Top 20 safest airlines in the world in 2023

Two GCC country carriers ranked in the top five world’s safest airlines

Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have both ranked in top-five slots on AirlineRatings’ list of the 20 safest airlines. They ranked in third and fourth place respectively, with Emirates following in seventh place. Australia’s Qantas took the top slot.

AirlineRatings assesses data, covering airline fleet age, pilot training assessments, carrier profitability, safety initiatives, audits from governing bodies, Covid-19 procedures and, of course, crashes over the last five years and “serious incidents” over the past two years.

GET 50% OFF CRUISES WITH NCL'S NEW YEAR CRUISE SALE

AirlineRatings editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas said: “The report highlights the standout airlines that are at the forefront of safety, innovation, and launching of new aircraft. The safety margins between the top 20 carriers is very small and all outstanding airlines."

He added: “All airlines have incidents every day, and many are aircraft or engine manufacture issues, not airline operational problems. It’s the way the flight crew handles these incidents that determines a good airline from an unsafe one.”

1. Qantas
Country: Australia
Average Fleet Age: 14 years
2022 Ranking: 7

2. Air New Zealand
Country: New Zealand
Average Fleet Age: 8.7 years
2022 Ranking: 1

3. Etihad Airways
Country: UAE
Average Fleet Age: 7.1 years
2022 Ranking: 2

4. Qatar Airways
Country: Qatar
Average Fleet Age: 8.2 years
2022 Ranking: 3

5. Singapore Airlines
Country: Singapore
Average Fleet Age: 7.1 years
2022 Ranking: 4

6. TAP Air Portugal
Country: Portugal
Average Fleet Age: 9 years
2022 Ranking: 5

7. Emirates
Country: UAE
Average Fleet Age: 9.2 years
2022 Ranking: 20

8. Alaska Airlines
Country: US
Average Fleet Age: 9 years
2022 Ranking: 8

9. EVA Air
Country: Taiwan
Average Fleet Age: 8 years
2022 Ranking: 9

10. Virgin Australia/Atlantic
Country: Australia/UK
Average Fleet Age: 23.4/6.8 years
2022 Ranking: 10

11. Cathay Pacific Airways
Country: Hong Kong
Average Fleet Age: 10.5 years
2022 Ranking: 11

12. Hawaiian Airlines
Country: US
Average Fleet Age: 11.5 years
2022 Ranking: 12

13. Scandinavian Airlines
Country: Sweden
Average Fleet Age: 8.9 years
2022 Ranking: 6

14. United Airlines
Country: US
Average Fleet Age: 16.8 years
2022 Ranking: 19

15. Lufthansa/Swiss Group
Country: Germany
Average Fleet Age: 13 years
2022 Ranking: 14

16. Finnair
Country: Finland
Average Fleet Age: 12.4 years
2022 Ranking: 15

17. British Airways
Country: UK
Average Fleet Age: 13.6 years
2022 Ranking: 17

18. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Country: Netherlands
Average Fleet Age: 13.1 years
2022 Ranking: 16

19. American Airlines
Country: US
Average Fleet Age: 12.4 years
2022 Ranking: 13

20. Delta Air Lines
Country: US
Average Fleet Age: 14.7 years
2022 Ranking: 18