Lucio Tan-led Philippine Airlines (PAL) has been named as one of the world’s four-star airlines by an industry network that specifically assesses in-flight comfort and passenger service.
The flag carrier was recognized a four-star major airline for 2026 by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX).
The APEX Awards are considered as some of the highest accolades in the aviation industry, as it gathers verified feedback covering more than one million flights yearly across over 600 airlines.
PAL chief operating officer Carlos Luis Fernandez said the award places the airline in the league of some of the world’s finest carriers.
As a four-star major airline, PAL was judged as one of the best for cabin comfort, food and beverage, in-flight entertainment and overall service.
‘We remain steadfast in sustaining the highest standards of service for the welfare of passengers we serve across our global network. The trust and confidence of our travelers inspire us in PAL to further elevate our service standards,’ Fernandez said.
Also joining the four-star list are Air Europa, Air Mauritius, Air Transat, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Cayman Airways, Condor, EgyptAir, flydubai, Hong Kong Airlines and Icelandair.
The list also includes Kenya Airways, KM Malta Airlines, Norse Atlantic Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, SriLankan Airlines, Virgin Australia and WestJet.
Among global airlines, APEX gave five stars to some Asian carriers, such as Bangkok Airways, Gulf Air and Vietnam Airlines.
PAL is landing wins after wins in its recovery from the pandemic restructuring. The carrier won as the second most preferred airline in Southeast Asia at the 2025 Flyers’ Choice Awards.
Cirium also named PAL as the most punctual airline in Asia and the Pacific for August. The airline turned in an on-time rate of 89.37 percent during the month, outperforming even some of the region’s finest like Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines.
PAL plans to maintain its position as a respected full-service carrier through the addition of new aircraft and the refurbishment of existing assets.
Currently, PAL is reconfiguring 18 of its Airbus A321ceos by sacrificing seats to expand space for passenger comfort, and the airline will receive new long-range aircraft starting at the end of this year.