Ranked 3rd in 'Global Airlines' category
Ranked 3rd in 'Global Airport Lounges' category
Korean Air announced Wednesday that it has won two categories at the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, organized by luxury travel publication Condé Nast Traveler — placing third in both the "Global Airlines" and "Global Airport Lounges" categories.
Condé Nast Traveler is a luxury travel media brand based in New York and London, published across eight countries worldwide. Its Readers' Choice Awards, held annually since the magazine's founding in 1987, is one of the travel industry's most prominent honors, with hundreds of thousands of readers casting votes based on their own travel experiences. This year's results were announced Tuesday (local time) on the publication's official website.
In the "Global Airlines" category, Korean Air rose to third place after finishing seventh in both 2024 and 2025.
The airline's first-class lounge at Incheon International Airport also took third place in the "Global Airport Lounges" category. The lounge completed a renovation in April and now features an open hall and 11 private rooms. Upon arrival, customers are escorted to individual rooms where they can relax in a quiet, private setting. The central hall incorporates elements inspired by traditional Korean aesthetics, including wooden pillars and beams and ramie fabric.
"We are honored to have placed in the top rankings in two categories at such a meaningful awards ceremony, where hundreds of thousands of readers around the world vote directly," a Korean Air official said. "We will continue to deliver the finest service and differentiated travel experiences as we work to become the world's most beloved airline."
Korean Air has earned strong recognition at major global awards on the strength of its service quality. At the 2026 World Airline Awards organized by Skytrax in London, it ranked 10th overall in the "World's Best Airlines" category. The carrier also won six categories at the Cellars in the Sky Awards 2026 and five at the Wines on the Wing 2026.
Meanwhile, Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae recently received the "2026 Asia Aviation Executive of the Year" award from the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), earning recognition for his leadership within the global aviation industry.
CAPA presents the award annually to an executive who has contributed to airline growth and industry development.
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