Brand Finance’s Airlines 50 2026 reveals a 21% collective brand value increase among Australia’s airlines brands year on year
SYDNEY, 5 May 2026 – Australia’s airlines sector shows a notable 21% collective brand value growth over the past year, maintaining its position as the eighth largest contributor to the ranking with a 3% (USD4.1 billion) brand value share amid the current geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, which have contributed to volatility in global oil markets and creating potential operational pressures, including fluctuating fuel costs and airspace disruptions. According to the Airlines 50 2026 report by Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy, Qantas rises three spots to become the 13th most valuable airlines brand globally, its highest ranking since 2019.
In 2026, Qantas sees a turnaround after facing legal headwinds in previous years, which impacted its overall performance and reputation. In August 2023, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took the brand to court for advertising tickets for cancelled flights. This led to a decline in consumer trust, reflected in a 12% brand value drop to USD1.8 billion and a five-place drop to become the 21st most valuable brand in the 2024 ranking. In terms of brand strength, the brand dropped a significant 25 spots to place 32nd in the same year, receiving a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 71.4/100 and an AA brand strength rating.
Since then, Qantas has made progress in rebuilding and improving its reputation, reflected in positive gains in its brand value and strength. In 2025, Qantas rose five spots in the ranking to become the 16th most valuable brand after a 46% brand value increase to USD2.6 billion. However, its brand strength did not fully recover to as it was before 2024, rising only 18 spots to 14th, with a BSI score of 80.8/100 and an AAA- brand strength rating. This rise was driven by notable improvements in its operational performance and customer satisfaction, supported by investments in its operations, enhanced food and beverage quality, an overhaul of its digital platforms, and increased availability of frequent flyer seats.
This year, Qantas (brand value up 24% to USD3.2 billion) and its budget arm, Jetstar (brand value up 13% to USD883 million) have recorded notable brand value growth as their passenger volume rise by four million compared to the previous year, directly boosting ticket sales revenue. The brands also reported a higher percentage of seats filled across domestic and international networks, which supported higher net passenger revenue.
Additionally, Qantas has recently expanded its capacity by adding more flights and restoring international routes while also incorporating more efficient aircraft into its fleet. The combination of these factors has enabled the brand to improve its revenue streams and reputation within the sector. The brand jumps seven positions to become the seventh strongest brand globally, receiving a BSI score of 86.6/100 and an AAA brand strength rating. Qantas’s achievement this year highlights its significance within the sector and underpins the importance of a brand’s reputation in sustaining overall performance.
Mark Crowe, Brand Finance Australia Managing Director, commented:
“Qantas’s recovery this year demonstrates how strongly brand value is tied to reputation, operational delivery, and customer trust. After a challenging period marked by legal and reputational pressures, the brand has made meaningful progress in rebuilding consumer confidence through improved service quality, stronger operational performance, and strategic investment across its network. Its return to growth in both brand value and brand strength highlights the resilience of the brand and reinforces the importance of sustained trust in driving long-term commercial success.”
The Airlines 50 2026 report offers an overview of the world’s most valuable and strongest airlines brands and brings together insights from other rankings such as the Airports 25 2026, which provides brand valuations of the top airport brands.
Sydney Airport (brand value up 13% to USD188 million) maintains its position as the 23rd most valuable airport brand globally as recovering demands for business and leisure travel has driven higher passenger volumes, impacting retail and aeronautical revenue. This year, the airport recorded almost 43 million travellers passing through, a two-million increase from the previous year. More than 17 million of the passengers travelling through the airport arrived and departed from the T1 International terminal, marking Sydney Airport’s busiest year on record for international travel.
Global Insights
The combined brand value of the world’s top 50 airlines has risen 11% year-on-year to USD147 billion, reflecting sustained international travel demand, operational discipline, and strategic investments in premium offerings, despite fuel price instability and ongoing geopolitical tension in the Middle East.
Delta retains its position as the world’s most valuable airline brand, with its brand value rising 25% to USD18.6 billion. The airline’s industry-leading reliability and commitment to service excellence continue to strengthen customer loyalty across domestic and international markets.
Vietjet is the fastest-growing airline brand in 2026, with its brand value soaring 117% to USD906 million. The brand’s growth is mainly driven by strategic international expansion and diversified ancillary revenues.
