AirlineRatings evaluated 320 airlines worldwide and unveiled a list of the safest for 2026.
The airline ratings website AirlineRatings.com recently published its annual ranking of the safest airlines in the world. The site evaluates flight records from 320 airlines and examines, among other factors, the total number of flights, serious safety incidents, fleet age, pilot training, and international safety audits.
For 2026, topping the list of the 25 safest full service airlines is Etihad based in the United Arab Emirates. According to the CEO of AirlineRatings.com, Sharon Petersen, Etihad secured first place thanks to a combination of factors: «its young fleet, advances in cockpit safety, particularly around turbulence, a collision-free record, and the lowest accident rate per flight of any other airline on the list». Cathay Pacific based in Hong Kong and the Australian Qantas complete the top three in this category.
However, as Petersen emphasizes regarding the list, it is important for the traveling public to understand how narrow the margins are among the safest airlines and that small numerical differences should not be interpreted as gaps in safety.
The 10 safest full service airlines
According to AirlineRatings.com, the 10 safest full service airlines for 2026 are:
- Etihad
- Cathay Pacific
- Qantas
- Qatar
- Emirates
- Air New Zealand
- Singapore Airlines
- EVA Air
- Virgin Australia
- Korean Air
The 10 safest low cost airlines
AirlineRatings.com also published a corresponding ranking of the safest low cost airlines. HK Express based in Hong Kong topped the list for the second time «thanks to its modern fleet, the extremely low accident rate, and a nearly flawless in flight safety audit». Here is the top 10 of the safest low cost airlines.
- HK Express
- Jetstar Airways
- Scoot
- flydubai
- EasyJet Group
- Southwest
- airBaltic
- VietJet Air
- Wizz Air Group
- AirAsia Group
