Saudia named World Class Airline 2026 for the fifth time
Another historic milestone
Since its establishment in 1945, Saudia has been a key part of the Saudi Arabian economic landscape. Over the decades, it has grown its network and services, reflecting the Kingdom’s development and ambitions.
Fast forward to today, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia has once again cemented its position as a global leader in travel and aviation.
Saudia has been recognised as the World Class Airline 2026 by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) for the fifth consecutive year. This highlights the success of Saudia’s strategy, which focuses on enhancing the travel experience, increasing guest satisfaction across all service touchpoints, and maintaining the highest levels of operational safety across its network of more than 100 destinations spanning four continents.
That’s not all for Saudia, though. It was also awarded “Best in Class for Service-Guest Experience” for the second consecutive year.
This prestigious recognition is given to the airline achieving the highest global score in the Service-Guest Experience category, emphasising the consistency of Saudia’s guest experience transformation and the authenticity of Saudi hospitality that it shares with the world.
The APEX World Class award is considered the highest recognition of excellence in the airline industry. It is based on a thorough evaluation carried out by industry experts and supported by guest feedback, highlighting achievements in safety, sustainability, guest experience, and onboard dining.
Unlike traditional passenger-voted awards, this accolade goes beyond surface-level surveys. Only ten airlines worldwide achieved the distinction in 2026, demonstrating that world-class performance in aviation is both rare and hard-earned.
So, what’s in the pipeline for Saudia?
With a current fleet of 149 aircraft, the airline aims to add 116 new planes in the coming years as part of its growth strategy.
The company’s future plans also involve upgraded spacious seating, high-speed inflight internet with live streaming capability, and improvements to digital platforms and post-booking services driven by artificial intelligence, supporting the Kingdom’s National Aviation Strategy.
Images: Supplied / What’s On Archives
