Turkish Airlines has been officially named Europe's Leading Airline for 2026 at the World Travel Awards, beating out easyJet and Ryanair. The carrier operates from six major UK airports and offers routes to destinations worldwide.
Recognition and Routes
The airline famously "flies to more countries than any other airline" and operates from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Manchester. International routes from London Heathrow include Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore, and Sydney, while Birmingham services link to Antalya, Istanbul, Hanoi, Phuket, and Tiranë, with additional routes from Edinburgh and Manchester.
Turkish Airlines also secured Europe's Leading Airline Brand and Europe's Leading Airline Lounge awards at this year's ceremony, specifically for its international lounge in Istanbul.
Passenger Numbers and Nominations
Last month, Turkish Airlines carried 9 million passengers, with 86.6% on international flights and 88.2% on domestic routes. According to its January to September 2026 traffic results, total passengers rose by 5.2% to 73 million compared with the same period in 2025.
Nine other airlines were nominated for Europe's Leading Airline 2026, including Air France, British Airways, Iberia, Icelandair, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, and TAP Air Portugal. Turkish Airlines has also been nominated for World's Leading Airline 2026, with voting open and results pending.
