AirlineRatings has released its 2026 ranking of the World’s Safest Airlines. In the study, which monitored 320 airlines, a separate Top 25 list was also created for low-cost carriers. Turkish Airlines ranked within the Top 25 in the full-service airline category.
AirlineRatings CEO Sharon Petersen noted that the score differences among the airlines on the list are very small, emphasizing that minor numerical gaps do not indicate a meaningful difference in safety levels. According to Petersen, evaluations based on performance groups reflect the reality of safety more accurately today. The assessment criteria included incident rates adjusted for number of flights, fleet age, history of serious incidents, pilot training standards, and international safety audits. The 2026 list also placed greater emphasis on practices aimed at reducing turbulence-related risks.
➡️ 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 Air Portugal
- SAS
- British Airways
- Vietnam Airlines
- Iberia
- Lufthansa
- Air Canada
- Delta Air Lines
- American Airlines
- Fiji Airways
➡️ Safest Low-Cost Airlines of 2026
- HK Express
- Jetstar Airways
- Scoot
- flydubai
- easyJet Group
- Southwest
- airBaltic
- VietJet Air
- Wizz Air Group
- AirAsia Group
- TUI UK
- Vueling
- Norwegian
- JetBlue
- FlyNAS
- Cebu Pacific
- Jet2
- Ryanair Ireland and UK
- Spring Airlines China
- Transavia Group
- Eurowings Group
- Volaris
- WestJet Group
- GOL
- SKY Airline Chile
AirlineRatings.com stated that all airlines on the list experienced various operational incidents over the past two years, but the rate of incidents per flight remained extremely low, highlighting the high level of safety standards across the industry.
