The Safest Airlines in the US Ranked for 2026

When you're 35,000 feet in the air, the most important thing isn't the legroom or the in-flight movie-it?s the trust you place in the cockpit. While the U.S. remains a global leader in aviation, not every carrier is created equal when searching for the safest airlines to fly. As we fly into 2026, we?ve crunched the data to find the safest flights in US airspace that go beyond the basics. From flawless maintenance records to elite pilot training, here are the top 10 safest airlines in US history and current rankings that offer the one thing money can't buy: total peace of mind.

This is a complete guide to the safest airlines in us, how these ratings are calculated, and how we will equip you with tools to check the safety records on your own.

Top 10 Safest Airlines in the US to Fly on in 2026

When choosing a carrier, the price of the ticket is not the only consideration; it is a question of peace of mind. In the case of 2026, some airlines in the US have stood out with strict safety inspection procedures and a clean operations history. The following is the breakdown of the best performers:

#1. Alaska Airlines:

Alaska Airlines has not had a single accident in 2024, though the same cannot be said about 2023; the only accident they had was on August 20, 2023. Flight 1288, Seattle to Santa Ana, an accident happened whenthe landing gear pierced the wing of the plane. No doubt that this was a scary experience with sparks flying due to the damage, and the passengers experienced a definite hard landing. Luckily, there were no fatalities ? it was just the plane that experienced substantial damage and was likely related to Tropical Storm Hilary. The last accident of Alaska Airlines that we have to go way back to is December 26, 2005. The incident involved ground damage and was also non-fatal.

• Fleet Age & Modernization: Alaska is modernizing at a high rate which has an average age of about 9 years. They have completely adopted the Boeing 737 MAX family and also recently launched the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on long-haul flights they use, with the carbon-composite airframe and sophisticated sensor suites to cut down on mechanical load.
• Incident-to-Flight Ratio: Despite the 2024 door-plug, Alaska has one of the lowest incident rates per flight in the US; they have a 2026 incident rate that is 3.4 times lower than the average of the top 5 airlines in the US.
• Turbulence Prevention: They are a key member of IATA?s "Turbulence Aware" program, using real-time automated data sharing to help pilots steer clear of rough air before they even reach it.
• Training & Audit Ratings: Consistently earns a 7/7 safety rating from AirlineRatings.com and has successfully maintained its IOSA certification for over two decades.

#2. Hawaiian Airlines:

The Hawaiian Airlines has a history of zero passenger casualties in the jet age known due to its tremendous long term record. The trans-Pacific routes have given them a specialized interest and therefore their pilots have one of the most experienced pilots in over-water routes. In 2023 and 2024, there were no accidents among Hawaiian Airlines either. The last accident that happened to them was on September 23, 2021, when they struck a tail during landing. It is not a fatal accident, but the damage to the plane. This good record is certainly nice to know, as Hawaiian has so many other positives. Being one of the biggest carriers in the world, American has spent billions of dollars on updating its fleet. They are ranked 2025 with good scores in International Air Transport Association (IATA) safety audits.

• Fleet Age & Modernization: Now integrated with Alaska Air Group, Hawaiian?s long-haul fleet is headlined by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which features specialized "gust suppression" technology to handle Pacific air currents.
• Incident-to-Flight Ratio: Historically one of the safest airlines in the world, Hawaiian has never lost a passenger to a jet accident in its 90+ year history, a record it maintains through 2026.
• Turbulence Prevention: Hawaiian uses AI-driven flight path optimization specifically designed for "Clear Air Turbulence" (CAT) often found on long-haul oceanic routes.
• Training & Audit Ratings: Holds a 7-star safety rating and is renowned for its rigorous over-water emergency training simulations.

#3. American Airlines:

Another of the accident-free airlines in both years, you don?t have to go nearly as far back to find American Airlines? most recent accident. It happened on March 21, 2020, and it was caused by a tail strike during the landing of the plane. There were no deaths, however the plane was severely damaged. Unless you are familiar with the term, a tail strike, which is slightly self-explanatory, occurs when the empennage (the stabilizing structures at the tail of an aircraft) or the tail itself strikes the ground or an immobile object. Keep this term in mind as it is to be mentioned once again! It is pleasant to learn that American Airlines has a fabulous safety track record. The airline is the biggest within the US in terms of the number of passengers, and thus there is a high probability that you will board one of their aircrafts during your journey,s or you might have already done so.

• Fleet Age & Modernization: American is one of the largest fleet owners in the world with an average age of 14 years. They greatly rely on the Boeing 787 and Airbus A321neo, which rely on the fly-by-wire precision to improve the stability of the flight.
• Incident-to-Flight Ratio: American has a Safety Management System (SMS) that has ensured their substantial rate of serious technical incidents has been kept close to zero despite the fact that they operate more than 6,000 flights per day.
• Turbulence Prevention: American has completely equipped its fleet with EDR (Eddy Dissipation Rate) sensors which enable pilots to have real time access to objective turbulence intensity maps.
• Training & Audit Ratings: The AirlineRatings Top 25 Safest Airlines list of 2026 has the company on the list fully compliant with IATA audit requirements.

