Qatar Airways’ AI-Powered App Crowned ‘Best Airline App 2025’

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Qatar Airways has secured a significant victory at the World Aviation Festival (the world’s largest aviation technology gathering), capturing the prestigious ‘Best Airline App 2025’ award.

Trade Arabia reports that the airline’s digital platform triumphed in the ‘Battle of the Airlines Apps’, a distinctive competition. This unique contest featured a side-by-side judging process that began with passengers nominating their preferred airline apps before the festival.

Following the nominations, the five top-rated finalists presented their platforms. A panel of expert judges then meticulously evaluated these apps on critical criteria, including user experience (UX), the breadth of mobile services, and overall digital innovation.

Mr. Christophe Guittard, Qatar Airways’ Senior Vice President of Business-to-Consumer, commented on the achievement: “Receiving the most coveted recognition for an airline app reflects the exceptional quality and ambition behind our platform. It reinforces our longstanding commitment to setting the benchmark for digital excellence.”

“More than just a travel companion, the Qatar Airways app is a powerhouse of smart technology and innovation, designed to inform, guide, and support our customers in any imaginable situation,” Guittard continued. “It delivers an exceptional level of traveller satisfaction through speed, personalisation, intuitive navigation, and exclusive, world-first experiences that redefine what passengers can expect from a digital airline platform.”

According to Breaking Travel News, the app is engineered to deliver personalised experiences at every stage of the travel journey, seamlessly transitioning from on-the-ground services to in-flight support. Users can manage every detail of their travel with ease, from booking flights to over 170 global destinations to handling intricate itinerary changes, all within an intuitive interface.

Moving beyond standard functionality, the platform provides exclusive services tailored to both veteran frequent flyers and first-time travellers. Key features include instant or automated refunds for eligible Privilege Club members, critical real-time updates and alerts, and personalised touches that celebrate unforgettable moments, such as birthdays and tier-upgrade milestones.

A significant part of the app’s innovation stems from its integration of features powered by artificial intelligence. Notably, the app recently introduced Sama, the world’s first AI cabin crew, to its platform to streamline and smarten the booking process.

Sama interacts naturally via voice and chat, allowing travellers to simply ask about destinations, prices, or flight options and receive a tailored, real-time itinerary in return. 

Furthermore, business class passengers can preview their onboard menu before flying, enabling Sama to offer personalised recommendations, highlight chef’s specials, and identify specific dietary meals.

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The success of Qatar Airways’ app highlights a growing global standard for travel technology that directly impacts developing tourism markets, including Nigeria and the broader African continent.

While Nigeria boasts a vibrant tech ecosystem (“Silicon Lagoon”), its aviation sector tells a story of nascent development and missed opportunities. The state of digital innovation in Nigerian aviation is fragmented.

For instance, the majority of local airline apps, when they do exist, are primarily transactional, concentrating on booking and check-in. They often lack the deep integration, personalisation, and seamless user experience of global leaders. Features like AI assistants, real-time itinerary management, and integrated loyalty benefits are largely absent.

Challenges such as inconsistent internet penetration, complex payment gateways, and the “brain drain” of top tech talent hinder the development of sophisticated, capital-intensive platforms like Qatar’s.

The opportunity lies in Nigeria’s mobile-first population. A well-crafted, dependable travel app can surpass legacy web systems and achieve rapid adoption.

This digital gap is not just a tech issue; it’s an economic and competitive one for the tourism industry. International tourists have become accustomed to receiving high-quality digital services. When they can manage their entire journey to Dubai or London on a single, powerful app but face a fragmented, unreliable digital experience for booking a domestic Nigerian flight or a tour in an African country, it creates a perception of friction and unreliability.

An international tourist may arrive seamlessly via an airline like Qatar, only to find that booking onward travel (e.g., a flight from Lagos to Calabar) or a hotel in a national park is a high-friction process. This “last-mile” digital failure can discourage multi-destination travel within the country and continent, limiting the spread of tourist revenue.

Advanced apps are powerful data-gathering tools. They allow airlines and tourism boards to understand traveller behaviour, preferences, and pain points. Without this digital infrastructure, Nigeria’s and Africa’s tourism sectors are missing out on vital data to personalise offers, promote local businesses (such as restaurants, galleries, and guides), and manage destinations more effectively.

Ultimately, for Nigeria and Africa to compete for global tourism dollars, investing in a seamless digital travel ecosystem is no longer a luxury—it is a fundamental necessity.

Impressed by Qatar Airlines’ innovation? The world of travel is changing fast. Follow Rex Clarke Adventures for more exclusive stories and analysis on the tech that is reshaping our world.

 

FAQs

1. What award did the Qatar Airways app win?

It won the Best Airline App 2025 award, announced at this year’s World Aviation Festival.

2. How was the winner chosen?

The winner was chosen through the ‘Battle of the Airlines Apps.’ The process started with nominations from travellers, and a jury evaluated the top five finalist apps based on user experience, mobile services, and digital innovation.

3. What is “Sama” in the Qatar Airways app?

Sama is the world’s first AI cabin crew integrated into the app. It uses natural voices and chats to help travellers get information, design tailored itineraries in real time, and even get menu recommendations.

4. What other key features does the app have?

Beyond its AI assistant, the app offers deep personalisation, real-time journey updates, and exclusive services, such as instant or automated refunds for Privilege Club members and milestone celebrations.

5. Why is this award significant?

This award, from the world’s largest aviation technology event, highlights the growing importance of AI, personalisation, and seamless user experience in the travel industry, setting a new benchmark for other airlines.