- Mr Plane Guy
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
The Best Long-Haul Airlines for 2026, TUI Was Not on My Bingo Card!
By Mr Plane Guy, Travel Blogger & Flight Expert
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It helps fund the blog (and my airport Pret addiction).
When you think of the best long-haul airlines for 2026, names like Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates probably spring to mind.
TUI? Probably not.
Yet according to new passenger and performance data analysed by MoneySuperMarket, the UK holiday airline TUI has quietly beaten several full-service global carriers, a result that made me stop, blink, and double-check the numbers.
This ranking looks at the airlines that actually deliver when you’re trapped in a metal tube for 10–14 hours. Not hype. Not branding. Just comfort, service, reliability and value for money. If you’d like to read my full Plane Honest flight reviews, you’ll find them here.
How the Best Long-Haul Airlines Were Ranked for 2026
MoneySuperMarket analysed 19 popular long-haul airlines, using passenger and performance data from Skytrax, Which? and Trustpilot.
Each airline was scored out of 50, based on:
Value for money
In-flight experience
Customer ratings
Staff service
Reliability
Seating
Entertainment
Food and drink
In short: not just whether the plane showed up on time, but whether you enjoyed being on it.
Best Long-Haul Airline for 2026 (Overall Winner)
Singapore Airlines 36.95 / 50
Singapore Airlines takes the top spot as the best long-haul airline for 2026, and it’s hard to argue with the data.
It scored highly across every major category, including:
Value for money
In-flight experience
Reliability
Customer ratings
Food and drink
Crucially, it was the only airline in the study to score 4 out of 5 for value for money, proving that premium doesn’t automatically mean poor value. If you want a long-haul experience that consistently delivers, this is the gold standard. Singapore Airlines A350 Business Class Review: How I Flew for Under £200!
Best Long-Haul Airline for Comfort & Service
Qatar Airways 36.24 / 50
Qatar Airways finished a very close second, missing the top spot by less than a point.
It actually outperformed Singapore Airlines in staff service and seating, reinforcing its reputation for polished cabins and attentive onboard crews. For long-haul travellers who care about comfort, especially in economy and business class, Qatar remains one of the safest choices in the sky.
Having flown Qatar Airways extensively, especially in Qsuite, its high ranking here comes as no surprise, the onboard experience remains one of the most consistently polished in the sky. Do check out my Qatar flight reviews:
Third Place: The Quiet Overachiever
Cathay Pacific 33.41 / 50
Cathay Pacific takes third place, outperforming many rivals thanks to strong scores in:
Reliability
In-flight entertainment
Staff service
It may not generate the same buzz as some Middle Eastern carriers, but this is a reminder that consistency still counts on long-haul routes.
The Result Nobody Expected
TUI 32.79 / 50
Yes. That TUI.
The UK holiday airline finished fourth overall, ahead of several full-service global carriers. And it didn’t get there by accident.
TUI stood out for:
Strong value for money
High passenger ratings
And the highest reliability score of all airlines analysed, with an impressive 4.84 out of 5
Plane Honest: I read this twice to be sure. TUI didn’t just sneak into the top ten, it finished fourth and outperformed airlines that market themselves as “premium”. Sometimes boring and consistent really does win.
Here are a few of my TUI blogs,
Best Long-Haul Airline for In-Flight Entertainment
Emirates 32.20 / 50
Emirates rounds out the top five, excelling in:
In-flight entertainment
Staff service
Reliability
If screens, content and distractions matter to you on a 12-hour flight, Emirates still sets the benchmark, especially in economy, where good IFE can genuinely transform the journey. That said, not every Emirates experience is flawless, my most recent flight on the new A350 fell short of expectations, which I’ve covered in detail here.
Worst Long-Haul Airlines for 2026 (Passenger Ratings)
At the bottom of the table sits American Airlines, with a score of 25.7 / 50.
It ranked poorly across several passenger-experience categories, including:
Seat comfort
Entertainment
In-flight meals
Passenger ratings
Despite reasonable punctuality, weaker onboard experience dragged its overall score down proving once again that showing up on time isn’t enough on long-haul flights.
Just above it:
United Airlines - 25.92
British Airways - 27.39
British Airways scored particularly badly on Trustpilot and seat comfort, reinforcing long-standing complaints from long-haul passengers.
Best Long-Haul Airlines for 2026, Full Ranking
Singapore Airlines – 36.95
Qatar Airways – 36.24
Cathay Pacific – 33.41
TUI – 32.79
Emirates – 32.20
Qantas – 31.66
Malaysia Airlines – 30.60
Virgin Atlantic – 30.57
Delta Air Lines – 30.42
Air France – 30.04
Etihad – 29.94
Turkish Airlines – 29.47
KLM – 29.03
Air Canada – 28.21
Aer Lingus – 27.87
Lufthansa – 27.39
British Airways – 27.39
United Airlines – 25.92
American Airlines – 25.70
What This Tells Us About Long-Haul Flying in 2026
The takeaway is simple: Long-haul satisfaction is driven by consistency, not just punctuality.
Airlines that balance:
Comfortable seating
Decent food and entertainment
Good onboard service
Reliable operations
Consistently outperform carriers that focus on schedules alone. When flights last half a day or more, experience matters.
How to Make Any Long-Haul Flight More Bearable (Even in Economy)
Here’s the Plane Honest truth: Even the best long-haul airline can’t fix airport chaos, packed terminals or stressful boarding.
These are the Plane Travel Extras I genuinely swear by:
A supportive neck pillow (yes, even in a middle seat)
Noise-cancelling headphones with 30+ hour battery life
A lightweight blanket, increasingly missing in economy cabins
But the biggest upgrade? Airport lounge access before you fly.
One of the most effective upgrades you can make, regardless of airline, is airport lounge access before you fly.
Airport Lounge Access Without Flying Business Class
Airport lounges offer:
Quiet space before long flights
Proper food and drinks
Charging points, Wi-Fi and often showers
A calmer start to long-haul travel
If you’re flying economy, this often makes more difference than the seat itself.
Priority Pass gives access to hundreds of airport lounges worldwide, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, without needing a premium cabin ticket.
Find Long-Haul Deals Worth Booking
Flying the world’s best long-haul airlines doesn’t have to mean paying business-class prices.
Services like Jack’s Flight Club flag genuine long-haul deals on airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic, often hundreds cheaper than average fares.
If you’re flexible, it’s one of the smartest tools you can use.
Final Plane Honest Verdict
Choosing the best long-haul airline for 2026 genuinely matters, but how you prepare for the journey matters just as much.
Pick the right airline, upgrade the experience where it counts, and a 12-hour flight becomes something you manage comfortably rather than endure.
And if TUI wasn’t on your bingo card either… you’re not alone.
Plane Related Reads
The Best Lounge at Gatwick? I Visited Them All So You Don’t Have To
Priority Pass Review 2026: One Year of Lounge Access, Was It Worth It?
Hello, I’m Paul a professional jet-setter and all-around plane travel pro. After 15 years working in and around planes, I became a flight delay expert at a London airport and mastered plane travel hacks, a PLANE flight expert with BIG travel plans but small carry-on.
Now, I share PLANE travel news, tips, reviews, and deals with honesty, humour, and zero baggage! Thanks for reading The Best Long-Haul Airlines for 2026, TUI Was Not on My Bingo Card!
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