The list of the world’s safest airlines for the year has just been released. AirlineRatings.com assessed 320 carriers worldwide using a wide range of safety indicators, including total number of flights, fleet age, serious incidents, pilot training standards, and international safety audits, to compile its annual rankings.
In the full-service airline category, Etihad claimed the top spot. According to Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings.com, the airline stood out thanks to “its new fleet, ongoing cockpit safety upgrade programs—particularly in relation to turbulence—its accident-free record, and the lowest rate of incidents per flight among all airlines on the list.”
In the low-cost carrier category, Petersen noted: “HK Express secured first place for the second time, driven by its modern fleet, an exceptionally low incident rate, and an almost flawless in-flight safety audit.”
Although air travel remains statistically the safest mode of transportation, many passengers still feel uneasy when they “take to the skies.” For those travelers, a glance at the rankings below may offer some reassurance.
The 25 Safest Full-Service Airlines for 2026
• Etihad
• Cathay Pacific
• Qantas
• Qatar Airways
• Emirates
• Air New Zealand
• Singapore Airlines
• EVA Air
• Virgin Australia
• Korean Air
• STARLUX
• Turkish Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• ANA (All Nippon Airways)
• Alaska Airlines
• TAP Air Portugal
• SAS
• British Airways
• Vietnam Airlines
• Iberia
• Lufthansa
• Air Canada
• Delta Air Lines
• American Airlines
• Fiji Airways
The 25 Safest Low-Cost Airlines for 2026
• HK Express
• Jetstar Airways
• Scoot
• flydubai (now classified as a full-service carrier)
• easyJet Group
• Southwest Airlines
• airBaltic
• VietJet Air
• Wizz Air Group
• AirAsia Group
• TUI UK
• Vueling
• Norwegian
• JetBlue
• FlyNAS
• Cebu Pacific
• Jet2
• Ryanair
• Spring Airlines China
• Transavia Group
• Eurowings Group
• Volaris
• WestJet Group
• GOL
• SKY Airline Chile
Source: Time Out
