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Aviation is all about safety. Building upon lessons learned from over a century of flight, airlines, manufacturers, and regulators have developed a system that centers around minimizing risk through layers of redundancy, emphasizing that risk will always exist in certain areas, and highlighting the importance of the human factor. With the current safety system in place, flying has now become by far the safest method of travel. What’s more, it’s safe no matter which airline or aircraft you fly on.
There are, of course, exceptions, with some airlines operating with questionable practices, but these are relatively few and far between. Meanwhile, among the world’s largest and most reputable airlines today, each is as safe as the other. Throughout time, however, there has been a collection of airlines that have established exceptionally clean safety records, even if today, you’d be just as safe flying on any large network carrier. These are the five airlines with the most notable safety records over the decades.
5
Hong Kong-Based Cathay Pacific
Over 50 Years Since Its Last Fatal Accident
Cathay Pacific is the famed flag carrier of Hong Kong. Not only is the carrier renowned for the exceptional quality of its onboard product and onboard service, but it’s also one of the world’s safest airlines. Cathay Pacific has a modern, well-maintained fleet of aircraft and a strong safety culture. Its most recent accident was in 2010, when an Airbus A330-300 landed at nearly twice its standard speed due to engine issues. This accident was attributed to fuel contamination, and everyone onboard evacuated safely, while the aircraft was repaired and subsequently reentered service.
The carrier’s last fatal accident was in 1972. Cathay Pacific flight 700Z was operating from Singapore to Hong Kong with a stopover in Bangkok on June 15, 1972, when air traffic controllers lost contact with the jet over South Vietnam. It was discovered that a bomb had been placed inside the cabin of the Convair 880 operating the route, but unfortunately, there was insufficient evidence for a conviction. Cathay Pacific had also experienced a handful of fatal accidents during the age of the piston-powered airliner, and one of its Convair 880s overran the runway at Kai Tak Airport in 1967, killing one person.
Cathay Pacific operates all routes out of 
Hong Kong International Airport and is a founding member of oneworld. Including its cargo division, Cathay Pacific operates scheduled services to 82 destinations in 30 nations across four continents. The carrier’s largest fleet is its Boeing 777 fleet, made up of 17 777-300s for regional routes, along with 35 777-300ERs. In addition, Cathay Pacific operates 48 Airbus A350s, consisting of 30 A350-900s and 18 A350-1000s, 43 Airbus A330-300s, along with 16 Airbus A321neos. In addition, Cathay Pacific operates 20 Boeing 747 freighters.
4
British Low-Cost Carrier EasyJet
No Accidents In 31 Years Of Operation
EasyJet is Europe’s fifth-largest airline group, behind Ryanair, Lufthansa Group, International Airlines Group, and Air France-KLM. While it’s the youngest carrier on this list, it has a nearly spotless record. This is also true of many budget airlines, as, despite some misinformed memes about how low prices mean shortcuts in safety, large budget airlines worldwide tend to have strong safety cultures and rigorous procedures. In addition, most low-cost carriers are fairly young, meaning that they inherently have cleaner safety records.
While EasyJet, like any airline, has its fair share of minor incidents, the only major incident occurred in 2006, when an Airbus A319 en route from Alicante to Bristol experienced a major electrical failure. This rendered several of the aircraft’s systems inoperative, including the radio, autopilot computers, transponder, ECAM, TCAS, and certain flight instrument displays. The aircraft ended up being involved in a near miss with an American Airlines Boeing 777 and was unable to communicate with air traffic controllers, but was later able to squawk 7700 and land safely in Bristol.
EasyJet is a multinational airline and package holiday group headquartered in the United Kingdom. The group currently operates EasyJet UK, EasyJet Europe, EasyJet Switzerland, and EasyJet Holidays. As a whole, the group’s airlines operate over 350 aircraft, exclusively made up of variants of the Airbus A320 family. EasyJet bases these aircraft across 29 airports throughout Europe, with its largest base being London Gatwick Airport. The carrier has grown into one of Europe’s largest low-cost airlines and is best known for its distinctive orange color brand.
