Etihad Airways and Emirates continue to shine in global airline safety assessments. In AirlineRating’s latest safety rankings for 2026, Etihad took the top spot, marking the first time a Gulf airline has secured this position. The Abu Dhabi-based airline led the list thanks to factors including a young fleet, strong turbulence prevention measures, a crash-free history, robust pilot and crew training, and the lowest incident rate per flight among all carriers assessed.
Dubai’s flagship carrier, Emirates, ranked fifth on AirlineRatings’ list. The airline’s modern fleet, rigorous safety management systems, and comprehensive training contributed to its position among the world’s leading airlines for operational safety. Emirates continues to build on its reputation for reliability and passenger confidence, maintaining a presence near the top of global safety rankings alongside other renowned carriers.
AirlineRatings said this is the first time a Gulf airline has ranked number one position in its full-service airline safety rankings. Etihad was ranked ahead of major global carriers including Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, ANA, and British Airways.
The Top 25 Full-Service Airlines For 2026
- Etihad
- Cathay Pacific
- Qantas
- Qatar
- Emirates
- Air New Zealand
- Singapore Airlines
- EVA Air
- Virgin Australia
- Korean Air
- STARLUX
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- ANA
- Alaska Airlines
- TAP Air Portugal
- SAS
- British Airways
- Vietnam Airlines
- Iberia
- Lufthansa
- Air Canada
- Delta Air Lines
- American Airlines
- Fiji Airways
In ranking the world’s safest low-cost airlines, Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings.com said: "Notable changes this year include the inclusion of Spring Airlines China, the first Chinese airline to appear on any of our rankings, and airBaltic, which has made a significant jump into the top 10. HK Express claimed the top accolade for a second time, driven by a modern fleet, exceptionally low incident rate, and an almost flawless onboard safety audit. Given Hong Kong’s stringent incident reporting requirements, this low incident rate and absence of serious incidents genuinely reflect a highly disciplined and well-run operation."
The Top 25 Safest Low-Cost Airlines For 2026
- HK Express
- Jetstar Airways
- Scoot
- Fly Dubai
- EasyJet Group
- Southwest
- airBaltic
- VietJet Air
- Wizz Air Group
- AirAsia Group4
- TUI UK
- Vueling
- Norwegian
- JetBlue
- FlyNAS
- Cebu Pacific
- Jet2
- Ryanair Ireland and UK5
- Spring Airlines China
- Transavia Group
- Eurowings Group
- Volaris6
- WestJet Group
- GOL
- SKY Airline Chile