ANA (brand value up 23% to USD2.9 billion) has been named the strongest airline brand in the world, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 90.2/100 and an AAA+ rating. Its strength reflects strategic international expansion, operational excellence, and market leadership.
Meanwhile, Paris Aéroport tops the global airport ranking with a 36% brand value rise to USD1 billion, overtaking Heathrow Airport (brand value down 2% to USD972 million), driven by rising passenger traffic and strategic pricing initiatives. Singapore’s Changi Airport (brand value up 16% to USD889 million) remains the strongest airport brand worldwide, with a BSI score of 91.2/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating, thanks to record passenger traffic, customer satisfaction, and award-winning service. Schiphol Airport (brand value up 39% to USD540 million) is the fastest-growing airport brand, benefiting from rising European travel demand and expanded connectivity.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organisations make strategic decisions.
Headquartered in London, Brand Finance operates in over 25 countries. Every year, Brand Finance conducts more than 6,000 brand valuations, supported by original market research, and publishes over 100 reports which rank brands across all sectors and countries.
Brand Finance also operates the Global Brand Equity Monitor, conducting original market research annually on 6,000 brands, surveying more than 175,000 respondents across 41 countries and 31 industry sectors. By combining perceptual data from the Global Brand Equity Monitor with data from its valuation database — the largest brand value database in the world — Brand Finance equips ambitious brand leaders with the data, analytics, and the strategic guidance they need to enhance brand and business value.
In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics, compliant with ISO 20671.
Brand Finance is a regulated accountancy firm and a committed leader in the standardisation of the brand valuation industry. Brand Finance was the first to be certified by independent auditors as compliant with both ISO 10668 and ISO 20671 and has received the official endorsement of the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) in the United States.
Brand is defined as a marketing-related intangible asset including, but not limited to, names, terms, signs, symbols, logos, and designs, intended to identify goods, services, or entities, creating distinctive images and associations in the minds of stakeholders, thereby generating economic benefits.
Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance evaluates brand strength in a process compliant with ISO 20671, looking at Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and the impact of those on Business Performance. The data used is derived from Brand Finance’s proprietary market research programme and from publicly available sources.
Each brand is assigned a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score out of 100, which feeds into the brand value calculation. Based on the score, each brand is assigned a corresponding Brand Rating up to AAA+ in a format similar to a credit rating.
Brand Finance calculates the values of brands in its rankings using the Royalty Relief approach – a brand valuation method compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668. It involves estimating the likely future revenues that are attributable to a brand by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, to arrive at a ‘brand value’ understood as a net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
The steps in this process are as follows:
1 Calculate brand strength using a balanced scorecard of metrics assessing Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and Business Performance. Brand strength is expressed as a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score on a scale of 0 to 100.
2 Determine royalty range for each industry, reflecting the importance of brand to purchasing decisions. In luxury, the maximum percentage is high, while in extractive industry, where goods are often commoditised, it is lower. This is done by reviewing comparable licensing agreements sourced from Brand Finance’s extensive database.
3 Calculate royalty rate. The BSI score is applied to the royalty range to arrive at a royalty rate. For example, if the royalty range in a sector is 0-5% and a brand has a BSI score of 80 out of 100, then an appropriate royalty rate for the use of this brand in the given sector will be 4%.
4 Determine brand-specific revenues by estimating a proportion of parent company revenues attributable to a brand.
5 Determine forecast revenues using a function of historic revenues, equity analyst forecasts, and economic growth rates.
6 Apply the royalty rate to the forecast revenues to derive brand revenues.
7 Discount post-tax brand revenues to a net present value which equals the brand value.
Brand Finance has produced this study with an independent and unbiased analysis. The values derived and opinions presented in this study are based on publicly available information and certain assumptions that Brand Finance used where such data was deficient or unclear. Brand Finance accepts no responsibility and will not be liable in the event that the publicly available information relied upon is subsequently found to be inaccurate. The opinions and financial analysis expressed in the study are not to be construed as providing investment or business advice. Brand Finance does not intend the study to be relied upon for any reason and excludes all liability to any body, government, or organisation.
The data presented in this study form part of Brand Finance's proprietary database, are provided for the benefit of the media, and are not to be used in part or in full for any commercial or technical purpose without written permission from Brand Finance.
