Air New Zealand has taken out the top spot in the latest global airline safety rankings, narrowly nudging out Qantas which came in second place.

Key Takeaways
- Air New Zealand ranked No.1 due to its younger fleet and consistent safety performance.
- Qantas was a close second, maintaining high scores across training and safety metrics.
- Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and Emirates tied for third.
- Vietnam Airlines and Iberia made their debut in the full-service top 25.
- Singapore Airlines and KLM dropped out after recent incidents.
- Spirit Airlines was excluded following financial instability.
Crucial Quote
“Only 1.50 points separated the top two airlines,” said AirlineRatings.com CEO Sharon Petersen. “Air New Zealand’s younger fleet gave it the edge over Qantas this year.”
Key Background
Air New Zealand has been named the world’s safest airline for 2025, narrowly beating Qantas by just 1.5 points, according to AirlineRatings.com’s annual review of 385 carriers. A three-way tie followed for third between Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Qatar Airways.
Among low-cost carriers, HK Express jumped to first place, followed by Jetstar and Ryanair. Spirit Airlines, which filed for Chapter 11 in late 2024, was dropped from the list entirely.
The rankings factor in fleet age, safety records, audit results, incident response, and pilot training. Airlines that fail international safety audits or face unresolved incidents are automatically excluded. While Singapore Airlines and KLM remain seven-star carriers, both dropped out this year due to recent safety events.
Big Number
385: The number of airlines reviewed to produce the 2025 safety rankings.
The Top 25 Safest Full-Service Airlines for 2025
- Air New Zealand
- Qantas
- Cathay Pacific
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Virgin Australia
- Etihad Airways
- ANA
- EVA Air
- Korean Air
- Alaska Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- TAP Portugal
- Hawaiian Airlines
- American Airlines
- SAS
- British Airways
- Iberia
- Finnair
- Lufthansa/Swiss
- JAL
- Air Canada
- Delta Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines
- United Airlines
The Top 25 Safest Low-Cost Airlines for 2025
- HK 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