The World's Safest Airlines in 2025: Top Legacy and Low-Cost Carriers

Joanna Teljeur

By:  Joanna Teljeur

9 minutes read

Last Updated:  June 26, 2025

Reviewed by:  Anton Radchenko

How safe is air travel these days? It might come as a surprise, but flying is still the safest way to travel. According to IATA data, there were 7 fatal accidents in 2024 in over 40 million flights, showing just how rare the events have become.

In fact, to operate, all commercial airlines must meet stringent minimum safety standards, created by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and national authorities including the FAA, EASA, and others. These standards enforce aircraft maintenance and pilot training as well as operational oversight and emergency preparedness. 

Basic Airline Safety Standards

Airlines must keep aircraft in top condition, follow strict operational safety procedures, and ensure their pilots and crew members complete comprehensive training courses. On top of that, they must have:

• An Air Operator’s Certificate 
• An IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certification. 
• A strong Safety Management Systems (SMS), with thorough aircraft maintenance checks and ongoing pilot training. 

Carriers that don’t meet these standards face operational restrictions, hefty fines, or even being put on international safety blacklists. That being said, some airlines go above and beyond these requirements, while others merely comply with them. So, how can you make this distinction?

AirAdvisor’s 2025 Safest Global Airlines

The AirAdvisor research team scrutinized over 300 airlines around the world to see which ones go beyond regulatory compliance to show long-term commitment to safety, transparency, and continuous improvement. 

All the airlines in the Top 20 have maintained spotless safety records over the past decade, with zero fatalities during that time. At the same time, they have successfully managed operational risk and invested in safety systems that go beyond the minimum standards. 

Flying has never been safer, but we believe travelers deserve clarity about which airlines are not just compliant, but truly best-in-class. Our rankings reward airlines that don’t just avoid incidents, but actively invest in the systems and culture that prevent them. - Anton Radchenko, Founder and CEO of AirAdvisor. 

Airlines excluded from this ranking are still safe, but the top airlines in this ranking have shown consistent excellence and transparency across all the evaluation criteria of this study. So, without further ado, we give you the 2025 Safest Airlines in the World.

The World’s Safest Full Service Airlines

#1 Air New Zealand: Total Score 100

Air New Zealand has ranked high as one of the world’s safest airlines, and they land the #1 position here, thanks to their 95 ICAO audit score - the highest of all full-service and low cost airlines. They also have an outstanding Safety Management System (SMS) training score of 9.5, which offsets their older average feet age of 6.7 years. 

Pilots for Air New Zealand have to pass particularly rigorous training to navigate the island’s erratic weather patterns and mountainous terrain. Plus, the airline’s strong financial standing ensures consistent investment in aircraft upgrades and maintenance. 

#2 Qantas: Total Score 99

Australia’s flag carrier, Qantas has also been universally recognized for its stellar safety record. IOSA-certified and with high scores in independent safety audits, Qantas meets one of the world’s toughest safety standards under Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Like Air New Zealand, Qantas’ pilots also undergo rigorous training, including upset recovery and high-fidelity simulator work. 

#3 Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Emirates - (3-way tie) Total Score 98

Cathay Pacific

Three carriers tie for the #3 seat, and the first is Cathay Pacific. As Hong Kong’s primary full-service airline, Cathay Pacific marries a strong operational safety record with rigorous pilot training. New pilots attend their Cadet Pilot Programme and established pilots further hone their skills at the Cathay Academy. The airline also has a high ICAO and SMS score.

Emirates

As the flag carrier for the UAE, Emirates is highly committed to excellent operational safety. They are also the world’s most profitable airline, giving them the ability to invest heavily in safety enhancements.

#4 Virgin Australia: Total Score 97 

Virgin Australia’s comprehensive Safety Management System (SMS) score of 8.9 shows their strong commitment to safety. Their relatively young fleet, which includes the Boeing 737-8, offers top of the line safety features. 

#5 Etihad Airways: Total Score 96   

Rounding out the top 5 is Etihad Airways. Their fleet age is an average of just 6.2 years, and they’ve achieved an impressive 9/10 SMS training score. With record net profits of $476 million in 2024, they can continue focusing on improving and enhancing their safety measures and performance.

The World’s Safest Low Cost Carriers

#1 HK Express: Total Score 88

Based in Hong Kong, HK Express leads the field as the safest low-cost airline. They have an excellent ICAO audit score and high marks in SMS training and financial stability. This, combined with their younger fleet and superior safety training standards puts this airline in the top position. 

#2 Jetstar Group, Scoot: (tied) Total Score 87

Tied for the #2 seat, Jetstar and Scoot are practically equal when it comes to SMS training scores and hardy ICAO audit scores of 92 and 93 respectively. While Singapore’s Scoot has a slightly younger fleet, Jetstar adheres to the same safety excellence as its parent airline, Qantas.

