Which are the world's best airlines and airports for dining?

It’s not just restaurants that were crowned at the 2026 World Culinary Awards – airlines, airports and airport lounges also picked up gongs for feeding hungry travellers.

Vietnam Airlines took the title of World’s Best Culinary Airline 2026, becoming the first Asian carrier to win the award. It beat fellow nominees including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Cathay Pacific, and Turkish Airlines.

Other aviation sector winners included London’s Heathrow Airport, Turkish Airlines’ international lounges, and Clubrooms at Gatwick South Terminal.

What’s on the menu with Vietnam Airlines?

Designed to “promote Vietnamese cuisine” to international travellers, the carrier’s in-flight menus are adapted to the seasons and routes, so that “each flight gives passengers a different culinary experience”.

Economy class cuisine is marked by its “signature dish” – the crispy, layered croissant served for breakfast. Lunches and dinners feature rice and spaghetti dishes with an accompanying sauce, a dessert and bread roll.

In addition to Vietnamese cuisine, business class travellers are treated to dishes from around the world, depending on their destination. On flights to South Korea, mixed fried rice, or bibimbap, makes an appearance on the menu, alongside other dishes like ginseng chicken soup (samgyetang) and black bean noodles (jajangmyeon).

While on trips to Europe, expect to dine on French, German and British cuisine. Further, business class travellers to European, Australian and American destinations can pre-order their meals.

The world’s best airport for dining

London Heathrow was crowned the World’s Best for Airport Dining 2026, outranking Dubai International, Hamad International Airport in Qatar, Hong Kong International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Paris Aéroport, and Singapore Changi Airport.

Across Heathrow’s four terminals, passengers can choose from a range of casual, café and international dining concepts.

Heathrow also offers what it describes as “dining in style”, where the likes of Terminal 2’s Le Café Louis Vuitton features. Guests can choose from sweet treats, such as the hazelnut flower dessert, a morsel of hazelnut ganache, tender praline and fleur de sel, which sports the brand’s iconic monogram flower.

While in Terminal 5, celebrity chef Gordan Ramsay’s Plane Food Market serves up all-day breakfast, pizza, sushi, noodles and traditional British favourite, fish and chips.

The world’s best airline lounge for dining

Turkish Airlines’ International Lounges were awarded the World’s Best Airline Lounge for Dining. Other nominees included Air France’s La Première First Class Lounge in Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Etihad Airways’ First Class Lounge and Spa at Zayed International Airport, and Lufthansa’s First Class Lounge at Frankfurt Airport.

Qatar Airways’ Al Safwa First Class Lounge at Hamad International Airport, SWISS’ First Class Lounge at Zürich Airport, Thai Airways’ Royal Orchid Prestige Lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport, and Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse at London Heathrow Airport were also nominated.

At Turkish Airlines’ international lounges, in locations such as Edinburgh International Airport, guests can dine on Turkish and world cuisine, with hot and cold offerings at the buffet.

The world’s best airport lounge for dining

Clubrooms at Gatwick South Terminal was awarded the World’s Best Airport Lounge for Dining 2026.

Other nominees included Blue Sky Premier Lounge in Terminal 1C at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia, Plaza Premium First Hong Kong, Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 3 at Dubai International, SkyTeam Lounge at Sydney Airport in Australia, and the Star Alliance Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport.

Gatwick’s Clubrooms offers menus that are seasonally updated with a range of hot and cold dishes to choose from, alongside light bites and nibbles. For breakfast, eggs benedict and Belgian waffles feature on the menu.

While for evening dining, chicken Caesar salad, gochujang chicken thigh bowl and Moroccan nut roast with green beans in lemon olive oil are just some of the menu items.

Read the full article here