Xiamen Airlines: The Only Carrier in China Named APEX “World Class Airline” for Four Consecutive Years

On September 11, 2025, at the annual APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Xiamen Airlines was once again honored with the prestigious "World Class Airline" award. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the airline has received this recognition since first being selected in 2022, making it the only carrier in China to achieve this distinction. This accomplishment underscores the strong international competitiveness of Chinese aviation enterprises in the global passenger experience evaluation system. Ni Liangsheng, Executive Vice President of Xiamen Airlines, attended the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of the company. 

This year, Xiamen Airlines was joined by other globally renowned carriers, including Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates, in the "World Class Airline" category. At the awards ceremony, APEX CEO Joe Leader highlighted Xiamen Airlines' achievement, stating, “The 'World Class Airline' award is APEX’s highest honor, with rigorous and comprehensive selection criteria. Xiamen Airlines’ ability to win this award for four consecutive years is a testament to its operational safety stability and continuous service innovation. The expertise it has accumulated through operational practices offers valuable insights for the global aviation industry to enhance service quality and optimize passenger experiences.” 

As a globally authoritative evaluation in the field of airline passenger experience, the APEX Awards are based on millions of passenger reviews and on-site assessments by professional auditors. The evaluation dimensions cover operational safety, service quality, sustainability, and digital experience, among others. Notably, this year’s competition was fiercer than ever, with more detailed evaluation criteria. The weighting of industry-aligned dimensions, such as sustainability achievements and digital service advancements, was significantly increased, further elevating the prestige of the final award recipients. 

Xiamen Airlines’ ability to secure this international honor for four consecutive years stems from its long-term commitment and continuous innovation in key areas such as safety, service, and sustainability. In terms of operational safety, as of August 2025, the airline had accumulated over 9.35 million safe flight hours, with 476 consecutive months of flight safety and 380 consecutive months of aviation security, maintaining its leading position in China’s civil aviation safety operations and ensuring a secure travel experience for passengers. 

To enhance service quality, Xiamen Airlines has developed a diversified service system, including “CHEF XIAMENAIR” “TIANJI GALLERY” and “EGRETS WITH YOU” while innovating premium routes. From customized meals and unique cabin services on international long-haul flights to streamlined check-in and seamless transit support at hub airports, the airline provides comprehensive coverage of the entire passenger journey, continuously optimizing the travel experience. 

In the field of sustainability, Xiamen Airlines has advanced aircraft lightweighting, recycled used cooking oil to produce traceable Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and optimized fuel efficiency through intelligent algorithms. These innovations earned the airline a spot in the national energy conservation “Double Top Ten” practices, offering a replicable “Xiamen Airlines Solution” for the green transformation of the aviation industry.