#4. Delta Air Lines:

Delta Airlines had 2 notable non-fatal accidents in 2023. The first was on June 28 on flight 1092 from Atlanta to Charlotte. The plane had an issue with the nose landing gear and had to land using only the main gear and the actual nose of the plane. Remarkably, there were no injuries. On July 24, the second accident happened on a flight that was to leave Milan Malpensa Airport for JFK Airport in New York. In one hailstorm, the plane was heavily damaged, and it was forced to make an emergency landing in Rome. In an accident that was not categorized as an accident, though, since the plane had already landed, on May 6, 2024, Delta flight 604 between Cancun and Seattle experienced a frightening safety incident when a fire started in the cockpit after landing at Sea-Tac Airport. The 189 passengers were forced to abandon their personalities and rush down the evacuation chute. Although no injuries were reported, this was not the welcome home the vacationing passengers expected. Upon initial review, it is thought that the fire started due to a spark when the plane plugged into the airport?s ground power after landing.

• Fleet Age and Modernization: Delta has a Fleet Renewal program that has reduced its average age to around 12 years. They operate one of the main versions of the Airbus A350-900 that has so-called adaptive wings and change the shape during the flight to be as safe and efficient as possible.
• Incident-Flight Ratio: Delta could be mentioned as the safest in its operations, as in 2026 it has one of the lowest rates of technical diversions in the airline industry.
• Turbulence Prevention: The proprietary Flight Weather Viewer application of Delta offers pilots with a live view of the turbulence and this has greatly reduced the number of injuries that happen in-flight.
• Training & Audit Ratings: Frequently ranked as the best US airline by various safety and quality metrics, holding a perfect 7/7 rating.

#5. United Airlines:

United Airlines or UA technically has the worst results in the category of safety in 2023 and 2024, having recorded 6 various accidents. A tail strike on landing happened on a flight to Houston on March 22, 2023, flying out of Mexico City. The flight of UA702 between Newark Airport and Houston also landed hard on July 29, 2023. The flight of UA702 between Newark Airport and Houston also landed hard on July 29, 2023. The problem of a rejected takeoff due to the engine fire on a flight of United was also on September 30, 2023. Lastly (as of 2023), there was an issue with landing gears on one flight between London Heathrow and Washington-Dulles International Airport on August 3. The crew realized that there was a problem after they had taken off, and the plane remained in a holding pattern. It then flew low over the Washington-Dulles runway 19L so that the damage might be assessed. It was observed that the aircraft suffered severe damage and could safely land at Washington-Dulles Airport as opposed to heading to Heathrow.

In 2024, another 2 incidents plagued United Airlines and its passengers. A main gear collapse on March 8 led to a runway excursion, and on January 10, another tail strike occurred.

• Fleet Age & Modernization: United?s "United Next" plan has added hundreds of Boeing 787s and Airbus A321neos. In 2026, they received a record delivery of 20 new Dreamliners, replacing older 767 models with "smart" cockpit automation.
• Ratio of Incidents to Flights: United has an excellent proactive maintenance culture, which contributes to its relatively low rate of incidences, regardless of its huge size, due to its real-time engine health monitoring.
• Turbulence Prevention: United is one of the leading partners in Turbulence Aware, making their ultra-long-haul flights the most comfortable of the industry.
• Training and Audit Ratings: United has a 7 star safety record and has one of the most dynamic flight training centers in Denver.

#6. JetBlue Airways:

With a relatively young Airbus and Embraer fleet, JetBlue enjoys high safety scores due to the fleet being similarly segmented, and therefore, making it easy to follow a standardized fleet maintenance and pilot training. Accident 2023 or 2024 Report: JetBlue did have one in 2022. Its plane had struck the tail during a takeoff in Colorado at the Hayden-Yampa Valley Airport. The tail strike plane then made a takeoff but maneuvered in a hard right hand turn, and this would have been very uncomfortable to those passengers on board. The aircraft could still fly on, but to avoid any accidents, it was diverted to Denver International Airport, where the plane landed without any accidents. JetBlue is a reputable low cost airline and one of the most comfortable airlines to travel in the US, and as such, it has other strengths.

