Amid frequent media coverage of aviation accidents, worries over air travel safety have grown more prominent.
Should you ever question the safety of your upcoming flight, there's a useful study available that can help eliminate uncertainty from your travel plans.
AirlineRatings, an airline A review platform has just unveiled its yearly list of the world’s safest airlines. The ranking highlights the top 25 airline companies, determined through various criteria aimed at boosting traveler confidence during flights.
In 2025, the title of the world's safest airline went to... Air New Zealand For the consecutive second year running. The New Zealand-based carrier frequently competes with its Australian counterpart, Qantas, for first place, claiming victory in both 2024 and 2022.
In the 2025 ranking of the world’s safest airlines, the first 11 positions are largely held by carriers from the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. However, European airlines also performed well, securing seven spots among the top 25.
Which European airlines are considered the most secure for air travel in 2025?
Turkish Airlines, Straddling the markets of Europe and Asia, [Airline Name] holds the title of the safest airline in Europe. The carrier ranked 13th globally and received a prestigious seven-star rating from the review platform.
Although Turkish Airlines flies to more destinations than any other carrier globally, the airline has not experienced a deadly crash since 2009, when one of its Boeing 737 aircraft went down during landing at Amsterdam. Schiphol Airport Nine individuals lost their lives due to the collision, yet 126 others lived through it.
In the past year, Turkish Airlines garnered accolades for both its inflight dining experience and entertainment offerings, earning a 'World Class' designation from the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX). Additionally, the airline was recognized as the 'Best Airline In Europe' by Skytrax.
TAP Portugal secured 14th position in the rankings, earning recognition as the second safest airline in Europe. The carrier has maintained an unbroken record without losing a single passenger since 1977 and frequently offers programs designed for people afraid of flying through collaboration with the Unidade de Cuidados Integrados de Saúde (UCS).
A group of European airlines filled the lower portion of the rankings. They appeared in this sequence: SAS (16th place), British Airways (17th), Iberia (18th), Finnair (19th), and the Lufthansa Group, which incorporates SWISS as well (20th).
For Iberia, this has been a transformative year marked by significant recognition and awards for the... best on-time performance Best airline crew and exceptional inflight dining experience. This marks the inaugural occasion that Iberia has appeared among the world's top 25 safest airlines.
Which budget airline companies operating in Europe have the strongest safety records?
AirlineRatings evaluates budget airlines independently from traditional full-service operators, with European carriers performing exceptionally well in the 2025 rankings.
Leading the list is the giant budget airline Ryanair which secured third position worldwide and stood out as Europe’s most secure low-cost carrier. Throughout its four-decade existence, the airline has maintained a record without any deadly incidents, emphasizing that it "remains committed to placing the safety and protection of employees and passengers at the forefront."
Following closely behind was easyJet A United Kingdom-based airline, it ranked fourth worldwide, which positions it as Europe’s second-safest budget carrier. Similar to Ryanair, it has maintained an incident-free record over its three decades of operation.
We treat our responsibilities for security and safety with utmost seriousness," states easyJet. "Each of our aircraft receives thorough inspections before every flight and also goes through routine maintenance checks regularly. The airline’s cabin staff receive comprehensive training aimed at assisting passengers throughout their journey.
Ranked further below at number 7 worldwide, Wizz Air It established itself as the third-safest budget carrier in Europe. Once more, considering it’s a fairly new airline, it has an unbroken safety record with no passenger fatalities and operates a modern fleet of Airbus planes, each less than five years old on average.
Other budget-friendly carriers featured among the globe’s 25 safest affordable airlines included Norwegian (ranked 12th), Vueling (13th), Jet2 (14th), Eurowings (20th), with airBaltic making the list right at number 25.
Neither Jet2 Neither airBaltic nor others appeared in the top 25 of earlier rankings.
Jet2, a British leisure airline, climbed the ranks due to favorable feedback from passengers and outstanding customer support. The airline also maintains an impressive safety record, having avoided fatalities and experiencing only rare, mostly minor incidents.
For Latvian For airBaltic, earning a place among the world’s top 25 safest budget carriers marked a significant achievement.
Safety is, and will continue to be, our utmost concern at airBaltic," states CEO Martin Gauss. "Our committed teams strive relentlessly to provide a secure and pleasant journey for both our cabin staff and travellers. Receiving recognition of this magnitude affirms our dedication to achieving the highest standards.
What criteria are used to evaluate the safety of airlines?
AirlineRatings evaluates airlines using various data criteria and enhances its assessments through discussions with pilots and industry specialists.
The report mainly examines individual characteristics of airlines to evaluate their safety standards. This involves looking at factors such as the average age of an airline’s fleet, how many aircraft it operates, the quality of pilot training programs offered, and the frequency of past incidents recorded.
AirlineRatings intriguingly takes into account airline profitability as part of its assessment—an aspect not typically associated with safety. Yet, carriers facing financial difficulties might cut back on spending for crew training, aircraft upkeep, and upgrades, potentially compromising their overall level of operational safety.
The ranking additionally takes into account if the airline originates from a country that has successfully undergone the ICAO Country Validation, referred to as the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP). Through this validation process, ICAO evaluates how effectively safety supervision is implemented within the state and ensures adherence to established standards.
Lastly, it evaluates whether the airline has successfully completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), which serves as an international benchmark for assessing airlines' operational safety standards.