Emirates and Delta Air Lines have kept their titles in Forbes Travel Guide’s Verified Air Travel Awards for 2026, the guide announced on Tuesday, Oct 20.

Emirates was named Best International Airline and Delta Best U.S. Airline, both for the third year in a row, according to a Forbes Travel Guide press release distributed by PR Newswire. The third edition of the awards covers 18 categories across airlines, airports, and private aviation.

Delta won six awards in total, the most of any carrier, the release said. These included Best U.S. First Class and Best Loyalty Program. Monacolife, which also reported the results, said Delta’s wins included its Delta One lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Singapore Changi Airport took the Best International Airport title, and New York’s LaGuardia was named Best U.S. Airport, the release said. Innovation of the Year went to Air New Zealand’s Skynest, which offers lie-flat beds to economy passengers.

The results came from an invitation-only survey of nearly 9,000 people in the hospitality industry, Forbes Travel Guide said. They included luxury travel advisers, leaders of its Star-Rated hotels, and its inspectors and executive trainers. The organisation said it validated the results. It stressed that the awards are separate from its Star Ratings, which are based on professional inspections, Monacolife reported.

“These winners have earned their recognition by consistently delivering exceptional experiences at every stage of the journey,” Forbes Travel Guide CEO Hermann Elger said.

The winners will be honoured at The Summit, the organisation’s annual gathering of luxury travel and hospitality professionals, in Monaco from Feb 23 to 26, 2027. Monacolife reported that a gala will take place at Sporting Monte-Carlo on Thursday, Feb 25.

The sources did not list the winners of all 18 categories or give details of the survey method beyond its size and the types of respondents. As the survey was limited to invited industry professionals, the results reflect their views and not those of passengers generally.

Sources: Forbes/PR Newswire/Monacolife