Jetstar Group 

• ICAO Audit Score: 92
• Fleet Age (years): 8
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 9
• Financial Stability: 9

Scoot 

• ICAO Audit Score: 93
• Fleet Age (years): 7.8
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 9
• Financial Stability: 9

#3 flyDubai, ZIPAIR: (tied) Total Score 86

In a tie for the #3 position, flyDubai and Japan’s ZIPAIR both have an impressive ICAO audit score. flyDubai edges ahead with superior financial stability and benefits from Dubai’s tough regulations and aviation infrastructure. ZIPAIR has a slightly older fleet but continues to climb the ranks of airline safety.

FlyDubai

• ICAO Audit Score: 90
• Fleet Age (years): 7.8
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.9
• Financial Stability: 9

ZIPAIR   

• ICAO Audit Score: 89
• Fleet Age (years): 8.8
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.7
• Financial Stability: 8.7

#4 easyJet, AirAsia, IndiGo, VietJet Air, AirBaltic, Iberia Express: (6-way tie) Total Score: 84

In this 6-way tie for #4, easyjet comes out in the lead with the highest ICAO audit score of the group offset by having the oldest fleet of the 6 airlines. Malaysia’s AirAsia and India’s IndiGo both have balanced performance in their audit and training scores, while Vietnam’s VietJet and Latvia’s AirBaltic both show solid safety performance. And Iberia Express rounds out this group, matching AirBaltic’s ICAO audit score.

easyJet 

• ICAO Audit Score: 91
• Fleet Age (years): 10.5
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.9
• Financial Stability: 8.8

AirAsia

• ICAO Audit Score: 88
• Fleet Age (years): 9
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.8
• Financial Stability: 8.6

IndiGo 

• ICAO Audit Score: 88
• Fleet Age (years): 9
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.7
• Financial Stability: 8.6

VietJet 

• ICAO Audit Score: 87
• Fleet Age (years): 8.8
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.6
• Financial Stability: 8.4

AirBaltic 

• ICAO Audit Score: 89
• Fleet Age (years): 9.5
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.6
• Financial Stability: 8.5

Iberia Express 

• ICAO Audit Score: 89
• Fleet Age (years): 9
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.5
• Financial Stability: 8.4

#5 Ryanair: Total Score 83

Rounding out the safest low-cost airlines, Ryanair has the oldest fleet of all the LCCs, but they balance this by maintaining a very high ICAO audit score. Ryanair also has one of the highest passenger volumes in Europe, so even though its financial stability score isn’t the highest, they have the financial momentum to continue investing in the safety of their fleet and crew. 

• ICAO Audit Score: 90
• Fleet Age (years): 11
• SMS Training Score (out of 10): 8.8
• Financial Stability: 8.7

Methodology: A multi-criteria, evidence-based approach

This ranking evaluates the world’s safest full-service (flag) and low-cost carriers using a multi-criteria, evidence-based methodology. The goal is to identify airlines with not only a flawless recent safety record, but also industry-leading practices in risk management, training, and regulatory compliance.

Each airline’s AirAdvisor Safety Score (out of 100) is based on the following weighted criteria:

1. Safety Record (35%)

Airlines must have zero fatal accidents, hull-loss incidents, or serious onboard injuries over the past 10 years. This is a binary score: any disqualifying event results in exclusion.

Data sources: Aviation Safety Network (ASN), ICAO, IATA, FAA, EASA, CASA.

2. Certification & Audit Performance (25%)

This category combines IOSA certification status with ICAO USOAP audit results, focusing on airworthiness, flight operations, and accident investigation. Absence from international safety watchlists is also required.

Metric: ICAO audit score (scaled) and IOSA presence.

3. Operational Safety Systems (15%)

Assesses the presence and maturity of internal Safety Management Systems (SMS), including internal audits, LOSA programs, and voluntary incident reporting.

Metric: Scored from 0 to 10.

4. Fleet Age and Maintenance (10%)

Airlines operating newer, modern fleets score higher. Compliance with manufacturer maintenance directives and proactive MRO practices are factored in.

Metric: Fleet age (inverted and normalized).

5. Pilot Training & Safety Culture (10%)

Evaluates simulator use, CRM programs, upset recovery training, and documented safety culture from audits and regulatory reviews.

Metric: Scored from 0 to 10.

6. Financial and Operational Stability (5%)

Stable airlines are less likely to compromise on safety. Scoring considers IATA membership, financial continuity, and avoidance of restructuring or grounding.

Metric: Scored from 0 to 10.

All data points were cross-verified with at least two independent sources, including IATA, ICAO USOAP, ASN, Cirium, FlightGlobal, Planespotters, national regulators, and airline-disclosed documentation. Airlines with withheld or incomplete audit data, or those listed on safety watchlists, were excluded or penalized.

Author:

Joanna Teljeur

Job/Position: Editor, Senior Writer

Joanna is a writer, editor, and consumer rights advocate.

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