The safest airlines in the world 2026: What AirlineRatings rankings mean

AirlineRatings.com—the independent aviation safety ranking that monitors hundreds of carriers globally—has released its much-anticipated World’s Safest Airlines for 2026 list. 

How AirlineRatings evaluates airline safety

The firm evaluated more than 320 airlines based on stringent safety criteria. These include incident rates, fleet age and quality, pilot and crew training standards, international safety audits, turbulence prevention programs, and transparency in reporting. 

According to AirlineRatings CEO Sharon Petersen, the 2026 rankings highlight how narrow the differences are among the world’s safest airlines. 

“Less than four points covered positions one through 14, and at the very top, the margins were even tighter, with just 1.3 points separating positions one through six in the full service category,” Petersen said. “We may be reaching a point where traditional rankings risk being misleading, and where grouping airlines into performance tiers provides a more accurate reflection of reality.” 

The top 25 safest full-service airlines for 2026

Etihad Airways tops the list for the first time. It is also the first Gulf carrier to be ranked No. 1 in these safety rankings, attributed to its modern fleet, proactive cockpit safety measures (especially for turbulence prevention), a crash-free history, and the lowest incident rate among full-service carriers on the list. 

Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastern carriers dominate the top positions. Alongside Etihad, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines reflect strong safety cultures rooted in rigorous training, frequent external audits, and sustained investments in new aircraft and technologies. 

STARLUX Airlines and Fiji Airways make their debuts in the full-service rankings. “While we generally would not include a relatively young airline such as STARLUX, their approach to safety and transparency is exceptional, and the fact that other leading airlines talk about them really says it all,” Petersen said.

Singapore Airlines did not make the 2025 list due to the May 2024 flight 321 severe turbulence incident. However, AirlineRatings reinstated the airline in 2026 after comprehensive safety reviews. AirlineRatings has increased its consideration of turbulence risk in its safety ratings. 

“One change for this year is that we are placing a greater emphasis on turbulence prevention, as it remains the leading cause of in-flight injuries. To support this, we consider an airline’s participation in the IATA Turbulence Aware1 programme or equivalent, as well as the AirlineRatings onboard safety audit. Transparency from airlines is also critical to this process,” Petersen said. 

In North America for 2026, Air Canada, Alaska, Delta, and American Airlines rank among the top 25, placing in the lower ten spots. 

Full list of AirlineRatings Top 25 safest full-service airlines

1. 1. Etihad Airways
2. 2. Cathay Pacific
3. 3. Qantas
4. 4. Qatar Airways
5. 5. Emirates
6. 6. Air New Zealand
7. 7. Singapore Airlines
8. 8. EVA Air
9. 9. Virgin Australia
10. 10. Korean Air
11. 11. STARLUX Airlines
12. 12. Turkish Airlines
13. 13. Virgin Atlantic
14. 14. ANA (All Nippon Airways)
15. 15. Alaska Airlines
16. 16. TAP Air Portugal
17. 17. SAS
18. 18. British Airways
19. 19. Vietnam Airlines
20. 20. Iberia
21. 21. Lufthansa
22. 22. Air Canada
23. 23. Delta Air Lines
24. 24. American Airlines
25. 25. Fiji Airways

Top 25 safest low-cost airlines for 2026

HK Express retains the top spot in this year’s rankings for the second consecutive year. The Hong Kong-based carrier leads the low-cost safety rankings thanks to its modern aircraft fleet, very low incident rate, and excellent performance in onboard safety audits. 

Spring Airlines China became the first Chinese airline to appear in any AirlineRatings.com safety ranking, underscoring the elevated safety practices of budget carriers in Asia. 

Budget airlines from Europe and the US—including easyJet, Southwest, and Wizz Air—also make strong showings among the top ten, reflecting their robust safety cultures. 

List of AirlineRatings Top 25 safest low-cost airlines

1. 1. HK Express
2. 2. Jetstar Airways
3. 3. Scoot
4. 4. FlyDubai
5. 5. easyJet Group
6. 6. Southwest Airlines
7. 7. airBaltic
8. 8. VietJet Air
9. 9. Wizz Air Group
10. 10. AirAsia Group
11. 11. TUI UK
12. 12. Vueling
13. 13. Norwegian
14. 14. JetBlue
15. 15. FlyNAS
16. 16. Cebu Pacific
17. 17. Jet2
18. 18. Ryanair (Ireland & UK)
19. 19. Spring Airlines China
20. 20. Transavia Group
21. 21. Eurowings Group
22. 22. Volaris
23. 23. WestJet Group
24. 24. GOL
25. 25. SKY Airline Chile

What AirlineRatings’ safety rankings mean for travellers

As the Singapore Airlines turbulence incident and the Alaska Airlines mid-cabin door plug blowout in 2024 show, any airline may be susceptible to unexpected events that put passenger safety at risk.

While AirlineRatings evaluates the overall safety culture of airlines, providing travellers with a guide, Peterson cautions: “All airlines in the Top 25 are world leaders in aviation safety, and claims that one is significantly safer or less safe than another are both sensationalist and false.”     

Most major global airlines today operate at exceptionally high safety standards. Passengers choosing among these top carriers can be confident that airline fleet quality, rigorous training, safety culture, and transparent reporting keep airlines flying safer than ever. 

Featured Image: Svitlana | stock.adobe.com

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