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The safest airlines in the world have been listed in a new 2025 report, featuring both full-service and low-cost carriers.
AirlineRatings.com, an airline safety and product rating website, monitors 385 airlines globally and releases a yearly report on the safest airlines. This report allows flyers to make informed decisions when booking flights around the world.
The ratings are based on several factors including serious incidents over the past two years, fleet age, fleet size, rate of incidents, fatalities, profitability, safety audits, pilot skill, training and more.
The website evaluates all these factors in the appropriate context, consulting with pilots and aviation experts.
“It was extremely close again between Air New Zealand and Qantas for first place with only 1.5 points separating the two airlines,” AirlineRatings.com CEO Sharon Petersen said in the report. “Whilst both airlines uphold the highest safety standards and pilot training, Air New Zealand continue to have a younger fleet than Qantas which separates the two,” she continued.
Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Emirates tied for third place in the report.
“The three-way tie for third place was because we simply could not separate these airlines. From Fleet age to pilot skill, safety practices, fleet size and number of incidents, their scores were identical,” Petersen added.
Iberia and Vietnam Air make their debut on the list this year, while Korean Air rises to the top 10. Canada’s largest airline Air Canada made the list, coming in at 20.
Top 25 full-service airlines for 2025
- Air New Zealand
- Qantas
- Cathay Pacific; Qatar Airways; Emirates
- Virgin Australia
- Etihad Airways
- ANA
- EVA Air
- Korean Air
- Alaska Airlines
- Turkish Airlines (THY)
- TAP Portugal
- Hawaiian Airlines
- American Airlines
- SAS
- British Airways
- Iberia
- Finnair
- Lufthansa/Swiss
- JAL
- Air Canada
- Delta Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines
- United Airlines
Similarly, AirlineRatings.com also compiles a list of the top 25 safest low-cost airlines for 2025. Hong Kong Express took the top spot, while new additions to the list include ZipAir, Jet2 and Air Baltic. Canada’s WestJet came in at 17.
Top 25 safest low-cost airlines for 2025
- Hong Kong Express
- Jetstar Group
- Ryanair
- easyJet
- Frontier Airlines
- AirAsia
- Wizz Air
- VietJet Air
- Southwest Airlines
- Volaris
- flydubai
- Norwegian
- Vueling
- Jet2
- Sun Country Airlines
- WestJet
- JetBlue Airways
- Air Arabia
- IndiGo
- Eurowings
- Allegiant Air
- Cebu Pacific
- ZipAir
- SKY Airline
- Air Baltic