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Global air travel is projected to hit 5.2 billion passengers in 2026, and as the industry expands, AirlineRatings.com has released its annual list of the world’s safest airlines.
Global air travel is set to reach new heights in 2026, with passenger numbers expected to touch 5.2 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As more people take to the skies and aviation recovers strongly after the pandemic, safety has once again become a major concern following several high-profile aircraft incidents reported last year.
Against this backdrop, aviation safety website AirlineRatings.com has released its annual list of the world’s safest airlines for 2026, ranking more than 320 airlines worldwide.
Etihad tops the global safety rankings
For the first time, Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates has been named the world’s safest full-service airline for 2026, becoming the first Gulf carrier to secure the top position in the history of these rankings.
The evaluation, published on January 13, 2026, considered several key safety factors, including past accident and incident records, fleet age, pilot training standards, independent safety audits, use of turbulence-prevention programmes and overall operational practices.
Etihad’s top ranking reflects its young fleet, crash-free operational history, advanced cockpit safety systems, and strong turbulence-management measures. According to AirlineRatings CEO Sharon Petersen, the safety scores among top airlines are extremely close, showing that all carriers in the Top 25 meet world-class safety standards.
Top 10 safest full-service airlines in 2026
- Etihad Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Air New Zealand
- Singapore Airlines
- EVA Air
- Virgin Australia
- Korean Air
Cathay Pacific secured second place, while Australia’s Qantas, last year’s leader, moved to third. Air New Zealand, the 2025 winner, dropped to sixth place this year. Singapore Airlines returned to the Top 10 after missing out last year due to a turbulence-related incident. No airlines from India made it to the top 10 list.
A major change in this year’s assessment was the greater focus on turbulence prevention, as turbulence continues to be one of the main causes of in-flight injuries. Airlines were evaluated on their participation in the IATA Turbulence Aware programme, transparency in safety reporting, and onboard safety audit results.
In the low-cost airline category, HK Express of Hong Kong was named the world’s safest budget carrier. It was followed by Jetstar Airways and Singapore-based Scoot.
Top 10 safest low-cost airlines:
- HK Express
- Jetstar Airways
- Scoot
- flydubai
- easyJet Group
- Southwest Airlines
- airBaltic
- VietJet Air
- Wizz Air Group
- AirAsia Group
Notably, Spring Airlines of China made its first appearance in the global safety rankings, marking a significant milestone for Chinese carriers.
The release of the 2026 rankings highlights the global aviation industry’s continued commitment to strengthening safety standards, improving risk management, and ensuring operational consistency. As passenger numbers grow rapidly worldwide, these efforts aim to maintain air travel as one of the safest forms of transportation.
Published: 15 Jan 2026, 01:29 pm IST
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