Qatar Airways recorded a distinguished presence on the list of the 100 most powerful brands in the world, issued by the World Research and Consultation Center (WCRC), achieving 73.83 points, thus becoming the only Qatari company on the list for the year 2026.
According to countries, the United States topped the classification in terms of the number of companies with (46), then France (10), Germany (7), Japan (7), the United Kingdom (4), Italy (3), Singapore (3), China (2), Ireland (2), Sweden (2), Switzerland (2), Argentina (1), Austria (1), Brazil (1), Canada (1), Denmark (1), Mexico (1), Netherlands (1), Qatar (1), South Korea (1), Spain (1), Taiwan (1), and the United Arab Emirates (1).
WCRC stated on its official website that the Qatar Airways brand derives its strength from its products. It offers “Qsuite” seats in the business class category, and provides a distinguished travel experience through Doha, in addition to a wide network of destinations. These factors combined to give it one of the highest ratings in the product category among all airlines.
The report also stated that the “Qsuite” business class is the focus of its distinguished offers, and the company offers it as part of an integrated travel experience through its main center in Doha and its lounges. Therefore, perceived product and service quality are highest in the WCRC rating, with a score of 92 points, and the overall customer experience, sensory brand experience and packaging all score 86 points. As for the product, innovation and delivery criteria, it scored 79.4 points, which is the second highest score among all hospitality and travel brands on the “WCRC list” of the 100 most powerful brands in the world for the year 2026.
The second factor that favors the classification of the Qatari carrier is “spread”, as Qatar Airways sponsors the European Champions League competitions until 2030, in addition to Formula 1 races and FIFA events, which makes its burgundy colors and distinctive logo reach a wider segment of travelers.
Qatar Airways scored 86 points in the Brand Distinction Index, and 78 points in the Marketing Campaigns and Audience Effectiveness Index. The company is also investing in technology, from SAMA 2.0, a digital cabin crew system powered by artificial intelligence, to Starlink’s high-speed Wi-Fi on board aircraft.
Qatar Airways, which has won many international awards, continues to consolidate its excellence in the aviation sector by winning the Skytrax award for “Best Business Class in the World” for the 13th time, and the “Best Business Class Lounge in the World” award for the eighth time.
In addition to maintaining its five-star airline rating, Qatar Airways won the “Best in-flight wireless Internet connection” award, the first award of its kind in the aviation sector, during the 2026 World Aviation Awards. This achievement confirms the Qatari carrier’s leadership in providing nearly 170 wide-body aircraft with Starlink service. To date, more than 31 million passengers have benefited from this service.
The national carrier of the State of Qatar operates flights to more than 170 global travel destinations during the winter season, through its operations headquarters in Doha, Hamad International Airport, which was crowned by Skytrax as “Best Airport in the Middle East” for 11 consecutive times, “Best Airport in the World for Shopping” three times in a row, and “Best Airport in the World” three times during the past six years.