• Fleet Age/Modernization: JetBlue is modernizing at a high rate which has an average age of about 9 years. They have completely adopted the Boeing 737 MAX family and also recently launched the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on long-haul flights they use, with the carbon-composite airframe and sophisticated sensor suites to cut down on mechanical load.
• Incidents per Flight: Despite the 2024 door-plug, JetBlue has one of the lowest incident rates per flight in the US; they have a 2026 incident rate that is 3.4 times lower than the average of the top 5 airlines in the US.
• Turbulence Prevention: They are a key member of IATA?s "Turbulence Aware" program, using real-time automated data sharing to help pilots steer clear of rough air before they even reach it.
• Training & Audit Ratings: Consistently earns a 7/7 safety rating from AirlineRatings.com and has successfully maintained its IOSA certification for over two decades.

#7. Southwest Airlines:

They are also one of the airlines that have had zero recent accidents, as in the case of Southwest airlines. The last accident involving this low-cost carrier was on June 17, 2019, but it was not something that endangered the lives of passengers. This plane was hit by a catering truck which caused the accident. There would be a tremendous delay of the passengers as they would find a new plane. And when you ever had a flight delay of 3 hours or more, it will be of interest to find out whether you can receive some compensation on flight delays by the airline. Going a little bit further back, the only airline that occurred on our list and had a fatal accident is Southwest Airlines. On April 17, 2018, during a flight, a mid-air engine of a plane that was travelling between New York LaGuardia Airport and Dallas, exploded. Unfortunately, one person died, and 7 others were injured.

The last death of a passenger on a US airline was experienced in the year 2009 before this accident.

• Fleet Age & Modernization: On average, Southwest is 15 years old, and today it is in the midst of a massive upgrade to the Boeing 737 MAX 10 that is much more technologically advanced with automated safety surveillance systems than its older 737s.
• Incident-to-Flight Ratio: Southwest is also known to have a high-cycle operation, so its maintenance intervals have been streamlined to ensure that the company has the best safety record in thousands of short-hop operations.
• Turbulence Prevention: Southwest has fitted its cockpits with state-of-the-art satellite weather data, which enables pilots to see turbulence pockets in the air.
• Training & Audit Ratings: Continually scores high on its safety culture of the pilots-first and strict recurrent training.

#8. Frontier Airlines:

Being on the list of the safest budget airlines, most of the time, Frontier demonstrates that the low price does not imply low safety. They have one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in America that makes use of the newest safety technologies. Despite the fact that no incidents occurred to Frontier Airlines in 2023 or 2024, in 2022, there was an incident related to a tail strike. It happened on May 18, 2022, when the flight F9-810 landed at the Trenton-Mercer Airport. Upon landing, the plane hit the runway and nevertheless taxied to the gate without any additional problems. On December 21, 2021, another tail strike on landing happened to Frontier Airlines, which was also it was a landing accident. Although these two latest accidents, in which no lives were lost, Frontier is still a safe place in terms of air travel. And in terms of price, you can not out do this low-cost airline, which in our ranking was the best low-cost airline in the US.

• Fleet Age & Modernization: This is a relatively young fleet in the US, with the average age of the fleet at only 5 years. Frontier operates Airbus A320neo family which are fitted with a wing tip called the Sharklet which enhances stability and safety.
• Incident-to-Flight Ratio: Frontier has one of the best technical records of a low cost carrier which confirms the fact that being low cost does not equate to being low safety.
• Turbulence Prevention: Frontier has been utilizing active load alleviation technology to reduce the impact of mid-air bumps with the opportunity of the new Airbus fleet.
• Training & Audit Ratings: Proudly has a safety rating of 7/7 and is in line with all international FAA and IATA audits.

#9. Allegiant Air:

Allegiant Air has overhauled its safety culture after receiving a series of scrutiny by the federal authorities years ago. They are known to have a modernized fleet and open reporting in 2025. Allegiant Air had no accidents in 2023 and 2024, and the last accident was on March 29, 2007. It was connected to the landing gear of the plane and caused its serious damage at the cost of no deaths. It is nice to learn that even low-cost carriers of the ultra kind consider safety as very serious, and you will not have to spend a fortune to be able to have a safe flight.

• Fleet Age & Modernization: Allegiant has been able to start the transition to used aircraft and move to a modern fleet of Boeing 737 MAX jets in 2026, reducing their average fleet age to about 12 years.
• Incident-to-Flight Ratio: Since modernisation of their fleet, the incident rate of Allegiant has dropped, bringing them on equal terms with the big legacy airlines in terms of technical reliability.
• Turbulence Prevention: Their new Boeing fleet has the newest vertical weather profiles, which will ensure that pilots locate smooth pockets in the Rockies and the Midwest.
• Training & Audit Ratings: Allegiant has completed numerous safety overhauls throughout the past ten years, and currently enjoys a stable high safety rating by industry observers.

