Key Notes
- Starlux leads Skytrax’s 2026 cleanliness ranking, followed by Singapore Airlines and ANA All Nippon Airways.
- The passenger survey assessed cabin and toilet cleanliness, with the awards announced on September 18.
- Starlux’s economy blankets use recycled PET and oyster-shell-derived yarn, while its A350-900 first class offers private suites and minibars.
Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines has taken the top spot in Skytrax’s 2026 ranking of the world’s cleanest airlines, ahead of Singapore Airlines and ANA All Nippon Airways. The award gives the young premium carrier a headline win in a category shaped by passengers’ experience of the cabin.
The results were announced on September 18 at the World Airline Awards in London. Starlux also received a five-star airline rating for the second consecutive year, adding to the recognition earned since it began flying in 2020.
What the Cleanliness Award Measures
Skytrax’s survey methodology includes cabin and toilet cleanliness among the onboard factors passengers assess. Its 2025–2026 survey ran from September 2025 to August 2026, covering more than 300 airlines and responses from over 100 nationalities.
Skytrax screens online entries to remove duplicate or ineligible responses. Its methodology also weights survey data to account for differences in airline size, using passenger numbers for the carriers included.
The top five in the official cleanliness ranking are:
- Starlux Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Hainan Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
Recycled Blankets and a Signature Fragrance
Starlux’s attention to cabin details extends beyond its premium seats. Its 2024 sustainability report says economy blankets use recycled PET-bottle material and oyster-shell-derived yarn. The report describes each blanket as incorporating material from 10 PET bottles and 3.5 grams of seawool.
The airline also uses a signature fragrance called Home in the Air. Its business-class page describes the scent in the cabin fragrance, hand wash and hot towels, making it part of the onboard service identity.
These are elements of the airline’s product design. Skytrax’s cleanliness award rests on passenger ratings, while recycled textiles and fragrance describe separate choices about materials and the cabin environment.
Inside the A350 First-Class Cabin
On its A350-900, Starlux offers four first-class suites with 60-inch door walls, according to its cabin announcement. The airline’s current first-class details describe a personal wardrobe, a private minibar and a fully reclining seat with a mode marketed as Zero Gravity.
That combination is specific to the first-class product. Starlux’s A350-900 layout also includes business, premium economy and economy cabins, so travelers comparing tickets should look at the aircraft and cabin offered on their particular flight.
The carrier launched services on January 23, 2020, with Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport as its main hub. Its rise to the top of the cleanliness ranking comes within six years of that first flight.
Singapore Airlines Takes the Overall Crown
Singapore Airlines finished second for cleanliness and won the overall World’s Best Airline award, as we covered in our awards report. It also topped the economy-class awards for the best airline in that cabin and the best economy-class onboard catering.
The results offer different ways to compare carriers: Starlux led the cleanliness category, while Singapore Airlines collected the overall and economy-service honours. For passengers, the category results add useful detail to the broader best-airline ranking.
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