Etihad leads Emirates and flydubai as UAE airlines dominate world’s safest rankings for 2026
AirlineRatings places Abu Dhabi carrier above Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Singapore Airlines
DUBAI – UAE’s premier airline Etihad Airways has been named the world’s safest full-service airline for 2026 by AirlineRatings, topping a global field of 320 carriers assessed for safety, operations and product standards.
The accolade marks the first time a Gulf airline has secured the number one position in the influential annual rankings.
The strong performance of UAE airlines was further underlined by Emirates ranking fifth globally and flydubai appearing in the Top 25 of its category.
World’s safest airlines
The AirlineRatings rankings are widely regarded as one of the aviation industry’s most closely watched safety benchmarks. For the 2026 edition, airlines were assessed using a methodology that includes incident rates adjusted for total flights, fleet age, serious incidents, pilot training standards and international safety audits. This year, greater weight was also given to turbulence prevention, the leading cause of in-flight injuries, along with airlines’ participation in the IATA Turbulence Aware programme and independent onboard safety audits.
Etihad rose to the top ahead of some of the world’s most respected carriers, including Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, ANA and British Airways. AirlineRatings said the Abu Dhabi carrier achieved the top ranking due to its young fleet, advanced cockpit safety systems, excellent turbulence management, a crash-free history and the lowest incident rate per flight among all airlines on the list. The airline also took part in an independent onboard safety audit and demonstrated strong adherence to cabin safety and turbulence procedures.
According to AirlineRatings’ 2026 list, three UAE carriers featured among the world’s five safest airlines. The overall top 10 comprised Etihad, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, Virgin Australia and Korean Air. The study covered 25 full-service airlines and 25 low-cost airlines in separate categories.
The UAE’s strong showing reflects sustained investment across its aviation sector. During the Dubai Airshow 2025 in November, Emirates, Etihad Airways and flydubai together placed orders for more than 500 commercial and cargo aircraft worth nearly Dh420 billion. These purchases focused heavily on new-generation, fuel-efficient aircraft, which also bring enhanced safety and operational performance.
Safety margins
AirlineRatings chief executive Sharon Petersen said the 2026 results show just how narrow the gap has become between the world’s safest airlines. Less than four points separated positions one through 14, while just 1.3 points covered the top six carriers. She stressed that small numerical differences should not be seen as meaningful safety gaps and that all airlines in the Top 25 are global leaders in aviation safety.
Across the list, the actual incident rate per flight ranges from 0.002 to 0.09, despite airlines having recorded events such as tail strikes, on-board fires or engine shutdowns over time. Notable new entrants this year included Starlux and Fiji Airways, while Spring Airlines China became the first Chinese carrier to appear in any AirlineRatings ranking. In the low-cost category, HK Express retained the top position, supported by a modern fleet, an exceptionally low incident rate and an almost flawless onboard safety audit.