Kenya Airways has been named Africa’s Leading Airline 2026, securing four major honours at the 2026 World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony held in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
The recognition retains Kenya Airways’ position at the top of the continental airline category after the carrier also won the award in 2025 and 2024. The World Travel Awards lists Kenya Airways as the 2026 winner, ahead of a field that included Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, South African Airways and other major African carriers.
Kenya Airways also won Africa’s Leading Airline, Economy Class 2026, Africa’s Leading Airline Lounge 2026 for its Pride Lounge at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and Africa’s Leading Inflight Magazine 2026 for Msafiri.
The economy-class award marks the airline’s sixth victory in the category. Its previous win came in 2023, while the award history also records earlier victories in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2011 and 2010.
Msafiri extended its own winning run, taking the inflight magazine title for the fifth consecutive year. The publication has held the award since 2022, ahead of competing African airline magazines including Selamta from Ethiopian Airlines, Horus from EgyptAir and RAM Magazine from Royal Air Maroc.
The four awards come as Kenya Airways continues efforts to expand its international network and modernise its fleet. The airline currently serves 42 destinations worldwide, including 35 in Africa, according to its corporate profile. The carrier has also continued to strengthen its international connectivity through new routes and partnerships.
In 2025, for example, Kenya Airways launched direct services between Nairobi and London Gatwick and expanded its codeshare partnership with Qatar Airways, with the two airlines subsequently broadening connectivity to additional destinations through Doha.
Kenya Airways Acting Chief Executive Officer, Capt. George Kamal, said the awards reflected the commitment of the airline’s employees and the confidence of its customers and industry partners.
“These awards are an important recognition of the commitment of our people and the confidence placed in Kenya Airways by our customers and industry partners,” Kamal said.
He added that the airline was grateful to the travellers and travel professionals whose support contributed to the recognition.
The awards also brought recognition for Kenya’s capital, with Nairobi named Africa’s Leading Business Travel Destination 2026. The city has now won the category eight times, having held the title every year since the award was introduced in 2019. The World Travel Awards’ records confirm Nairobi’s consecutive wins from 2019 through 2025, with the 2026 result extending that run.
The recognition reinforces Nairobi’s role as an important business and aviation hub in East Africa, supported by its position as the headquarters of Kenya Airways and its connectivity through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The 2026 World Travel Awards were held in Zanzibar on August 28 and 29, bringing together organisations and businesses from across Africa’s travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.
Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards recognise leading organisations across the global travel and tourism industry. The 2026 African programme included categories covering airlines, airports, destinations, hotels, tour operators and other travel-related businesses. For Kenya Airways, the four awards provide another significant international recognition at a time when the airline is working to strengthen its operations and financial position.
The accolades come against a challenging business environment, with the carrier reporting deeper losses in the first half of 2026 and seeking potential new investment as part of its turnaround efforts. The latest honours therefore present a mixed picture for the national carrier, reflecting strong recognition from travellers and the travel industry, alongside continuing financial and operational pressures that Kenya Airways must address as it seeks to consolidate its position in Africa’s increasingly competitive aviation market.
