ATLANTA, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Forbes Travel Guide (“FTG”)—the global authority on luxury hospitality—today announced the winners of its third annual Verified™ Air Travel Awards, recognizing exceptional experiences across airlines, airports and private aviation.

The 2026 awards honor winners in 18 categories. For the third consecutive year, Delta reclaimed its title as the Best U.S. Airline and Emirates as Best International Airline.  LaGuardia was named Best U.S. Airport, and Singapore Changi won Best International Airport. Innovation of the year went to Air New Zealand’s Skynest, which brought flat beds to economy passengers.

Among the honorees, Delta Air Lines the most awards (a total of six), including Best U.S. First Class and Best Loyalty Program. 

The Verified Air Travel Awards were determined by an invitation-only survey of nearly 9,000 of the most well-traveled people in the hospitality industry, including luxury travel advisors, leaders of FTG Star-Rated hotels and FTG’s jet-setting incognito inspectors and executive trainers. FTG, known for the integrity of its 68-year-old hospitality Star Ratings system, validated the results.

“The Verified Air Travel Awards reflect the experiences and opinions of some of the world’s most discerning travelers,” said Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide. “These winners have earned their recognition by consistently delivering exceptional experiences at every stage of the journey.”

Winners will be celebrated at The Summit in Monaco in February 2027, FTG’s annual event dedicated to luxury brands and luxury travel.

The complete list of winners is available on ForbesTravelGuide.com.

Editor’s Note: For clarity, the Verified Air Travel Awards are not Forbes Travel Guide Star Ratings. The Verified Air Travel Awards were decided via an invitation-only survey of highly qualified travelers. Forbes Travel Guide validated the results.

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About Forbes Travel Guide:
Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) is the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, cruise ships and cruise ship restaurants, helping travelers make informed decisions since 1958. Forbes Travel Guide’s Verified Air Travel Awards were introduced in 2024, based on an annual survey of luxury travel advisors, Star-Rated hotel leaders and FTG’s well-traveled inspectors and training experts. FTG validates the results of the survey. Learn more about FTG at ForbesTravelGuide.com. For more about The Summit, visit Summit.ForbesTravelGuide.com.

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SOURCE Forbes Travel Guide