Top 10 safest airlines 2026: Etihad overtakes Qantas for the first time
Choosing an airline by ticket price and onboard menu is risky. In the air, what matters far more is the technical condition of the aircraft, crew training, and the safety culture of the carrier you pick.
On January 13, 2026, Airline Ratings published its updated list of the world's safest airlines. For the first time in the ranking's history, a Gulf carrier took the top spot: Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi. Qantas and Air New Zealand, which had shared the top for years, slipped lower. The gap between the leaders is minimal, so it's worth looking not only at the position but also at the evaluation criteria.
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How airline safety is assessed
💡 In short:
- Airline Ratings evaluates more than three hundred carriers on incidents, fleet age, pilot training, and audits.
- Etihad Airways took first place in the latest list, followed by Cathay Pacific and Qantas.
- Among European airlines, Turkish Airlines ranked highest, and among low-cost carriers HK Express leads.
- As of 01/2026, verified on 09/15/2026 on the official ranking website.
The ranking doesn't boil down to a single number. In 2026, experts reviewed 320 airlines worldwide (as of 01/2026, latest ranking list). The key metric here is incident frequency adjusted for the number of flights operated. That way a large carrier doesn't lose to a small one just because of scale, and that works in your favor.
Criterion | What they consider |
|---|---|
Incidents | Accidents and serious occurrences adjusted for the number of flights |
Fleet | Aircraft age and maintenance quality |
Crew | Pilot training, recurrent training, and certifications |
Audits | International inspections and independent onboard audits |
Turbulence | Participation in the IATA Turbulence Aware program and handling of in-flight injuries |
Experts also track serious incidents from the past two years: engine failure, emergency landing, fuselage damage. They also factor in the position of regulators, who have the authority to suspend a carrier's certificate.
New this season: turbulence. It's the leading cause of in-flight injuries, so airlines are now also assessed on their readiness to warn about rough air.
The difference between the leaders is almost symbolic; details are in the ranking results. Airline Ratings head Sharon Petersen notes:
Fewer than four points separate positions one through fourteen, and between the top six there are just 1.3 points. All 25 airlines on the list are world leaders, and it would be wrong to say that any one of them is noticeably safer than another.
Here are the top ten places on the full list.
1. Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi topped the global ranking for the first time. It's the first Gulf airline to hold the number one spot in the list's history. Experts highlighted its young fleet, turbulence management in the cockpit, and accident-free record. Etihad has the lowest incident rate per flight among all participants.
- Who it's for: long-haul flights to Asia and Australia with a connection in Abu Dhabi, where you'll easily find convenient flight connections.
© Md Shaifuzzaman Ayon · CC BY-SAPhoto: Md Shaifuzzaman Ayon, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons2. Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific took second place. It's one of Asia's most experienced long-haul carriers: Hong Kong is a convenient hub for routes to China, Southeast Asia, and Australia. In the new list, Cathay landed in a narrow group of leaders where fractions of a point decide the difference.
© N509FZ · CC BY-SAPhoto: N509FZ, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons3. Qantas
Australia's Qantas dropped to third place, although in previous years it topped the list. It's the world's third-oldest airline and one of the rare carriers that has never lost a jet airliner with passengers on board. Because of that record, it has been called the gold standard of safety for decades.
© Vismay Bhadra · CC BY-SAPhoto: Vismay Bhadra, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons4. Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways landed in fourth place. The carrier is known for its service and its Doha hub, from which it's convenient to fly to Asia, Africa, and Europe. The airline has held a spot in the top ten of safety rankings for several years now.
© Juke Schweizer · CC BY-SAPhoto: Juke Schweizer, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons- Who it's for: those who value comfort and are willing to route through Doha.
5. Emirates
Dubai-based Emirates rounds out the top five. It has one of the youngest wide-body fleets in the world, and its Dubai hub connects Europe with dozens of cities across Asia and Australia. For a long-haul flight heading east, it is one of the most predictable options available.
© Bahnfrend · CC BY-SAPhoto: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons6. Air New Zealand
New Zealand's Air New Zealand held the top spot for many years, but in the new season it slipped to sixth place. Experts still highlight the challenging weather conditions its pilots operate in: Wellington is known for strong winds, and the approach into Queenstown is considered demanding. For a flight across the ocean, it remains a reliable choice.
