These UAE Airlines Are Among the Safest in the World for 2025

Several UAE airlines have once again earned top spots in global safety rankings for both full-service and low-cost carriers.

The rankings, released by AirlineRatings.com, evaluated 385 full-service and budget carriers based on various criteria, including fleet age, pilot skill, safety practices, fleet size, and the number of incidents. Airlines were also assessed on serious incidents over two years, incident rates, fatalities, profitability, IOSA certification, ICAO audit compliance, and pilot training. Financial instability or fault in crashes disqualified carriers from consideration, while effective incident handling improved safety profiles.

Fan-favourite Emirates tied for third place on the 2025 list of the safest full-service airlines, alongside Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific, while Etihad Airways secured fifth place. The top three positions were claimed by Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Virgin Australia.

In the budget airline category, Flydubai and Air Arabia were recognized among the 25 safest low-cost carriers worldwide.