Air New Zealand has been named the world’s safest airline for 2025, according to the latest safety rankings released by AirlineRatings.com, narrowly edging out Australian flag carrier Qantas by a margin of 1.50 points.
The annual assessment, which evaluates 385 airlines worldwide, places Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and Emirates in a three-way tie for third place, reflecting identical scores across multiple safety metrics including fleet age, pilot training, and incident rates.
“Whilst both airlines uphold the highest safety standards and pilot training, Air New Zealand continue to have a younger fleet than Qantas which separates the two,” said AirlineRatings.com CEO Sharon Petersen.
In the low-cost segment, Hong Kong Express has claimed the top position, which marks a significant shift from 2024 when Jetstar led the rankings. The Jetstar Group now holds second place, followed by Ryanair and easyJet.
Meanwhile, Filipino carrier Cebu Pacific maintained its presence among the safest budget airlines, ranking 22nd in the expanded list of 25 carriers.
The 2025 low-cost rankings showcase several notable changes, with new entrants ZipAir, Jet2, and Air Baltic joining the safety rankings. Spirit Airlines, which ranked 15th in 2024, was notably absent from this year’s list following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in November 2024.
In the full-service category, significant changes include the addition of Iberia and Vietnam Airlines, while Korean Air advanced into the top ten. Singapore Airlines and KLM, despite retaining their seven-star safety ratings, dropped from the rankings following recent incidents.
The rankings come at a crucial time for aviation safety. While historical data shows commercial aviation remains one of the safest forms of travel, with a death risk of approximately one in 13.7 million per flight between 2018 and 2022, the industry faced challenges in late 2024 with over 200 fatalities recorded in December alone.
Airlines were evaluated based on multiple criteria, including serious incidents over the past two years, fleet characteristics, incident rates, financial stability, and adherence to international safety certifications.
The assessment also considered airlines’ handling of critical situations, exemplified by the JAL flight JL-516 incident at Haneda Airport, where crew training and passenger compliance with safety protocols prevented potential casualties.
Top 25 safest full-service carriers in 2025
- Air New Zealand
- Qantas
- Cathay Pacific; Qatar Airways; Emirates
- Virgin Australia
- Etihad Airways
- ANA
- EVA Air
- Korean Air
- Alaska Airlines
- Turkish Airlines (THY)
- TAP Portugal
- Hawaiian Airlines
- American Airlines
- SAS
- British Airways
- Iberia
- Finnair
- Lufthansa/Swiss
- JAL
- Air Canada
- Delta Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines
- United Airlines
Top 25 safest low-cost carriers in 2025
- Hong Kong Express
- Jetstar Group
- Ryanair
- easyJet
- Frontier Airlines
- AirAsia
- Wizz Air
- VietJet Air
- Southwest Airlines
- Volaris
- flydubai
- Norwegian
- Vueling
- Jet2
- Sun Country Airlines
- WestJet
- JetBlue Airways
- Air Arabia
- IndiGo
- Eurowings
- Allegiant Air
- Cebu Pacific
- ZipAir
- SKY Airline
- Air Baltic
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