The safest airlines to fly in 2021

Qantas has once again topped the annual list of the world’s safest airlines.

Airlineratings.com monitors 385 airlines throughout the year. The website ranks the top 20 safest airlines and Ten Safest Low-Cost Airlines based on: 

• crash and serious injury records
• audits from government and industry bodies
• industry-leading safety initiatives
• fleet age

“Over its 100-year history, Qantas has amassed a truly amazing record of firsts in operations and safety and is now accepted as the industry’s most experienced airline,” AirlineRatings.com editors said. 

This year, the editors also ranked the world’s top 20 COVID-compliant airlines.

The top 20 safest airlines 2021

1. Qantas
2. Qatar Airways
3. Air New Zealand
4. Singapore Airlines
5. Emirates
6. EVA Air
7. Etihad Airways
8. Alaska Airlines
9. Cathay Pacific Airways
10. British Airways
11. Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic
12. Hawaiian Airlines
13. Southwest Airlines
14. Delta Air Lines
15. American Airlines
16. SAS
17. Finnair
18. Lufthansa
19. KLM
20. United Airlines

Airlineratings.com editor Geoffrey Thomas said the top airlines were known for innovation, safety and launching new aircraft. 

“In fact, there is very little between the top 20, they are all standouts,” Thomas said. 

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Top 20 COVID-safe airlines

For the first time in history, Airlineratings.com also listed the top 20 airlines for COVID-19 compliance. 

Each of the airlines on the list has “gone above and beyond” to protect passengers and make travel flexible.

“For instance, Qatar Airways has provided face shields as well as masks and Emirates introduce COVID-19 health insurance and an individual health kit,” Thomas said. 

The website surveyed 430 airlines for COVID-19 compliance found many had changed their policies to achieve the highest ranking.

“Now 119 airlines achieve the highest COVID-19 rating of seven stars but it is disappointing to see that 117 get a zero for compliance, or have no information for the public on their COVID policies on their website,” Thomas said.

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia did not make the list, which is in alphabetical order.

• Air Baltic
• Air New Zealand
• Alaska Airlines
• All Nippon Airways
• AirAsia
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific Airways
• Delta Air Lines, Emirates
• Etihad Airways
• Eva Air
• Japan Airlines
• Jetblue
• KLM
• Korean Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Singapore Airlines
• Southwest
• Qatar Airways
• Westjet

Top 10 Safest Low-Cost Airlines for 2021

The website also listed the 10 safest low-cost airlines, in recognition that budget travel should also be safe. 

In alphabetical order they are:

• Air Arabia
• Allegiant
• easyjet
• Frontier
• Jetstar Group
• Jetblue
• Ryanair
• Vietjet
• Westjet
• Wizz

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