Africa’s top airlines have been named in the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards.
Ethiopian Airlines took the top position among African carriers.
EgyptAir ranked second, while Air Mauritius came third.
The ranking comes from Skytrax and was highlighted in a report by Business Insider Africa.
The awards are based on a global passenger survey.
Passengers from more than 100 nationalities took part in the survey between September 2025 and August 2026.
Here are the top 10 airlines in Africa in 2026.
1. Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines ranked as the best airline in Africa.
The airline is based in Addis Ababa and operates a large international network.
It connects African cities with destinations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.
The carrier also operates one of Africa’s largest aircraft fleets.
2. EgyptAir
EgyptAir took second place in the African ranking.
The Egyptian flag carrier operates from its main hub in Cairo.
Its network connects Egypt with destinations across Africa and several other regions.
These include Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.
3. Air Mauritius
Air Mauritius ranked third.
The airline connects Mauritius with destinations in Africa and other international markets.
It also uses partnerships with other airlines to offer connections to more destinations.
4. Royal Air Maroc
Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc took fourth place.
The airline operates from Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport.
Its network includes destinations across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.
As a result, Casablanca serves as an important connection point for many international passengers.
5. RwandAir
RwandAir ranked fifth.
The airline operates from Kigali and connects Rwanda with cities across Africa and beyond.
Its international network includes destinations in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
RwandAir has also continued to expand its regional connections.
6. South African Airways
South African Airways took sixth place.
The carrier operates mainly from Johannesburg and Cape Town.
It connects South Africa with several destinations across the continent.
The airline also serves selected international markets.
7. Kenya Airways
Kenya Airways ranked seventh.
Nairobi serves as the airline’s main hub.
The carrier operates passenger and cargo flights across Africa and other international markets.
Its network includes destinations in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America.
8. FlySafair
South Africa’s FlySafair took eighth place.
The low-cost airline operates a large domestic network.
It connects cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
The airline has also expanded into regional African markets.
9. Fastjet
Fastjet ranked ninth.
The low-cost carrier focuses mainly on Southern Africa.
It operates important routes linking Zimbabwe with South Africa and other regional destinations.
Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls are among the cities in its network.
10. LIFT
South African airline LIFT completed the top 10.
The carrier focuses mainly on domestic flights.
Its network includes Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
LIFT operates frequent services between these major South African cities.
African airlines expand their networks
African airlines continue to connect major cities across the continent and beyond.
However, the sector still faces several challenges.
These include high operating costs, infrastructure gaps and limited direct connections between some African cities.
Globally, Singapore Airlines took first place in the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards.
More than 325 airlines were included in the passenger survey.