Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today: Top 10 safest airlines in the world for 2024
Commercial aviation is regarded as one of the safest forms of travel. Airline accidents have been on a consistent global decline since more than 30 years, thanks to strict regulations and rigorous standards in the aviation industry. That said, some airlines are still better performing than others when it comes to safety standards, and that’s why the Australia-based aviation analysis website AirlineRatings.com produces each year a list of safest airlines in the world after monitoring more than 400 airlines. In making its evaluation of the safest airlines in the world, AirlineRatings.com takes into account a comprehensive range of factors that include: (1) crashes over five years; (2) serious incidents over two years; (3) audits from aviation’s governing bodies and lead associations; (4) fleet age; and (5) expert analysis of pilot training. Here are the 10 carriers considered to be the safest airlines in 2023 by the AirlineRatings.com website.
There is more information (with trip reports & YouTube videos) below the slideshow. Do you agree with the list? Leave a comment.
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10. ALASKA AIRLINES
Since its acquisition of Virgin America in 2016, Alaska Airline is the 5th largest airline of the USA. The carrier operates a large route network, primarily focused on connecting from the state of Alaska and the USA West Coast to over one hundred destinations in the USA, Hawaii, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico. There are more than 45 million passengers that fly with the airline annually. Founded in 1932, the Seattle, Washington-based carrier has earned top marks over the years for its familial ambiance, friendly and relaxed service, on-time performance, excellent loyalty program, great amenities, and safety culture.
AirlineRatings.com published its list of the safest airlines of 2024 right before an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft experienced a midair emergency, leading to an unscheduled landing in Portland. The emergency situation arose when a cabin panel blew off during the flight. However, it seems that Boeing is the one to blame for the incident. Alaska Airlines has not had a single major crash in the past two decades and has successfully passed the safety audit of IOSA.
- Official website: Alaska Airlines
9. CATHAY PACIFIC
In 1946, Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow – two ex-Air Force pilots known for flying ‘The Hump’ over the Himalayas – had the idea to fly much-needed goods from Australia into post-war China. From there came Cathay Pacific, an airline fueled by its founders’ passion for connecting the world with its home in Hong Kong. The airline serves more than 90 destinations in some 35 countries across Asia, the Pacific, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa. Cathay Pacific operates a fleet consisting of Airbus A330, Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 wide-body aircraft. Cathay Pacific has not suffered any significant incident in the past couple of decades.
- Official website: Cathay Pacific
- Review: read here my review of Cathay Pacific’s First Class in a Boeing B777-300ER
- Review: read here my review of Cathay Pacific’s Business Class in an Airbus A350.
- Review: read here my review of Cathay Pacific’s Business Class in a Boeing B777-300ER.
- Review: read here my review of Cathay Pacific’s Business Class in an Airbus A330.
8. FINNAIR
Finnair, which operates out of Helsinki Airport, is one of the world’s oldest operating airlines. Since it was founded over 100 years ago in 1923, the company has grown from a small airline to a strong and respected member of the international airline industry. The carrier flies over 10 million passengers per year to almost 80 destinations in Europe, Asia and North American aboard its modern fleet of Airbus, Embraer and ATR aircraft. With no fatal or hull-loss accidents in the modern jet area, Finnair is consistently ranked one of the safest airlines in the world and is famous for its extensive, top-notch airline’s pilot training and maintenance programs.
- Official website: Finnair
- Other accolades: Finnair features in my top 10 lists of the world’s best airline lounges, and the best Business Class amenity kits in the sky.
- Review: read here my review of Finnair’s Business Class in an Airbus A350 XWB.
- Review: read here and here my reviews of Finnair’s Business Class in an Airbus A330.
7. ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS (ANA)
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the largest domestic air carrier in Japan, and one of the largest airlines in the world. The company was founded in 1952 and was initially restricted to carrying passengers and freight on Japan’s major domestic routes, while Japan Air Lines basically monopolized the country’s overseas air service. That all changed though in late 1980s when All Nippon Airways began regular service on major international routes, taking advantage of certain deregulation measures in the industry. ANA has consistently been ranked among the safest airlines in the world and has not been involved in any serious or fatal accidents since 1971.
