Skytrax has added a new category to its World Airline Awards for 2026: best in-flight wifi. The verdict? Qatar Airways takes the crown, thanks in large part to its early adoption of Starlink, the satellite-based internet service that works across the globe rather than relying on patchy ground-based connectivity.

The rest of the top 10 is heavily American. Delta Air Lines comes second, followed by United, Alaska, jetBlue and Hawaiian in slots three through six. Singapore Airlines lands seventh, and then comes the only European carrier to make the cut: Virgin Atlantic. The UK airline announced in July 2025 that it was rolling out Starlink across its fleet, with full coverage expected by 2027. The clever bit: wifi is free for Flying Club members, and joining the loyalty programme costs nothing. EVA Air of Taiwan takes ninth, with Emirates rounding out the list.

For context, the wifi awards sit within Skytrax's broader World Airline Awards, which have been running since 1999 and are based on passenger satisfaction surveys rather than technical testing. In the overall ranking this year, Singapore Airlines was named the world's best airline, with Qatar Airways second and Cathay Pacific third. Turkish Airlines is the highest-ranked European carrier overall in fifth, with Air France seventh.

Why does this matter if you're booking a long-haul flight? Because the gap between good and bad wifi at 35,000 feet is enormous. Starlink-based systems, which several of these airlines now use, deliver speeds close to what you'd expect on the ground, enough for video calls and streaming. Older air-to-ground or satellite systems can struggle to load a webpage. If staying connected mid-flight matters to you, whether for work, keeping the kids entertained or just landing with your messages already caught up, it's worth choosing your airline with this in mind.

There's also a practical tip buried in the Virgin Atlantic entry: signing up for a free frequent flyer programme before you fly can get you free wifi, not just on Virgin but potentially with other carriers that offer similar member perks. And note the pattern in the rankings: airlines investing in Starlink are pulling ahead, while the debate about whether planes should be offline sanctuaries at all rumbles on. Either way, if you'd rather not pay for a service that buffers, the Skytrax list is a decent shortlist for your next booking.

Story via Euronews Travel.