These are the safest airlines to fly with – and the most dangerous

Highs and lows

Despite some high-profile and horrific aviation disasters in recent years, commercial air travel is the safest form of transportation, with the odds of your plane crashing one in 1.2 million. It’s all down to stringent safety practices, rigorous training and modern aircraft. But which airlines boast exceptional standards? Global rating agency AirlineRatings.com’s World’s Safest Airlines list 2025 reveals the safest full-service airlines, ranking them on various criteria including serious incidents, fleet age and size, fatal accidents in the last 10 years, profitability and pilot skill and training.

However, some airlines are not so reliable. Nervous flyers may want to avoid those that have been ranked just one star out of seven for safety.

Read on to find out which airlines are flying high and which are below par, according to the latest data…

10th safest: Turkish Airlines

Turkey’s national carrier was ranked the 10th safest full-service airline globally this year thanks to its commitment to fleet modernisation (it claims to have one of the youngest and most modern fleets in Europe), along with investment in pilot training and low incidence record.

Ninety-two years on from its inaugural flight, Turkish Airlines has established itself as one of Europe’s most reputable airlines, with flights to 130 countries from its headquarters at Istanbul Airport. It first gained seven-star status from AirlineRatings.com in 2002 for its safety compliance and continues to ride higher and higher in the rankings. 

9th safest: Alaska Airlines

The only US airline in the top 10, Alaska Airways stands out for its proactive safety measures, which see it rank ninth in this list. The airline, which has its headquarters at Seattle’s Sea-Tac Airport, has routes that connect more than 120 destinations.

As well as stringent safety protocols and a high level of pilot skill, the West Coast airline has been an innovator in navigation technology, allowing its planes to safely fly into Alaska’s notoriously foggy Juneau airport and navigate the airspace restrictions of Washington DC with precision.

8th safest: Korean Air

Seoul-based Korean Air secured a solid eighth position in this year’s global safety rankings, contributed to by its continuous commitment to innovation in fleet technology and pilot training. South Korea’s national carrier, which marks its 56th anniversary in 2025, has a fleet of 139 passenger aircraft, serving 116 cities across 40 countries.

As part of its investment in next-generation aircraft, it has announced future plans to buy 103 of Boeing's fuel-efficient airplanes in what is the airline's largest-ever order. 

7th safest: EVA Air

Headquartered in Taoyuanaoyuan International Airport, Taiwanese airline EVA Air flies to all regions of mainland China and has an extensive global network. It maintains a strong reputation for both its safety and service levels and is ranked as the seventh safest full-service airline globally.

It was the first carrier in Taiwan to receive the IATA Operational Safety Audit certification and places a firm onus on personnel training, as well as the maintenance quality of its 88-strong fleet, which includes 33 Boeing 777-300ERs. These wide-body airliners are regarded as one of the most reliable and safest models.

6th safest: All Nippon Airways

ANA's commitment to safety and fleet innovation comes in at number six in AirlineRatings.com’s safest airlines list. While it had some occurrences of accidents and serious incidents recorded in the last two years, there have been no fatal accidents in the last 10 years.

The national airline has around 130 routes and flights across Japan, along with international routes around Asia, Australia, the Americas and Europe. New routes to Milan, Stockholm and Istanbul have recently been launched. 

5th safest: Etihad Airways

In at fifth place in the annual list is Etihad Airways. Based in the capital, Abu Dhabi, the national flag carrier of the UAE has an impressive seven-star safety rating for its modern fleet.

As part of rigorous safety standards across its operations, the airline employs innovative technologies, including artificial intelligence. It also has a history of low incident rates and a culture that instils a high discipline of pilot training.

4th safest: Virgin Australia

Australia’s second biggest carrier has a reputation for its playful branding, but beneath the fun it has embedded some seriously high safety standards. Flying domestically and with short-haul international services, Virgin Australia was given a seven-star rating by AirlineRatings.com and ranked fourth safest full-service airline globally.

The airline also has a good reputation for being reliable by its customers – it was named the ‘most trusted travel and tourism brand’ in Australia’s 2025 Roy Morgan Trusted Brand Awards.

3rd safest: Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Qatar Airways

Claiming joint third place in the world’s safest full-service airlines rankings are three prominent airlines: Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific, Dubai’s Emirates and Qatar Airways.

The airlines scored highly across the board and all showed a keen commitment to promoting safety and supporting best practices in commercial aviation, with investments in state-of-the-art technology and fleets of modern, fuel-efficient planes. Low incident rates, no fatalities in the past 10 years and rigorous pilot training all set them apart.  

Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

2nd safest: Qantas

Pipped to first place this year was Qantas, Australia’s national carrier, which last secured the top spot in 2023. Highly competent pilots and operational personnel, combined with stringent maintenance procedures, all contribute to its enviable safety performance.

Qantas has a low incident rate and has famously never had a fatal jet crash in its history. With their trademark red tails and kangaroo logo, Qantas’ fleet includes the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The long-range A350-1000 is set to join in late 2026 and will fly from Sydney to London and New York.

1st safest: Air New Zealand

When it comes to flying the flag for aviation safety, the top spot goes to Air New Zealand this year, a full-service carrier with a near faultless reputation for safety and service. This will be welcome news to the 16-million-plus passengers who use its network every year to fly to 49 domestic and international destinations.