- Official website: All Nippon Airways
6. EMIRATES
Established in 1985, Emirates is the national carrier of the emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Emirates is among the largest and fastest-growing carriers worldwide, and one of the few airlines to operate an all-wide-body aircraft fleet. It is also the largest Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 operator on the planet. Operating from its hub at Dubai International Airport, Emirates provides an extensive network of services within the Middle East as well as to Africa, Asia, the South Pacific, North America, Europe and South America. The airline also has an impressive safety record, with only one hull-loss accident in its 35-year history.
- Official website: Emirates
- Review: read here my review of Emirates’ First Class in an Airbus A380
- Review: read here my review of Emirates’ (new) First Class in a Boeing 777
- Review: read here my review of Emirates’ (old) First Class in a Boeing 777
- Review: read here my review of Emirates’ Business Class in an Airbus A380
- Review: read here my review of Emirates’ (new) Business Class in a Boeing 777
- Review: read here my review of Emirates’ (old) Business Class in a Boeing 777
5. QATAR AIRWAYS
Since its launch in 1997, Qatar Airways has earned many accolades, becoming one of an elite group of airlines worldwide to have earned a 5-star rating by Skytrax. Qatar’s flagship carrier serves 150 international destinations across Africa, Central Asia, Europe, Far East, South Asia, Middle East, North America, South America and Oceania from its base at Hamad International Airport near Qatar’s capital Doha, using fleet of more than 180 Boeing and Airbus aircraft. As an industry leader in aviation safety, the airline has demonstrated a strong safety and security performance record. Back in 2003, it was the first airline to complete the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) audit with 100 per cent compliance.
- Official website: Qatar Airways
- Review: read here my review of Qatar Airways’s First Class in an Airbus A380.
- Review: read here my review of Qatar Airways’ QSuite Business Class in an Airbus A350.
- Review: read here my review of Qatar Airways’ Business Class in a Dreamliner.
- Review: read here my review of Qatar Airways’ Business Class in a Boeing 777.
- Review: read here my review of Qatar Airways’ Business Class in an A330.
4. ETIHAD AIRWAYS
Etihad Airways is the flag carrier and the second largest airline of the United Arab Emirates (after Emirates). Etihad, which started commercial operations in 2003, uses Abu Dhabi International Airport as its hub. The airline operates more than 1000 flights per week to over 120 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas, with a fleet of more than 120 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Etihad is also one of the ‘greenest’ airlines: the carrier announced a commitment to a minimum target of zero net carbon emissions by 2050. Etihad Airways has maintained a perfect safety record in its 17 years of flying passengers across the globe.
- Official website: Etihad Airways
- Review: read here my review of Etihad Airways’ First Class in an Airbus A380.
- Review: read here my review of Etihad Airways’ Business Class in a Boeing 787.
- Review: read here my review of Etihad Airways’ Business Class in a Boeing 777.
- Review: read here my review of Etihad Airways’ Business Class in an Airbus A330.
3. VIRGIN AUSTRALIA
Based in Brisbane, Virgin Australia is part of the Virgin Group, which also operates Virgin Atlantic, and has the largest airline by fleet size to use the Virgin brand (86 aircraft). The airline commenced operations in 2000 as Virgin Blue and was Australia’s’s first true low cost carrier. Virgin Australia has since moved away from that market and now operates a full service model, targeting higher-yielding corporate traffic, while seeking to maintain its core leisure market share and low cost base. The carruer is the second-largest airline in Australia, directly serve 32 cities in Australia, from hubs in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Since its founding, Virgin Australia has not witnessed any fatal accidents.
