EgyptAir has been named the World’s Most Improved Airline at the 2026 World Airline Awards, adding a major industry accolade as the Egyptian flag carrier moves ahead with a broad fleet renewal and international network expansion.
The airline took the top position in Skytrax’s 2026 Most Improved Airline ranking, ahead of Air India in second place, Royal Jordanian Airlines in third and American Airlines in fourth.
Skytrax assesses improvement across its awards program, taking into account changes in an airline’s global rating as well as performance across individual award categories.
The award follows a sustained rise in EgyptAir’s position in the global rankings. The carrier reached 46th place among the world’s top 100 airlines in 2026, climbing 22 positions from 68th in 2025.
A Three-Year Climb in the Rankings
The improvement becomes clearer when viewed over several years. EgyptAir was ranked 88th globally in 202. It then climbed 20 places to 68th in 2025 before advancing another 22 positions to No. 46 this year.
EgyptAir also collected several regional distinctions in the 2026 awards. The carrier was named the Most Improved Airline in Africa and ranked first for Best Cabin Crew in Africa, with its cabin crew placing 20th globally. It also took the top position in Africa’s economy-class category and finished second overall among African airlines.
The ranking gains have coincided with a wider effort to overhaul the state-owned carrier’s fleet and operations. Egypt’s Civil Aviation Minister Sameh El-Hefny said in April that the development program includes 34 new aircraft and is intended to bring EgyptAir’s fleet to 97 aircraft by the 2030/31 fiscal year.
New Aircraft Reshape the Fleet
A significant part of that renewal began in February, when EgyptAir received its first Airbus A350-900. Airbus confirmed the delivery on February 9, making EgyptAir the first operator of the aircraft type in North Africa.
The jet is the first of 16 A350-900s ordered by the carrier. EgyptAir increased its commitment to the aircraft in 2025 when it placed an order for six additional A350s, taking its total order to 16. The newly delivered aircraft is configured with 30 business-class suites and 310 economy-class seats.
The A350 is being introduced as EgyptAir develops longer-haul services from Cairo. Airbus said the aircraft would support new nonstop routes including destinations on the U.S. West Coast and in North Asia. Its range and capacity give the airline more flexibility on routes that would be difficult to serve efficiently with smaller narrow-body aircraft.
The A350 is only one element of the 2026 delivery schedule. EgyptAir Holding Company Chairman Ahmed Adel said at a February ceremony in Cairo that the airline expects to receive 12 new aircraft during 2026. Another 13 aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2027, with the broader modernization program calling for 34 additions by 2031.
EgyptAir Expands Its International Network
Fleet expansion is already feeding into EgyptAir’s route map. The airline began operating nonstop flights between Cairo and Los Angeles on May 23, opening a direct link between Egypt and the U.S. West Coast. The service operates three times a week using the A350-900.
Chicago followed as another U.S. expansion point, with EgyptAir launching three weekly flights between Cairo and Chicago O’Hare on June 21 using the Airbus A350-900. Together with Los Angeles, the route expands the carrier’s U.S. network and puts its new long-haul aircraft into service on key international connections.
Expansion has not been limited to North America. EgyptAir launched nonstop service between Cairo and Zanzibar in September, strengthening its African network. The State Information Service said the route operates twice weekly, on Fridays and Sundays. EgyptAir Holding Company Chairman Ahmed Adel described the service as part of plans to add more destinations across Africa.
The carrier is therefore entering the latest phase of its expansion with several pieces moving at the same time: a higher international ranking, new-generation wide-body aircraft and a growing long-haul network. The Skytrax award captures the improvement recognized by passengers across the organization’s survey and awards program, while the aircraft deliveries and new routes provide more tangible measures of how EgyptAir’s operations are changing.
