The aviation industry celebrated its highest achievers at the 2025 Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX)/International Flight Services Association (IFSA) Awards Ceremony, where Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith received the APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award. In receiving these honors, Smith became only the seventh aviation leader to do so in the organization’s five-decade history.
Nine airlines achieved APEX World Class designation, representing the highest tier of excellence in safety, sustainability, service and inclusiveness. ANA, Emirates, KLM, Japan Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Xiamen Airlines received this distinction following an intensive audit process.
In the passenger-voted categories, Qatar Airways won both Best Food and Beverage and Best Seat Comfort. Other major winners included Delta Air Lines for Best Wi-Fi, Singapore Airlines for Best Entertainment and Xiamen Airlines for Best Cabin Service. Virgin Atlantic was named the Best Overall Airline in Europe.
This year, the ceremony introduced a new category: the APEX World Class Lounge Awards. Japan Airlines secured two spots with its First Class Lounges at Haneda and Narita airports in Tokyo, while Oman Air’s Business Lounge at Muscat International Airport and The Pearl Lounge at Bahrain International Airport also received recognition.
In the innovation categories, JSX won for Best Inflight Connectivity, while Lufthansa took home the award for Best Inflight Entertainment. Qatar Airways added to its honors with the Innovation Award for Best Cabin. Delta Air Lines, in partnership with Formia, won Best Onboard Amenity, and Virgin Atlantic was recognized for Best Inflight Food or Beverage.
The awards were based on a combination of passenger feedback through TripIt, the travel management app, and professional audits. APEX tightened its criteria for airline ratings this year, limiting Five-Star designation to the top 40 airlines globally and Four-Star status to the next 50 airlines.
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