The airline has now collected more than 30 awards in the past 12 months
Some awards are nice to win once. Winning them six years in a row is a different story entirely.
Etihad Airways has once again been named Airline with the Best Cabin Crew at the 2026 Business Traveller Middle East Awards, marking an incredible sixth consecutive victory in the category.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline also picked up the award for Best Economy Class, proving that exceptional travel experiences aren’t reserved only for premium cabins.
The Business Traveller Middle East Awards are particularly meaningful because they’re decided by travellers themselves.
Frequent flyers vote based on their real experiences throughout the year, making these wins a direct reflection of what passengers actually think after stepping off an Etihad flight.
For Etihad’s cabin crew, the achievement highlights a service style rooted in Emirati hospitality, warm, attentive and genuinely personal.
This is the kind of consistency that can’t be created for a single awards campaign. It comes from thousands of interactions across hundreds of flights every day.
And these latest wins are just the beginning of a remarkable awards season.
Over the past few weeks alone, Etihad has collected an impressive haul of honours from across the aviation industry. The airline was named APEX Best Food & Beverage in the Middle East, recognising its continued investment in onboard dining.
Its premium grapes programme also received international recognition, with Silver awards for both Best Champagne in First Class and Best Red Wine in First Class at the prestigious Business Traveller Cellars in the Sky Awards.
Meanwhile, Etihad Cargo had its own moment in the spotlight, taking home Cargo Airline of the Year and Air Cargo Pharma Service of the Year at the Aviation Achievement Awards.
Innovation has also been a major theme of Etihad’s success story. At the MENA Stevie Awards, the airline earned two Gold Awards for its customer service innovations and global chauffeur programme, alongside a Silver Award for its AI-powered customer service transformation.
The broader picture is equally impressive. Over the last 12 months, Etihad has collected more than 30 awards from international and regional organisations.
Highlights include being named World’s Safest Full-Service Airline for 2026 by AirlineRatings, receiving Five Star Global Airline status from APEX, winning World’s Leading Airline Customer Experience, and being recognised for having the World’s Leading Airline Economy Class at the World Travel Awards.
The airline also secured top honours for its lounges, inflight entertainment, seat comfort and onboard catering, while earning a place among the world’s best airlines in rankings from Condé Nast Traveller and AirHelp.
For Etihad, the growing trophy cabinet tells a bigger story than individual wins. Recognition across customer service, safety, innovation, cargo operations, onboard dining and passenger experience demonstrates an airline performing strongly across every part of its business.
And if the past year is any indication, Etihad’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down.
For further information, visit etihad.com
