AirlineRatings.com, a globally recognised authority on airline safety and product performance, has released its 2026 list of the world’s safest airlines, naming Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates as the world’s safest full-service airline and the first Gulf carrier to secure the top spot in the history of the rankings.
The annual evaluation, published on 13 January 2026, assesses more than 320 global airlines using a comprehensive methodology that incorporates incident and accident rates adjusted for flight frequency, fleet age, pilot training, results from independent safety audits, and participation in turbulence prevention programmes.
Etihad’s ascendancy to number one reflects a combination of factors, including a relatively young fleet, a crash-free operational history, advanced cockpit safety systems, and industry-leading turbulence management measures. According to AirlineRatings CEO Sharon Petersen, the statistical differences among the top carriers are extremely narrow, underscoring that all airlines in the Top 25 are world leaders in safety performance. Alongside Etihad’s top ranking, Emirates secured the fifth spot among full‑service airlines globally, reinforcing the UAE’s strong presence in aviation safety.
Cathay Pacific of Hong Kong secured second place on the full-service list, followed by Australia’s Qantas in third. Middle Eastern and regional giants Qatar Airways and Emirates also feature in the top five, highlighting the sustained strength of safety practices across major global carriers.
Other notable full-service airlines in the top 25 include Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, Virgin Australia and Korean Air, reflecting broad geographic representation among industry leaders.
The Top 25 Full-Service Airlines For 2026
- Etihad Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Air New Zealand
- Singapore Airlines
- EVA Air
- Virgin Australia
- Korean Air
- STARLUX Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- All Nippon Airways (ANA)
- Alaska Airlines
- TAP Air Portugal
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines
- British Airways
- Vietnam Airlines
- Iberia
- Lufthansa
- Air Canada
- Delta Air Lines
- American Airlines
- Fiji Airways
In the low-cost airline category, HK Express of Hong Kong topped the rankings, followed by Jetstar Airways and Singapore’s Scoot. flydubai now reclassified as a full-service operation in upcoming reports placed fourth on the low-cost list. Other recognised carriers include easyJet Group, Southwest Airlines, airBaltic and AirAsia Group.
The inclusion of Spring Airlines China marks the first appearance of a Chinese carrier in these global safety rankings, while established operators such as Volaris and WestJet Group maintain their positions in the extended list of 25.
The Top 25 Safest Low-Cost Airlines For 2026
- HK Express
- Jetstar Airways
- Scoot
- flydubai (now considered full-service; future assessments will reflect this)
- easyJet Group
- Southwest Airlines
- 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)
A key update this year was a heightened emphasis on turbulence prevention, recognising that turbulence remains a leading cause of in-flight injuries. The evaluation now considers participation in the IATA Turbulence Aware programme and results from detailed onboard safety audits. Transparency in reporting and responsiveness to audit processes were also cited as critical factors.
Petersen noted that the tight clustering of safety scores suggests that future editions of the rankings may move toward safety performance tiers rather than strict hierarchical lists, as the difference between top airlines becomes increasingly marginal.
Independent reporting confirms the significance of this year’s results. Multiple media outlets highlighted Etihad’s achievement as historic and indicative of the UAE’s growing influence in global aviation safety. Emirates and other carriers from the region also featured prominently in the global rankings.
The release of the 2026 list comes amid broader industry efforts to further enhance safety culture, risk management and operational consistency worldwide, building on decades of improvements that have made commercial aviation one of the safest modes of travel.
