This British airline has just been crowned the best in Europe

We all know the saying ‘it’s not the destination, it’s the journey’. Well, whether you consider the phrase a personal mantra or (more likely) you’re currently cringing at your screen, the adage is definitely true of one industry in particular. The purpose of an airline might be to get you from A to B, but when it comes to making the voyage itself an enjoyable experience, they’re not all created equal. 

If you’re wondering which carriers lie on the positive end of that spectrum, you’re in the right place.

Each year, global non-profit Apex (The Airline Passenger Experience Association) hosts a bunch of awards to crown the top airlines around the world. Now, the Apex Best Awards, launched to recognise the best regional providers across factors like seat comfort, cabin service, food and beverage, entertainment and Wi-Fi, have crowned their winners for 2026, and one British airline outshone the rest in Europe.

Virgin Atlantic was named the Best Overall Airline in Europe for 2026. The airline, which is 42 years old this year, recently became the first British carrier to launch direct flights from London Heathrow to Seoul in South Korea. It will also be adding direct flights to Phuket, Thailand from October.

As for the other winners in Europe, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from the Netherlands received the Best Cabin Service award, Finnair won for seat comfort and airBaltic was crowned the Wi-Fi winner. Turkish Airlines secured the glory for two categories – Best Food & Beverage and Best Entertainment.

Sadly, no European airlines nabbed a prize in any of the global awards across the same categories. Apex bases all of its awards on passenger ratings.

You can check out all the award winners at the Apex website here.

Did you see that ferries from the UK to Europe are getting fancy new ‘sleeper lounges’?

Plus: what does the EU’s new free hand luggage rule mean for UK travellers?