World’s Safest Airlines 2025 Report

A Report from AirlineRatings.com, one of the most reputable airline safety and product rating review sites, has shared insight on the safest airline in the world. When there is a requirement to travel, we mostly look for flight tickets as it is the fastest way to save you time and hassle. When doing so, choosing an airline that is safe and reputable is mandatory, and to be realistic, who wants to deal with any mishaps while on air, isn’t it?

AirlineRatings.com has just released the world's ranking of the safest airlines. This report is based on the safety and in-flight products of 385 airlines, out of which the top 25 full-service and low-cost airlines will be listed as trusted and safe for passengers.
 
The report is based on numerous factors, such as recent fatal accidents, industry-leading safety initiatives, fleet age, audits from aviation’s governing and industry bodies, and more. The report does not consider other fatalities, such as bird strikes, turbulence injuries, and weather diversions.

Safest Major Airline in the World

Which is the safest major airline in the world? According to the report, Air New Zealand ranks as the world’s safest airline. This decision was made after considering numerous aspects, including Air New Zealand’s outstanding safety record and the fact that it has not had any serious incidents or crashes in the modern jet era.

One major factor for Air New Zealand to top the list is its regular operating route, where the airline faces challenging conditions as it operates at Queenstown, which is the most demanding airport having high mountain ranges and strong downdrafts, the pilots go through a rigorous simulator training, bringing them to master challenging weather conditions, terrains, and any other difficulties. Similarly, this airline also operates in Wellington, known for strong winds, making it a priority to have exceptional pilot expertise. Another factor that makes Air New Zealand the safest airline in the world is its relatively young fleet with an average aircraft age of 10.4 years.

The second safest airline in the world is Qantas, having a difference of 1.50 points compared to Air New Zealand; the difference came in due to recent incidents such as an emergency landing, which is said to be caused by engine failure. The third safest airline spot was between Cathay Pacific, Emirates, and Qatar Airlines.

Safest Low-Cost Airline in the World

According to the report, the safest low-cost airline is Hong Kong Express. HK Express is an Asia-based airline that has had no serious incidents in the past and maintains a flawless safety record. Numerous factors are considered when evaluating the safest airlines, including passenger volume, fleet size, and network coverage. Compared to the previous year, HK Express has seen significant growth, allowing it not only to get a spot on the shortlist but also to be recognizable as the safest low-cost airline in the world.

The HK Express got this position due to its outstanding safety performance, no incidents or accidents, and having a modern fleet averaging seven years old. Another factor that gives HK Express this position is its affiliation with Cathy Pacific, an organization committed to providing safety measures to airlines. There are numerous new additions to this year’s list of safest low-cost airlines in the world, some of them are Jet2 (ranking at 14), Zipair (ranking at 23), and Air Baltic (ranking at 25).

Safest Major U.S Airline in the World

Alaska Airlines stands at the top for being the safest major airline in the U.S., obtaining an overall ranking of 9, a point higher compared to 2024 when it ranked 10th. The next U.S. airline that is considered the safest in the world is Hawaiian Airlines, ranking at 14, a drastic jump from 2024, where it ranked 21. Moreover, numerous other U.S airlines have obtained better ranks compared to the previous years, including American Airlines, ranks at 15-which stood at 22 in 2024, Delta Air Lines ranked at 23-where in 2024, the airline was unable to get a spot in the list of top 25, and United Airlines ranks at 25, having the obtaining the same rank for two consecutive years.  

Safest Low-Cost U.S Airline in the World

Which is the safest low-cost U.S. airline? The spot goes to Frontier Airline due to having only a few incidents this year, handled well with proper guidelines. There is this fact that accidents can occur anytime and the best thing that can be done is how the incident is handled or managed. Another factor that puts Frontier at the top is its young and modern fleet, with an average age of just four years.

Safest Full-Service Airlines Ranking

1. Air New Zealand

2. Qantas

3. Cathay Pacific

4. Emirates

5. Qatar Airways

6. Virgin Australia

7. Etihad Airways

8. ANA

9. EVA Air

10. Korean Air

11. Alaska Airlines

12. Turkish Airlines

13. TAP Portugal

14. Hawaiian Airlines

15. American Airlines

16. SAS

17. British Airways

18. Iberia

19. Finnair

20. Lufthansa/Swiss

21. JAL

22. Air Canada

23. Delta Air Lines

24. Vietnam Airlines

25. United Airlines

Safest Low-Cost Airlines Ranking

1. Hong Kong Express

2. Jetstar Group

3. Ryanair

4. easyJet

5. Frontier Airlines

6. Wizz Air

7. VivetJet Air

8. Southwest Airlines

9. Volaris

10. flydubai

11. Norwegian

13. Vueling

14. Jet2

15. Sun Country Airlines

16. WestJet

17. JetBlue Airways

18. Air Arabia

19. IndiGo

20. Eurowings

21. Allegiant Air

22. Cebu Pacific

23. ZipAir

24. SKY Airline

25. Air Baltic