Aegean Airlines named Europe’s best regional airline for 15th consecutive year
Aegean Airlines has been named “Best Regional Airline in Europe” at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2026, marking the 15th consecutive year and 16th time overall the carrier has received the title during its 27 years of operation.
The award, presented by the internationally recognized airline evaluation organization Skytrax, is based on the results of the world’s largest passenger satisfaction survey, with winners selected exclusively by travelers. The awards are widely regarded as a benchmark for excellence in the aviation industry and are sometimes described as the “Oscars of aviation.”
According to the announcement, Aegean also retained fourth place in the global ranking for “Best Regional Airline in the World” for another year, confirming its continued standing among the top regional carriers worldwide.
The award ceremony took place at a special event in London at The Langham Hotel, where Aegean executives and crew members accepted the honor on behalf of the company.
Company response
Michalis Kouveliotis, Deputy CEO of Aegean, said the recognition was a source of pride for the company. “It is a particular joy and honor for Aegean to be recognized once again as the ‘Best Regional Airline in Europe,'” he said. “This distinction is even more significant as it rewards the continuous effort and dedication of all our people in a particularly demanding and constantly changing environment. At the same time, it is a tangible acknowledgment of the trust of the traveling public, which has chosen us for 27 years to travel with comfort, safety and quality.”
Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, said Aegean’s 16th selection as Europe’s best regional airline — a record number — represents significant recognition of passengers’ trust in and appreciation for the quality of its services. He said the repeated distinction confirms Aegean’s consistent commitment to providing passengers with an excellent travel experience, high service standards and consistency on every journey.
The recognition follows a period of steady passenger growth for airports serving Crete, including rising passenger traffic at Heraklion airport and record eight-month figures across Chania airport, which has surpassed 3.1 million passengers in 2026.
