Korean Air secures 13 awards at WTCE 2026

 

Korean Air secures 13 awards at WTCE 2026

(Seoul, April 20, 2026) — Korean Air has garnered 13 accolades across three industry ceremonies at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) 2026 in Hamburg, Germany.

Organized by RX, WTCE is the world’s largest trade fair dedicated to onboard services. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, this year’s event brought together leading global carriers and catering specialists from April 14 to 16.

Recognition for onboard excellence

On April 14, Korean Air received four awards at the 2026 Onboard Hospitality Awards, which are judged by industry experts and reader votes. The airline was recognized in the following categories:  

• Best First Class Amenities (Korean Air Graff First Class Amenity Kit)

• Best Wearable Textiles (Korean Air Frette First Class Loungewear)

• Best Onboard Textiles (Korean Air Frette Inflight Bedding Set)

• Best Service Equipment - Passenger (Tableware collaborations with Bernardaud, Riedel, Christofle & Armani Casa)

Korean Air also earned five awards at the TravelPlus Airline Amenity Awards, based on passenger feedback and expert evaluation:

• TravelPlus Five-Star Rating for Passenger Amenities

• First Class Gentlemen’s Kit

• First Class Meal Serviceware 

• First Class Bedding Set

• Children’s Goody Bag or Give Away (Under 6 years)

On April 15, the airline won four honors at the 2026 PAX Readership Awards, hosted by PAX International. The accolades for the Asia region included:

• Best Overall Passenger Experience

• Best Cabin Interior

• Best First Class Amenity Kit

• Best Business Class Bedding/Soft Products

Elevating onboard experience through luxury partnerships

These recognitions follow a comprehensive renewal of Korean Air’s inflight offerings as part of its updated corporate identity. The airline has focused on premium collaborations to further elevate the passenger experience:

• Amenities: Korean Air is the first airline to partner with Graff for First Class amenity kits, featuring premium skincare products and signature fragrances.

• Bedding: First and Prestige Class passengers enjoy bedding developed in collaboration with the Italian luxury brand Frette.

• Tableware: First Class service features Bernardaud chinaware, Christofle cutlery and Riedel glassware. Prestige Class offers tableware and glassware from Armani/Casa.

“These awards validate the quality of our premium service on a global stage,” said a Korean Air representative. “We will continue to enhance our service offerings to deliver an exceptional travel experience.”

About Korean Air

Serving the world for more than 55 years, Korean Air is one of the world's top 20 airlines, carrying more than 25 million passengers in 2025. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline serves 116 cities in 39 countries on five continents with a modern fleet of 166 aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees.

Korean Air's outstanding performance and commitment to the highest level of safety and customer service has widely been recognized. The airline has been granted numerous awards including a 5-star airline rating from Skytrax as well as Airline of the Year from both Air Transport World and Airline Ratings. Korean Air is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, and has grown into one of the largest transpacific airlines through its joint venture with Delta Air Lines.

For more information about Korean Air, please visit www.koreanair.com, Korean Air Newsroom, facebook.com/KoreanAir, instagram.com/KoreanAirworld and x.com/KoreanAir_KE.