Safest airlines in the world 2024: Top 25 carriers are 'standouts in the industry' for safety - see full list

New analysis has unveiled the safest airlines in the world with 2023’s number one slipping down to second place in this year’s results. Australian-based company AirlineRatings.com publishes its list of the world's safest airlines annually.

The airline safety and product rating review website assesses the flight records of 385 carriers, as well as account audits from aviation governing bodies, crash and serious incident records, safety initiatives, pilot training, fleet age and more. The results found that Air New Zealand is now the safest airline in the world.

Last year's number one airline, Qantas, has now slipped to the number two slot. The website said the margin between Air New Zealand and Qantas was “incredibly close”.

Air New Zealand was previously named the world's safest airline in 2022, while Qantas nabbed the top spot last year and in 2021. Since 2013, Air New Zealand has been named the safest carrier in the world seven times. AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas said Air New Zealand “has a firm focus on safety and has excelled across the broad safety spectrum right down to the smallest detail”.

British Airways comes 15th, up two spots from last year's 17th place while Alaska Airlines took the number 10 spot. The ranking was decided before the incident on 5 January which saw a door plug blowout of an Alaska Airlines flight shortly after take off.

American carriers were strong overall with many making the top 25 list for the safest airlines in the world. However, Delta Air Lines, which was number 20 in 2023, has dropped out of the top 25 this year. 

Which airlines are classed as the safest?

Listed are the top 25 safest airlines in the world according to AirlineRatings.com.

1. Air New Zealand  
2. Qantas 
3. Virgin Australia
4. Etihad Airways
5. Qatar Airways 
6. Emirates
7. All Nippon Airways 
8. Finnair
9. Cathay Pacific Airways
10. Alaska Airlines
11. SAS
12. Korean Air 
13. Singapore Airlines
14. EVA Air
15. British Airways 
16. Turkish Airlines 
17. TAP Air Portugal 
18. Lufthansa/Swiss Group
19. KLM
20. Japan Airlines 
21. Hawaiian Airlines
22. American Airlines
23. Air France
24. Air Canada Group
25. United Airlines

Editor Geoffrey Thomas added that “the safety margins between the top 25 airlines are very small”. He said: “Our top 25 safest airlines are all standouts in the industry.”