Ranking of the world's safest airlines for 2026: who tops the list

AirlineRatings has published its ranking of the world's safest airlines for 2026. Find out which carriers top the list, why low-cost airlines are also at the top, and how experts assess flight safety

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The Australian analytical platform AirlineRatings.com has published its annual ranking of the world's safest airlines for 2026. The study covered 320 carriers from different regions and includes both full-service airlines and low-cost carriers. The ranking is considered one of the most authoritative in the industry and is regularly used by passengers to plan their travels.

How the AirlineRatings ranking was formed

AirlineRatings experts evaluated airlines using a comprehensive methodology that takes into account not individual incidents, but a systematic approach to safety. Key evaluation criteria include:

● history of plane crashes and serious incidents;

● results of aviation regulator audits;

● age and technical condition of the fleet;

● level of training of pilots and flight attendants;

● internal safety initiatives;

● corporate reporting culture;

● measures to reduce risks associated with turbulence.

In 2026, analysts paid increased attention for the first time to the prevention of injuries caused by turbulence, which remains the leading cause of injuries to passengers and crew on board.

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Top 25 safest full-service airlines in 2026

Etihad Airways topped the ranking among long-haul carriers. The list also includes leading airlines from Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Europe, and North America:

● Etihad Airways

● 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

It is worth noting that British Airways has dropped from 15th to 18th place in the new ranking compared to the previous year, although it remains on the list of the world's safest carriers.

For passengers planning international flights, such ratings are an important guideline when choosing a route. This is especially true when the trip consists of several stages — air travel, train or bus connections. In such cases, it is convenient to plan your route in advance and book tickets for all modes of transport in one service, in particular through the Visit Ukraine platform.

The world's safest low-cost airlines in 2026

Separately, AirlineRatings has published a rating of the safest budget carriers. Companies from Asia and the Middle East once again took the leading positions:

● HK Express

● Jetstar Australia

● Scoot

● FlyDubai

● EasyJet Group

● Southwest

● airBaltic

● VietJet Air

● Wizz Air Group

● AirAsia Group

● TUI UK

● Vueling

● Norwegia

● JetBlue

● Flynas

● Cebu Pacific

● Jet2

● Ryanair (Ireland and Great Britain)

● Spring Airlines China

● Transavia

● Eurowings Group

● Volaris

● WestJet Group

● GOL

● SKY Airline (Chile)

At the same time, Ryanair, which ranked third in 2025, dropped to 18th place in the new ranking. Jet2 and EasyJet also saw declines, although both airlines remain in the top 20.

AirlineRatings CEO Sharon Petersen emphasized that the mere fact of incidents does not indicate a low level of airline safety.

Incidents are a normal part of aviation operations. The professionalism of pilots and flight attendants plays a decisive role — it is this that determines whether a situation will escalate into a serious incident, she explained.

According to her, the complete absence of recorded incidents can sometimes indicate not perfect safety, but problems with internal reporting. According to AirlineRatings, the actual rate of serious incidents among the top 25 airlines ranges from 0.002 to 0.09 per flight, confirming the high safety standards of modern aviation.

We remind you! Traveling with animals by plane is becoming more and more accessible for travelers. Read about which airlines allow animals to be transported in the cabin, what documents are required, and how to prepare your animal for flight.

Photo: business.ua

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