Airbus A380 first class.
Bloomberg/Getty Images
Qatar Airways made the top 10 of Skytrax’s ranking with amenities such as an à la carte menu, Diptyque amenity kits, and loungewear from The White Company.
9. Qantas Airways
Qantas
First-class travelers on Qantas can enjoy perks like armchair seating with in-seat massages and a self-service bar and lounge.
8. ANA (All Nippon Airways)
First class on ANA All Nippon Airways.
David Slotnick/Business Insider
First class on ANA includes sliding doors, lie-flat seats, and lavish meals featuring items such as sashimi, wagyu beef, and miso soup.
7. Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 first-class.
JFK
First-class suites on Japan Airlines’ Airbus A350-1000s come with double beds, headrests with built-in speakers, wardrobes, and 43-inch TVs.
6. Swiss International Air Lines
A first-class suite on Swiss International Air Lines.
Swiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines’ first-class cabins include armchairs that transform into lie-flat beds, pajamas designed by Zimmerli of Switzerland, and Cuvée Louise Champagne from Maison Pommery.
5. Cathay Pacific Airways
A first-class cabin on Cathay Pacific.
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific’s first-class suites feature luxuries like 600-thread-count sheets, BOSE noise-canceling headphones, and an extensive wine selection.
4. Emirates
First class on Emirates.
Emirates
In addition to flying in private suites, first-class passengers on Emirates ‘ Airbus A380 fleet also have access to a shower and lounge.
3. Lufthansa
A first-class suite on Lufthansa.
Lufthansa
In a 2023 press release unveiling Lufthansa’s new first-class suites , Lufthansa Airlines CEO Jens Ritter said that the design “conveys the feeling of privacy and individuality similar to a hotel room.” Skytrax named Lufthansa the third-best airline to fly first-class.
2. Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380 first-class.
ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images
Singapore Airlines’ first-class suites are spacious enough for a bed plus a reclining chair, and two suites can be combined into a double for two people. It’s the runner-up in Skytrax’s ranking of the best first-class airlines.
1. Air France
Air France plans to unveil a new first-class cabin in late 2024.
STR/AFP via Getty Images
Skytrax named Air France , whose first-class cabins offer a nearly 38-square-foot La Première suite and food created by Michelin-starred chefs, the best airline for first-class travel.
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