#10. Spirit Airlines:

Spirit has been experiencing financial restructuring in the recent past, but that has not affected its safety in terms of operations. The airline is under the identical stringent FAA Part 121 regulations as the legacy carriers, and it has a good streak of incidents in 2025. The last accident on a Spirit Airlines passenger flight was in 2005, and we have to travel all the way back to September 18 of those years, to be precise. It was a rough landing that led to great damage to the planes, yet not a single person was killed. This is the sole accident of this low cost carrier that has happened since 2000. It was a good safety record and completes the top 7 safest US airlines through 2025!

When you are looking for the safest flights in us, these ten carriers represent the gold standard of operational reliability and risk management.

• Fleet Age & Modernization: Spirit boasts an incredibly young fleet (average 7 years) consisting entirely of the Airbus A320neo family. These planes are equipped with the latest automated "envelope protection" to prevent pilot error.
• Incident-to-Flight Ratio: Spirit has one of the best safety records in the low-cost sector, with zero major accidents and a very low rate of serious mechanical issues per 100,000 flight hours.
• Turbulence Prevention: Spirit uses SkyPath technology, a crowdsourced turbulence platform that provides "up-to-the-minute" smoothness reports from other aircraft.
• Training & Audit Ratings: Spirit is an IOSA-registered carrier and has spent the last several years consistently achieving a 7-star safety rating.

How is Airline Safety Measured in the US?

Airline safety isn't just a matter of "luck" or "fewer headlines." It is a calculated metric derived from thousands of data points monitored by federal agencies and international bodies. In 2025, several key factors determine an airline's safety standing:

• FAA Oversight (Part 121 Compliance): All large commercial airlines of the US are covered by Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. It is the most rigid guideline and all the issues, including rest needs of pilots, to the precise rate of engine overhaul are encompassed in it.
• IOSA Certification: The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is an internationally recognized evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. It is the global benchmark for safety management.
• Incident-to-Flight Ratio: Experts look at the number of "minor" incidents (like bird strikes or sensor failures) relative to the total number of flights. A high ratio can indicate underlying maintenance or training issues.
• Fleet Age and Modernization: Older aircraft are not necessarily accident-prone as long as they are maintained. Older aircraft are fitted with more cutting-edge safety equipment, such as superior weather radar and fly-by-wire, which eliminates pilot error.
• Safety Management Systems (SMS): The FAA mandates that an SMS is in place in airlines; that is, an official, top-down strategy of handling safety risk as well as guaranteeing the efficacy of safety risk controls.

Knowing them will enable passengers to understand the reason why the safest airlines to fly to use are those that tend to invest most in infrastructure and staff.

The Safest Airlines in the US

According to recent data from AeroTime and other industry watchdogs, the landscape of safety is shifting toward data-driven prevention. In their 2025 analysis, certain airlines were highlighted not just for lack of accidents, but for their proactive safety "DNA."

• Alaska Airlines continues to have the most successful record as the leader of the US airlines in the international arena, often ranked as the sole US airline to make the top 10 in global rankings. 
• Frontier Airlines was particularly mentioned in its performance in the category of low-cost, being ranked 5th in the world in terms of its compliance with safety standards despite having a low-budget business strategy. 
• SkyWest Airlines is a regional airline, but it was noticed that it has flawless reliability in the flights that it does on behalf of other companies, such as United and Delta.

Through the emphasis on transparency, such carriers make sure that the safest airlines in us can be competitive with the most elite in Europe and Asia.

US Carriers with Recent Accidents

Although the US boasts of an unbelievable safety record, there are accidents (within the definition given by the NTSB, accidents are incidences that involve serious injury or a considerable amount of damage to the aircraft) that happen. The following is an overview of significant accidents of large US carriers in the recent 2023 2025 era:

Note: These incidents vary in cause, ranging from mechanical failure to external air traffic control factors.

To identify the safest flights in us, it is clear that sometimes it is important to look beyond these isolated cases to determine how the airline reacted and what new measures were put in place in the future.

How Can Passengers Check an Airline?s Safety Record?

As a passenger, you have to be informed of the background of the company you are entrusting your life to. There are multiple transparent methods to check in 2025 whether you are flying with the safest airlines:

As a passenger, you have the right to know the history of the company you are trusting with your life. In 2025, there are several transparent ways to verify if you are booking with the safest airlines to fly:

• NTSB Aviation Accident Database: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) maintains a searchable public database of every civil aviation accident in the United States. You can search by airline name or aircraft type.
• FAA Safety Data & Analysis: In their website FAA gives Preliminary accident and incident data regularly, which is updated nearly on a daily basis.
• AirlineRatings.com: On this site, there are 7 star safety ratings of virtually all the world airline which include audits, crash records, and fleet age.
• Aviation Safety Network (ASN): It is an independent agency that monitors the safety of flights in the world. It is a great source of searching the long-term history of a particular carrier.
• DOT Air Travel Consumer Reports: Though these dwell more on delays and baggage, they also cover reports on Animal Incident, which may sometimes reflect a general concern on the part of an airline with the details of operations.