Aviation Safety Debates Back in the Spotlight
Incidents such as the Air India crash, a collision involving an American Airlines helicopter in Washington, DC, and a Delta aircraft overturning during landing in Toronto have once again brought the question “how safe is flying?” to the forefront for passengers. However, aviation safety experts emphasise that despite these headline-making events, modern aviation is experiencing one of the safest periods in its history.
AirlineRatings.com, the world’s only airline safety and product rating platform, examined 320 airlines in its annual report prepared for 2026. As a result of the study, the 25 safest full-service airlines and the 25 safest low-cost airlines were identified.
How Does AirlineRatings.com Measure Safety?
According to AirlineRatings.com CEO Sharon Petersen, the rankings are prepared by taking into account numerous criteria, including:
- Accident and incident rates
- Pilot training standards
- International safety audits
- Airlines’ transparency
- Fleet age
- Financial stability
- Safety culture
- Turbulence management
This year, the report placed greater emphasis on turbulence-related injuries. Petersen stated that injuries occurring during flights continue to be the most common safety risk today.
Why Is It Difficult to Interpret the Rankings?
According to experts, the differences between airlines at the top of the list are now extremely limited. Petersen explained that there is less than a four-point difference among the top 14 airlines and only a 1.3-point difference among the top six. For this reason, it is noted that the traditional “number 1 – number 2” ranking does not fully reflect safety differences in modern aviation.
The Safest Full-Service Airline of 2026: Etihad
For the first time in its history, a Gulf airline topped the 2026 list. Etihad Airways took first place thanks to its young fleet, accident-free history, cockpit and cabin safety practices, and low incident rate per flight.
The other airlines in the top five are as follows:
- Cathay Pacific
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Air New Zealand, the leader of the past two years, ranked sixth this year.
The report also highlighted Singapore Airlines’ return to the list, while Starlux and Fiji Airways entered the top 25 for the first time.
The Safest Low-Cost Airline of 2026: HK Express
In the low-cost airline category, HK Express once again took the top spot. The airline stood out with its low incident rate, young fleet, and the high consistency of its cabin crew in safety procedures.
Another notable development in this category was Spring Airlines China becoming the first mainland Chinese airline to enter the list.
Are US Airlines Safe?
The report emphasised that despite concerns regarding the US air traffic control infrastructure, major US airlines such as Delta, American Airlines, Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaska Airlines continue to be included in the list. Southwest, in particular, drew attention for its consistent safety performance despite its high flight volume.
What Do the Experts Say?
According to Petersen, despite recent tragic events, flying remains far safer than road transport. However, the importance of in-cabin safety and crew training is becoming increasingly prominent with each passing day.
The 25 Safest Full-Service Airlines of 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, Alaska Airlines, TAP Portugal, SAS, British Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Iberia, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Fiji Airways
The 25 Safest Low-Cost Airlines of 2026
HK Express, Jetstar Australia, Scoot, flydubai, 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, Eurowings Group, Volaris, WestJet Group, GOL, SKY Airline Chile
