Air Canada has done it again. The Montreal-based carrier has taken home the Best Airline in North America title at the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards, its second consecutive win and its tenth time claiming the top North American spot since 2010. For travellers weighing up which carrier to book across the Atlantic or across the continent, that's a meaningful signal.
The Skytrax awards aren't handed out by a panel of industry insiders — they come from a huge global passenger survey, with this year's results drawn from responses collected between September 2025 and August 2026. More than 300 airlines featured and travellers from over 100 nationalities voted. That makes the win a genuine passenger-driven endorsement rather than a marketing exercise.
What makes Air Canada's result stand out is how far ahead of its US rivals it finished. It beat Delta Air Lines, the top-ranked American carrier, and it's currently the only North American airline inside the global top 20, climbing two places to No. 17 in the World's Top 100 Airlines. The airline didn't stop there: it also picked up Best Cabin Crew in Canada and Best Economy Class Onboard Catering in North America — the latter a nod to the fact that even in the back rows, the food is worth looking forward to.
Its home base racked up silverware too. Toronto Pearson International Airport, despite a reputation some travellers find stressful, won awards for North America's Best Business Class Lounge, Best Business Class Lounge Catering, and Best Airport Staff. Air Canada's Signature Suite at Pearson, open to premium passengers departing on qualifying flights, holds a 4.5-star Google rating from nearly 1,000 reviews, with flyers highlighting the à la carte dining, extensive drinks menu, and calm pre-flight setting. A similar lounge experience is available at Vancouver International Airport, itself previously ranked North America's number one airport.
Behind the awards, Air Canada has been quietly upgrading the onboard experience — refreshed seating, better catering, improved in-flight entertainment, and a redesigned cabin on its new Airbus 321XLRs, the narrow-body jets built for long-haul routes. Recognised by Skytrax as a four-star airline, it serves more than 180 destinations worldwide, so there's a decent chance these improvements touch a route you'd actually fly.
Why does this matter for holidaymakers? If you're planning a trip to Canada, a transatlantic hop, or a North American itinerary with connections through Toronto or Vancouver, Air Canada now offers arguably the strongest overall product on the continent — from economy catering to premium lounges. Frequent flyers might also read the win as reassurance that service standards are consistent enough to satisfy thousands of independent voters over a full year of travel. The award runs on customer votes, so choosing the winner means booking the airline passengers themselves rated highest. Mark Nasr, Air Canada's Chief Operations Officer, dedicated the win to the airline's roughly 40,000 staff worldwide — a reminder that in aviation, the crew often makes the difference between a forgettable flight and a pleasant one.
Story sourced from Islands.
