As global travel demand soars in 2025, airline safety is a top priority for passengers when choosing a flight.
Despite significant advances in technology and safety measures, the sector continues to contend with a variety of threats, including mechanical failure, inclement weather, and external interference.
A single loss of safety protocol or incident can have devastating effects, including a damaged airline reputation, reduced bookings, and increased regulatory scrutiny.
Aviation's worst moments
Recent tragic incidents have heightened public concern and increased scrutiny of safety protocols.
Most notably, December 2024 saw an alarming spike in fatal accidents, with at least eight accidents resulting in significant loss of life and eroding public confidence in the safety of air travel.
Recent aviation tragedies include the Dec. 28 Jeju Air crash at South Korea's Muan Airport, in which 179 of the 181 passengers and crew were killed during a violent landing attempt.
On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190AR crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.
Earlier, on December 22, a private plane crashed in Gramado, Brazil, killing 10 members of the Galeazzi family, including businessman Luiz Claudio Galeazzi.
On the same day, North Coast Aviation's Britten-Norman BN-2B-26 Islander plane crashed in Papua New Guinea, killing all five people on board.
A recent airline safety study found that the global risk of death per flight from 2018 to 2022 was 1 in 13.7 million.
Despite this, more than 200 people died in December 2024, exceeding the 72 deaths in 2023.
To help passengers make informed choices, AirlineRatings.com has released its 2025 Safest Airline Rankings, rating 385 airlines using a 7-star rating system.
This report evaluated the safest full-service carriers (FSC) and low-cost carriers (LCC). FSC and LCC differ in price, service, and operation.
While FSCs offer a premium experience with bundled amenities, LCCs focus on affordability with base fares and optional add-ons. While FSC is suitable for travelers looking for comfort, LCC is suitable for budget-conscious travelers, especially on short-haul routes.
The report is based on a comprehensive assessment of factors such as recent fatalities, audits by aviation governing bodies and industry bodies, key safety initiatives, fleet age, and incident management practices.
With all this in mind, here are the top 10 safest airlines in the world for 2025.
Full-service airline rankings Low-cost carriers 1 Air New Zealand Hong Kong Express 2 Qantas Jetstar Group 3 Cathay Pacific; Qatar Airways; Emirates Ryanair 4 Virgin Australia EasyJet 5 Etihad Airways Frontier Airlines 6 ANA AirAsia 7 EVA Air Wizz Air 8 Korean Air Vietjet Air 9 Alaska Airlines Southwest Airlines 10 Turkish Airlines (THY) Volaris
