Abu Dhabi, UAE – A new international report by AirlineRatings.com, a website specializing in airline safety and quality assessments, has revealed the list of the world’s safest airlines for 2026. The report confirms that air travel remains one of the safest modes of transportation, despite the air accidents that occurred last year and made headlines globally.
According to the report, Etihad Airways topped the list as the safest conventional airline in the world for 2026, becoming the first Gulf carrier to achieve the top spot in the ranking’s history. The report attributed this progress to a number of factors, most notably its modern fleet and advanced cockpit safety systems. It also highlighted the airline’s zero-fatal accident record, strict adherence to turbulence management protocols, and low accident rate per flight.
Cathay Pacific came in second, followed by Australia’s Qantas, then Qatar Airways and Emirates. Air New Zealand ranked sixth after topping the list for the past two years. The report noted that the differences between the top ten companies have become extremely small, making the numerical ranking less meaningful than dividing the companies into similar performance categories.
The website explained that the ranking included an evaluation of 320 airlines worldwide. The top 25 traditional carriers and the top 25 low-cost carriers were selected based on criteria including accident record, pilot training, and international audit results. Other criteria included transparency, fleet age, financial stability, and the company’s safety culture.
In the low-cost carrier category, HK Express ranked first globally, followed by Jetstar Australia, then Scoot and Flydubai. The rankings saw the entry of new airlines for the first time, including a Chinese carrier, reflecting improved safety and transparency standards.
The report emphasized that flying remains extremely safe. It stated that risks on board aircraft are significantly lower than those associated with traveling to airports. It also highlighted the growing role of cabin crew in enhancing passenger safety within the cabin.
