Air travel connects people and countries quickly and easily. While comfort and service are important, safety is always the top priority. Each year, AirlineRatings.com ranks the safest airlines based on serious incidents, fleet age, pilot training, safety audits, and more.
In 2025, Air New Zealand has been named the safest full-service airline, followed closely by Qantas.
Criteria for Ranking
The airlines were ranked based on:
- Serious incidents
- Fatal accidents
- Fleet age and size
- Pilot training
- IOSA certification
- ICAO audit
- Profitability
Top 25 Safest Full-Service Airlines (2025)
| Rank | Airline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air New Zealand | Younger fleet, strong safety record |
| 2 | Qantas | Excellent training, very close to #1 |
| 3 | Cathay Pacific | Tied score for 3rd place |
| 3 | Qatar Airways | Tied score for 3rd place |
| 3 | Emirates | Tied score for 3rd place |
| 6 | Virgin Australia | Strong pilot training |
| 7 | Etihad Airways | High safety audits |
| 8 | ANA (All Nippon Airways) | Japanese precision and safety |
| 9 | EVA Air | Excellent safety practices |
| 10 | Korean Air | Moved up from last year |
| 11 | Alaska Airlines | Good incident record |
| 12 | Turkish Airlines (THY) | Modern fleet, trained staff |
| 13–25 | Others (see below) | TAP Portugal, Hawaiian, American, British, Lufthansa, etc. |
Other airlines in the top 25:
- TAP Portugal
- Hawaiian Airlines
- American Airlines
- SAS
- British Airways
- Iberia (new in 2025)
- Finnair
- Lufthansa/Swiss
- Japan Airlines (JAL)
- Air Canada
- Delta Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines (new in 2025)
- United Airlines
Top 25 Safest Low-Cost Airlines (2025)
| Airline | Region |
|---|---|
| HK Express | Asia |
| Jetstar Group | Asia-Pacific |
| Ryanair | Europe |
| easyJet | Europe |
| Frontier Airlines | USA |
| AirAsia | Asia |
| Wizz Air | Europe |
| VietJet Air | Asia |
| Southwest Airlines | USA |
| Volaris | Mexico |
| flydubai | Middle East |
| Norwegian | Europe |
| Vueling | Europe |
| Jet2 | UK |
| Sun Country Airlines | USA |
| WestJet | Canada |
| JetBlue Airways | USA |
| Air Arabia | Middle East |
| IndiGo | India |
| Eurowings | Europe |
| Allegiant Air | USA |
| Cebu Pacific | Philippines |
| ZipAir | Japan |
| SKY Airline | South America |
| Air Baltic | Latvia (Europe) |
Summary
- Air New Zealand is ranked the safest full-service airline.
- Qantas is a close second, just 1.5 points behind.
- Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and Emirates tied for third place.
- IndiGo and AirAsia represent India in the safest low-cost airline list.
- Airlines were assessed based on safety records, training, and audits.
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