The carrier also ranked highest in 2024. Fastidiously high safety protocol and exhaustive pilot training were all contributing factors. It was a close contest, with just 1.5 points separating it from Qantas, but thanks to a newer fleet, the Kiwi airline clinched the number one slot.

Now discover the airlines that scored just one star in AirlineRatings.com’s latest World’s Safest Airlines list...

Airlines with a 1-star rating: Aeroflot

Among the world's lowest-ranked airlines is Aeroflot, with one out of seven stars for safety. While Russia's national carrier partially shed its unsafe reputation at the end of the Soviet era, when it was notorious for its high accident record – 721 incidents between 1946 and 1989 – it is again considered to be one of the least safe carriers to travel with.

One of its most deadly accidents in recent years took place in 2019, when flight number 1492 caught fire during an emergency landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, killing 41 of the 78 people on board.

Airlines with a 1-star rating: Air Peace

Nigeria’s Air Peace also received one star for safety by AirlineRatings.com, awarded to airlines that have passed international safety audits. Although the Lagos-based airline has not had any crashes in recent years, there have been concerning incidents, such as aircraft overrunning the runway and tyres bursting on landing.

Another recent situation saw a pilot and co-pilot test positive for alcohol consumption after their plane veered off the runway when landing at Port Harcourt International Airport. Another crew member later tested positive for cannabis. 

Airlines with a 1-star rating: Capital Airlines

Beijing-based carrier Capital Airlines, a subsidiary of Hainan Airlines, operates 129 domestic and international routes. While it's not one of the sprawling country’s biggest airlines (such as China Southern Airlines, Air China and China Eastern), it flies 15 million passengers a year in its fleet of Airbus aircraft.

However, as a one-star-ranked airline, its safety reputation is a little shaky. Recent serious incidents recorded include cracks appearing in windows and significant damage incurred to aircraft during a hard landing that led to passenger evacuation.

Airlines with a 1-star rating: Montenegro Airlines

Montenegro Airlines was among the world’s least safe airlines with a one-star rating before it folded in 2020, caused in part by air travel nosediving during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Balkan country’s finance-stricken flag carrier had domestic and international connections to several European capitals with its small fleet of Embraer 195s and Fokker 100s.

Safety incidents included damage by engine combustion, cracked windshields, skidding on runway and system failures.

Airlines with a 1-star rating: Pakistan International Airlines

While it was given a one-star rating this year, this is a marked improvement for Pakistan International Airlines, as it has passed international safety audits for the first time since 2020. This year, the UK lifted a five-year ban on the airline flying to the UK. 

The bans came after a PIA aircraft crashed into a Karachi street in 2020, killing 97 people. The tragedy was caused by pilot errors and air traffic control. The crash also revealed a scandal around a large number of Pakistani pilots flying with fake pilot licences. 

Airlines with a 1-star rating: Pobeda, Rossiya, Ural Airlines, UTair

State-owned Russian airlines Pobeda and Rossiya (subsidiaries of Aerflot) and Ural Airlines and UTair were all given a one-star rating by AirlineRatings.com. There are major concerns around the airworthiness of Russian-built aircraft, quality control and long-term maintenance due to the sanctions that limit the country's access to spare parts from Western aircraft manufacturers.

These carriers were also among 20 Russian airlines added to the EU Air Safety List in 2022 for not meeting international safety standards and prohibited from flying to Europe.

Airlines with a 1-star rating: Precision Air

Tanzanian airline Precision Air has 10 domestic and regional routes from its hub in Dar es Salaam, but nervous flyers, headed to one of the tourism hubs it serves – like Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro or the Serengeti – might want to avoid this carrier, which has been ranked with only one star for its safety record.

The airline's fleet consists of both jet and turboprop aircraft. One of the latter crashed into Lake Victoria in 2022 while attempting to land in Bukoba in adverse weather conditions. There were 19 deaths, including both pilots.

Airlines with a 1-star rating: US-Bangla Airlines

With the largest fleet in Bangladesh, US-Bangla Airlines flies to seven domestic destinations and 14 international ones in 11 countries. Although it secured its IATA Operational Safety Audit registration, the airline does have a dubious safety record, with serious incidents peppering its history.

The last fatal crash took place in 2018, when passenger flight 211 from Dhaka to Kathmandu crashed on landing, missing the runway at Tribhuvan International Airport and bursting into flames. Fifty-one of the 71 people on board perished. An investigation revealed the pilot’s behaviour showed a high degree of stress that may have caused procedural lapses.

Airlines with a 1-star rating: Wings Air

Established in 2002, Indonesian carrier Wings Air is the sister carrier of Lion Air (the country’s largest domestic carrier). Low-cost domestic airline Wings Air has recorded a string of incidents, including a pilot landing at the wrong airport and being shot at when flying over Papua New Guinea in 2024. One of its planes also collided with a Lion Air Boeing jet during a landing on the island of Sumatra, but there were no injuries.

Meanwhile, Lion Air, which has a two-star rating, has seen its fair share of tragedy. In 2018, one of its planes crashed into the Java Sea after take-off from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board.

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Now discover the groundbreaking planes that changed how we travel...