- Official website: Virgin Australia
2. QANTAS
Founded in the Queensland outback in 1920, Qantas is the world’s 3rd oldest airline (behind KLM and Avianca) and has grown to be Australia’s largest airline. Over its 97-year history Qantas has amassed an amazing record of firsts in safety and operations and is widely regarded as the world’s safest airline since it hasn’t suffered any fatal or hull-loss accidents in the modern jet era. Qantas’ reputation for safety gained instant world-wide fame in 1988 because of the movie Rain Man, when Dustin Hoffman’s character claimed that ‘Qantas never crashes’. Australia’s flagship carrier is based in Sydney and flies to 80 destinations in more than 20 countries, using a fleet of modern Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
1. AIR NEW ZEALAND
Founded in 1940, Air New Zealand provides passenger and cargo services to, from and within New Zealand to approximately 17 million passengers a year. Based in Auckland, the airline operates a global network with 20 domestic and 32 international destinations in 20 countries, primarily around and within the Pacific Rim (Australasia and the South Pacific). Widely known for its safety culture, the airline has been a member of Star Alliance – the world’s largest global airline alliance – since 1999. Air New Zealand currently operates a fleet of Airbus A320, Airbus A320neo, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 aircraft, as well as a regional fleet of ATR 72 and Bombardier Q300 turboprop aircraft.
- Official website: Air New Zealand
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El Al should definitely be #1 here. Their airplanes quite literally have protections against missiles and a Sky Marshall is present in every flight.
Umm, no on Etihad. Etihad was in Toulouse picking an A340 and crashed it into a retaining wall. Where is Qantas?
FYI, the Top 20 from the report (and explanation of Qantas missing):
Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, SAS, Qantas, Alaska Airlines, EVA Air, Virgin Australia/Atlantic, Cathay Pacific Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, American Airlines, Lufthansa/Swiss Group, Finnair, Air France/KLM Group, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Emirates.
Qantas lost its number one ranking due to an incident at Perth Airport in 2018, where a combination of factors caused a 737 crew that had just exited runway 03 to taxi past stop bars and enter an active runway – 06 – almost colliding with another company 737 on its take-off roll. The report into that complex and serious incident was not issued till late 2020, and too late to be included in our 2021 safety rankings.
@Kenneth Beckett
Actually Qantas is on the above list. I definitely dispute Etihad. They had an incident picking up an A340 in Toulouse. The Etihad flight crew were revving up the engines with the parking brakes disabled. The aircraft went up against a concrete blast deflection wall. Nine people were injured. The aircraft was a total loss.
No reviews of Air New Zealand / New Zealand yet Luxury Travel Expert? Hopefully you’ll get a chance soon!
Just curious where’s emirates? They’re pretty safe aren’t they?
I always wonder where Ryanair falls within this category. Love it or hate it, I’m not aware of any accidents and, with the number of aircraft it has, all flying short haul and therefore with an awful lot of take-offs and landings, the most critical parts of any flight, it must be up there.
the take off sound is incredible, such a shame that this “created pandemic” by governments and it rules keep us from flying all around the world
@SebS
Emirates just had a take-off occur with the wrong flap settings which resulted in an “overspeed” situation. Happened on 12/20/2021.
Emirates should have been on this list
Finnair should definitely on the last. They have operated continuously since 1923, and they have had no fatal accidents for the last 25 years.
SAS should be out. They have had a string of hijackings and accidents since the late ’40s.
Singapore pilots crashed SQ 006, a Boeing 747-412 into the wrong runway in Taipei in 2000. That accident has been the third most serious airplane accident in Taiwan ever.
Correction on my post: Finnair should definitely be on the list of safest airlines.
Heya! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new phone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the excellent work!
Qantas has had no accidents in the modern jet era?
QF1 crash @ Bangkok 23/9/99
QF30 O2 tank explosion enroute 25/7/08
QF72 uncommanded pitch down 7/10/08
QF32 uncontained engine failure 4/11/10
Qantas has had no fatalities or hull losses (since it paid more to fix the aircraft in 1999 than it would have cost to replace it) in the modern jet era. Still a commendable safety record and better than most others – but certainly not squeaky clean as implied.
Dr. Amayun is absolutely correct about Singapore Airlines. It just should not be grouped into the same top ten as airlines that have not had hull losses or fatalities. Btw, Dr. Amayun, were you once with the World Vision Hope Initiative?
Only one I’ve gotten to travel was Alaska Airlines, as I used to live in Seattle, and it was always great- now I live in Texas and sadly don’t get the chance anymore