Gulf aviation sector scores awards at 2025 ULTRAs

The Ultimate Luxury Travel Related Awards (ULTRAs) unveiled their 2025 winners on 17 November 2025 at Nikki Beach Club in Dubai, UAE. Accolades were presented for multiple categories across aviation and accommodation, with several Middle Eastern organisations recognised as major winners.

 

In the aviation sector, Dubai-flag carrier Emirates secured multiple awards, including ‘Best Airline in the World’ for the eight consecutive year. Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, was also recognised with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his services to global aviation.

 

Awards were also presented for different class cabins, with Emirates winning ‘Best Premium Economy’. Regional competitor Qatar Airways won the ‘Best Business Class’ category, while Singapore Airlines took home the title of ‘Best First Class’. 

 

Dubai International Airport (DXB) was named ‘Best Airport in the World’, ahead of other regional  nominees Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi and Hamad International Airport in Doha, in addition to Singapore’s Changi Airport. 

 

The world’s best hotels were named by region. The winner in the Middle East/Turkiyë/Africa category is the recently renovated Çırağan Palace Kempinski, a longstanding landmark dubbed ‘The Grand Dame of the Bosphorus’ in the Turkish capital of Istanbul.

 

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In Europe, the surprise winner is Pan Pacific London, part of Singapore’s Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG), opened in 2021 in Houndsditch near the UK’s capital’s Liverpool Street Station.

 

Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas took the award in the Indian Ocean, and The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel, is Asia’s winner.

 

Further afield, the Oceania/Pacific region winner is Castaway Island, Fiji, while the Americas/Caribbean winner is The Surrey, A Corinthia Hotel, located in New York in the US.

 

Other notable wins include ‘Sustainable Hotel of the Year’, awarded to The Leela Palace, Udaipur, and ‘Best New Hotel’ won by Viceroy at Ombria Algarve in Portugal. 

 

Capella Hotels & Resorts also received multiple accolades. Capella Bangkok was named ‘Ultratravel Collection Hotel of the Year’, while the group itself was recognised as ‘Luxury Brand of the Year’.

 

The ULTRAs also announced winners for ‘Best Luxury Cruise Line’, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and ‘Favorite Holiday Country’, awarded to Japan. 

 

All winners of the 2025 ULTRAs were voted on by the travel media brand’s network of 1.2 million travellers. 

 

For more information, visit ultratravel.com/ultra-winners-2023