Etihad had been named the world’s safest full-service airline for 2026 by AirlineRatings.com, the first time a Gulf carrier has taken out top spot.
AirlineRatings.com ceo Sharon Petersen says there was a combination of factors that saw the carrier claim the crown, including its young fleet, advancements in cockpit safety (particularly around turbulence), a crash-free history, and the lowest incident rate per flight of any airline on the list. 
“The airline also participated in our independent onboard safety audit and demonstrated excellent adherence to turbulence management in the cabin,” she adds.
Sitting in second was Cathay Pacific, while Qantas, Qatar Airways and Emirates made the top five. Our national carrier Air New Zealand sat in sixth.
Singapore Airlines was seventh, returning to the list after not making it in 2025 due to its serious turbulence-related incident, with EVA Air, Virgin Australia and Korean Air rounding out the top 10.
Honourable mentions go to STARLUX (11th) and Fiji Airways (25th), which both made the list for the first time this year.
Peterson says that while AirlineRatings.com generally would not include a relatively young airline such as the Taiwanese STARLUX, she says its approach to safety and transparency is exceptional.
. . . Low Cost Carriers
HK Express claimed the top spot for low-cost carriers for a second time, with AirlineRatings.com attributing this to its modern fleet, exceptionally low incident rate, and an ‘almost flawless’ onboard safety audit.
It was followed by Jetstar Airways, Scoot, flydubai and EasyJet Group, with Southwest, airBaltic, VietJet Air, Wizz Air Group and AirAsia Group rounding out the top 10.
Peterson notes that while every airline featured in the 2026 list has recorded incidents over the past two years, from tail strikes to on-board fires and engine shutdowns, the actual incident rate per f light sits between 0.002 and 0.09 across the airlines.
This, she says, is a true credit to the industry as a whole. See HERE.
