Cayman Airways wins Caribbean’s Leading Airline award, earns global nomination
Key Points(5)
- Cayman Airways has been named the Caribbean’s Leading Airline for 2026 at the World Travel Awards, marking its first win in the category and earning the Cayman Islands’ national carrier a nomination for the world’s leading airline title.
- The award was presented at the World Travel Awards Caribbean and The Americas Gala Ceremony in Jamaica on Oct.
- Cayman Airways said 2026 was its first year nominated in the Caribbean category.
- The airline has also received its first nomination for World’s Leading Airline 2026, placing it alongside international carriers including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air New Zealand and Turkish Airlines.
- Cayman Airways is the only Caribbean-based airline among the nominees, according to the company.
Cayman Airways has been named the Caribbean’s Leading Airline for 2026 at the World Travel Awards, marking its first win in the category and earning the Cayman Islands’ national carrier a nomination for the world’s leading airline title.
The award was presented at the World Travel Awards Caribbean and The Americas Gala Ceremony in Jamaica on Oct. 11. Cayman Airways said 2026 was its first year nominated in the Caribbean category.
The airline has also received its first nomination for World’s Leading Airline 2026, placing it alongside international carriers including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air New Zealand and Turkish Airlines. Cayman Airways is the only Caribbean-based airline among the nominees, according to the company.
Cayman Airways President and CEO Fabian Whorms accepted the award at the ceremony. He was accompanied by Ivan Forbes, vice president of airport passenger and cargo services, and Carol Nugent, regional airport operations manager for the Caribbean and Latin America.
Whorms described the win as a significant milestone in the airline’s nearly six decades of service, saying the recognition reflected its commitment to customer service and Caymanian hospitality.
“To be named the Caribbean’s Leading Airline in our very first year of being nominated is an extraordinary honour, and one that means a great deal to all of us at Cayman Airways,” Whorms said.
He added that the global nomination was another opportunity for the airline to represent the Cayman Islands internationally.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Trade Development Gary Rutty also welcomed the award, describing Cayman Airways as a national asset and an important part of the territory’s tourism industry.
Rutty said the airline’s role in maintaining and expanding air connectivity supports visitor arrivals and contributes to the local economy. He added that international recognition could strengthen the Cayman Islands’ profile as a tourism destination.
World Travel Awards founder Graham E. Cooke congratulated the airline, saying the award offered an opportunity to showcase both Cayman Airways and the destination to an international audience.
Established in 1968, Cayman Airways has received other industry recognition in recent years. The airline said it was ranked among the world’s top 15 international airlines in Travel + Leisure’s 2024 World’s Best Awards and received APEX Four Star Major Airline recognition in 2025 and 2026.
It has also won multiple gold awards in the Best of Cayman Islands Awards, including Best Customer Service for two consecutive years and Best Place to Work and Best Cargo/Logistics for three consecutive years, according to the company.
Voting for the World’s Leading Airline 2026 award is open until Oct. 30. Customers, employees, industry partners and other supporters can vote through the official World Travel Awards website. Voters must register, verify their email addresses and log in to submit their votes.