© Nathan Jones · CC BY-SAPhoto: Nathan Jones, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons7. Singapore Airlines
Singapore's Singapore Airlines returned to the list in seventh place. A year ago it was dropped from the ranking after a serious turbulence incident, but following an expert visit to its training center, the airline was reinstated.
© Kentaro Iemoto from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY-SAPhoto: Kentaro Iemoto from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons- The catch: it missed one season after an in-flight incident.
8. EVA Air
Taiwan's EVA Air came in eighth. The carrier connects Taipei with Europe and North America and is known for meticulous service. It holds a steady position in safety rankings without any high-profile stories.
© Windmemories · CC BY-SAPhoto: Windmemories, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons9. Virgin Australia
Australia's Virgin Australia took ninth place. It was once a budget airline, and its place in the top ten proves that a low-cost format does not mean cutting corners on safety. Since the start of the decade, the carrier has rarely been out of the top ten.
© YSSYguy ( talk ) · CC BY-SAPhoto: YSSYguy ( talk ), CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons10. Korean Air
South Korea's Korean Air closes out the top ten. It is the country's largest carrier, with a hub in Seoul that connects Europe with East Asia and Oceania. In recent years, the airline has consistently ranked in the upper part of safety ratings.
© Brett Spangler · CC BY-SAPhoto: Brett Spangler, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia CommonsHow safe are European airlines?
Europe sets the rules in aviation, but in safety rankings it often trails Asia and Australia. In 2026, the highest-ranked European carrier is Turkish Airlines, in twelfth place (as of 01/2026, list of safe carriers). It is followed by Britain's Virgin Atlantic and Portugal's TAP Air Portugal.
Behind them in the list are SAS, British Airways, Iberia, and Lufthansa. Until recently, Europe was represented in the top ten by Finnish Finnair, but it did not make the new list. This shift shows just how tight the competition is at the top of the ranking.
© MarcelX42 · CC BY-SAPhoto: MarcelX42, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsIf you're flying with a European carrier, it's worth comparing flight prices in advance.
Are low-cost airlines safe?
The short answer: yes. In 2026, the list of the safest low-cost carriers was topped by Hong Kong's HK Express, with Australia's Jetstar in second and Singapore's Scoot in third (as of 01/2026, safest low-cost airlines ranking). The top of this list is occupied by the same names year after year.
Among European low-cost carriers, EasyJet, Wizz Air, and Norwegian ranked highest. Ryanair, which many consider the gold standard of cheap flights, is only eighteenth this year, but it hasn't dropped out of the top twenty. A cheap ticket does not mean high risk for you.
© LN9267 · CC BY-SAPhoto: LN9267, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsThe catch with this model: low-cost carriers keep their planes in the air with almost no downtime. A tight schedule increases the load on aircraft and crews, which is why regulators keep a particularly close eye on these carriers.
⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
Which airline topped the safety ranking?
Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi took first place. Cathay Pacific and Qantas round out the top three.
What criteria are used to compile this ranking?
The Airline Ratings portal tracks more than three hundred carriers and considers incident frequency per flight, fleet age, pilot training, and international audits. A focus on turbulence was recently added. Because the results are so close, experts advise against drawing conclusions from a difference of one or two points.
Are low-cost carriers dangerous?
No. In the ranking of the safest low-cost carriers, HK Express, Jetstar, and Scoot lead, while the well-known European airlines EasyJet and Wizz Air are in the top ten. A low ticket price simply means a different service model, not lower safety.
Which European carriers made the list?
Turkish Airlines ranked highest among European carriers, followed by Virgin Atlantic, TAP Air Portugal, SAS, British Airways, Iberia, and Lufthansa.
How big is the gap between the leaders?
It's minimal. The difference between the top six carriers is just 1.3 points (as of 01/2026, ranking data).
In short: what's worth booking
If you're flying to Asia or Australia with a connection, book flights with Etihad, Emirates, or Qatar Airways: they have strong hubs and high positions in the ranking. Within Europe, you can't go wrong with Turkish Airlines or Lufthansa. And for a cheap ticket, turn to HK Express, Jetstar, EasyJet, and Wizz Air: their safety is confirmed by a separate ranking.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.