Revealed: The World's Safest Airlines To Fly With In 2026

Airline safety remains one of the most closely scrutinised aspects of global travel, with carriers investing heavily in technology, training and operational standards to minimise risk. AirlineRatings.com, the aviation safety and product rating website, has released its annual list of the top 25 safest full-service airlines and top 25 safest low-cost airlines for 2026, assessing 320 carriers worldwide. Annual safety assessments give travellers a clearer picture of which airlines consistently invest in the highest levels of safety.

How The Safest Airlines Were Ranked

According to AirlineRatings.com CEO Sharon Petersen, the criteria include an airline's total number of flights, average fleet age, serious safety incidents, pilot training standards and outcomes of international safety audits. A major update for 2026 is an increased focus on turbulence prevention, which Petersen notes remains the leading cause of in-flight injuries. She also cautioned against overinterpreting differences between the top-ranked carriers, saying that all 25 are "world leaders in aviation safety."

Etihad Tops The 2026 Full-Service Airline List

For the first time, a Gulf carrier has taken the number one spot. Etihad Airways has been named the world's safest full-service airline for 2026. Petersen said the airline achieved this through a combination of a young fleet, improvements in cockpit safety, especially around turbulence, a crash-free record and the lowest incident rate per flight among the Top 25.

Here Are The Top 25 Safest Full-Service Airlines For 2026:

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

Here Are The Top 25 Safest Low-Cost Airlines For 2026:

AirlineRatings.com also revealed its annual ranking of the safest low-cost carriers. flydubai, previously listed as a budget airline, has now transitioned to a full-service model and will be assessed accordingly in future editions.

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

Inclusion in the Top 25 lists reflects the above-mentioned airlines' excellence in aircraft operations, as well as the crucial role of skilled aircrew and robust safety practices.