Peek inside the world's best first, business and premium economy class cabins for 2026
Now this is how you want to travel.
The best first, business, and premium economy airline cabins have been revealed for 2026, at the AirlineRatings World's Best Airline Awards.
From lie-flat beds and wide-screen TVs to three-room apartments in the sky, here's what it's like at the pointy end of the plane.
Read through to see the winners.
Best First Class - Singapore Airlines
For the second year in a row, Singapore Airlines has taken out the top spot in the first class category.
These suites are available on select Airbus A380 aircraft, and are fully enclosed rooms featuring a separate bed and seat.
Per AirlineRatings.com, "Dining remains a standout feature, with passengers able to use 'Book the Cook', allowing passengers to pre-select from an extensive menu of gourmet dishes."
"Cabin crew complements the leading catering service with consistently outstanding service, elevating the journey from start to finish."
For couples, the partitions between suites can be lowered to create double beds in some of the suites.
Best first class runner up - Etihad Airways
Etihad tied in the runner-up position with Emirates.
Etihad's private suites on A380s have separate beds and armchairs, and guests can also book the exclusive 3-room "Residence."
READ MORE: An insider's guide to the world's only three-room suite in the sky
Best first class runner up - Emirates
Emirates also came in second place.
Along with their private suites, passengers have access to an on-board shower, exclusive bar area and seats with temperature controls and mood lighting.
Best Business Class - Cathay Pacific's Aria Suite
Cathay Pacific's Aria Suite, available on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, is "redefining luxury travel", per the awards.
The seat goes fully horizontal, and features a sliding door for ultimate privacy.
CEO Sharon Petersen said, "It's the real world, thoughtful touches like the automatically dimmable screen, lavatory availability map, wireless charging, and Bluetooth headphone connectivity that set the bar high."
Best Business Class Runner Up - Qatar Airways
Runners up for Best Business Class is another tie, between Qatar Airways and Lufthansa.
Often described as a "first class in business" experience, Qatar's Q-Suites are fully enclosed with sliding doors, lie-flat beds, 1-2-1 seating, and customizable, connected spaces (middle "quad" suites).
Best Business Class Runner Up - Lufthansa
Lufthansa's Allegris Suite also came in second place. The Business cabin features five distinct, personalised seat types with doors, privacy screens, and extra-long beds.
Each seat includes personal heating/cooling, Bluetooth connectivity, a 10-inch tablet controller, and shoulder sink-in technology.
Best Premium Economy- Qantas
Qantas and Emirates both took out the top spot in the Premium Economy cabin category, for the second year in a row.
"While several carriers offer strong premium economy products, Qantas and Emirates continue to lead across all areas," said AirlineRatings.com.
Read 9Travel's in-depth review of Qantas' Premium Economy.