3
English Long-Haul Airline Virgin Atlantic
No Hull Losses In 42 Years Of Operation
Virgin Atlantic is the fierce rival to British Airways, but while British Airways is a large network carrier with a substantial domestic and European network in addition to its long-distance routes, Virgin Atlantic only flies long-haul routes. It has an all-widebody fleet of 43 aircraft, whereas British Airways operates more than 270 planes, meaning that Virgin Atlantic punches well above its weight regarding its impact on the UK market. Passengers enjoy flying with Virgin Atlantic, and it also boasts an impressive safety record.
Virgin Atlantic commenced operations in 1984, and to date, the airline has never lost an aircraft in an accident. The most serious accident involving a Virgin Atlantic aircraft occurred in 1997, when the left main landing gear on a London-bound Airbus A340-300 failed to deploy. The aircraft landed at Heathrow Airport’s runway 27L and sustained damage to three out of its four engines, while also damaging the runway, airport lighting, and the right main landing gear. However, the aircraft was safely evacuated with only a handful of minor injuries, and the aircraft was repaired.
Virgin Atlantic operates long-distance services from its primary hub at London Heathrow Airport and its secondary hub at Manchester Airport. Currently, it operates a relatively young fleet consisting of the Airbus A330-300, Airbus A330-900, Airbus A350-1000, and Boeing 787-9. In total, the SkyTeam member serves 22 destinations located in North America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, with most services originating from Heathrow.
Challenger 600 Wing Design Faces Scrutiny After Bangor Crash
The aircraft is particularly susceptible to wing contamination during icy conditions.
2
Qantas, The Spirit Of Australia
No Fatal Accidents Involving Jet Airliners
Qantas is actively promoted as being one of, if not the safest, airline in the world, and the carrier’s safety record is a point of national pride for Australians. Qantas maintains a rigorous safety culture with high standards for flight crews, along with thorough maintenance practices. Qantas is essentially training its staff and following the same procedures as other reputable airlines, but it’s unique that the carrier hasn’t experienced a hull loss in over 65 years, whereas its last fatal accident was nearly 75 years ago.
Although Qantas hasn’t experienced a fatal accident or a hull loss since jets became widespread, it still has experienced its fair share of incidents and less serious accidents, even in the 21st century. In 2008, a Boeing 747 experienced an explosive decompression. Later that same year, an Airbus A330 experienced a computer failure, leading to uncommanded pitch-down maneuvers. In 2010, an Airbus A380 suffered an uncontained engine failure that damaged several aircraft systems.
In all three cases, the pilots made a safe emergency landing, and injured passengers were successfully treated. In addition, the aircraft were repaired and reentered service. Qantas currently operates over 130 aircraft, consisting of the Airbus A321XLR, the Airbus A330, the Airbus A380, the Boeing 737, and the Boeing 787. Meanwhile, Qantas operates a majority of its flights out of its hubs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, while operating focus cities in Adelaide, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, and Hobart.
1
Hawaiian Airlines (Now Part Of Alaska Airlines)
No Fatal Accidents In 96 Years Of Operations
Hawaiian Airlines is now a brand name rather than an actual independent airline, as Hawaiian-branded flights are now officially operated by Alaska Airlines. The Hawaiian Airlines name, however, is a storied airline that dates back to 1929. Hawaiian Airlines has never experienced a fatal accident or a hull loss, and it is the world’s oldest airline to have never experienced either, hence why it has made the top of the list.
The most noteworthy incidents involving Hawaiian Airlines include a 2000 runway overrun by a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, an engine fire onboard a Boeing 717 that was extinguished after an emergency landing in 2025, cabin smoke prompting an Airbus A321neo to divert in 2019, and severe turbulence striking an Airbus A330 in 2022. These incidents do occur on occasion in aviation due to the inevitable presence of some risk factors, but it’s unique that Hawaiian has maintained a spotless record despite its age, given that aircraft crashes were far more common in the early 20th century.
Hawaiian Airlines primarily operates out of Honolulu, and also operates a secondary hub in Maui. Its fleet is made up of 75 aircraft, comprised of the Airbus A321neo, the Airbus A330, the Boeing 717, and the Boeing 787. The 787s are to be transferred to Alaska Airlines, and Alaska is also looking into replacing the Boeing 717 fleet. In addition, the future of the A321neo fleet is in limbo, with Alaska’s CFO recently noting that the carrier will either boost the size of the fleet or get rid of it entirely.
