What are the world’s safest airlines for 2019?

By Francesca Street, CNN
3 minute read
Published 6:11 AM EST, Thu January 3, 2019
<strong>World's safest airline:</strong> <strong> </strong>AirlineRatings.com has highlighted the 20 airlines it considers the safest in the world. It says Aussie carrier Qantas is once again the world's safest.
World's safest airline: AirlineRatings.com has highlighted the 20 airlines it considers the safest in the world. It says Aussie carrier Qantas is once again the world's safest.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>Air New Zealand: </strong>The rest of the 20 airlines weren't ranked and were identified alphabetically. Air New Zealand also featured on the <a href="https://cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-safest-airlines-2018/index.html" target="_blank">2018 round-up.</a> leads the way.
Air New Zealand: The rest of the 20 airlines weren't ranked and were identified alphabetically. Air New Zealand also featured on the 2018 round-up. leads the way.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>Alaska Airlines: </strong>Alaska Airlines is one of the other airlines spotlighted by the Australia-based safety and product rating website.
Alaska Airlines: Alaska Airlines is one of the other airlines spotlighted by the Australia-based safety and product rating website.
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<strong>All Nippon Airways (ANA): </strong>Japan's largest airline ANA also features on the list. AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas says all the carriers on its list are at the forefront of safety, innovation, design and new aircraft.
All Nippon Airways (ANA): Japan's largest airline ANA also features on the list. AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas says all the carriers on its list are at the forefront of safety, innovation, design and new aircraft.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>American Airlines</strong>: When compiling the top 20, AirlineRatings considers audits from aviation's governing bodies, lead associations and governments.
American Airlines: When compiling the top 20, AirlineRatings considers audits from aviation's governing bodies, lead associations and governments.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>Austrian Airlines: </strong>Austrian Airlines also has a spot in the world's safest airlines round-up. In total, AirlineRatings uses 12 separate criteria to rank the carriers.
Austrian Airlines: Austrian Airlines also has a spot in the world's safest airlines round-up. In total, AirlineRatings uses 12 separate criteria to rank the carriers.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>British Airways:</strong> AirlineRatings also considers each carrier's crash and serious incident record, fleet age and profitability.
British Airways: AirlineRatings also considers each carrier's crash and serious incident record, fleet age and profitability.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>Cathay Pacific Airways: </strong>Asian carrier Cathay Pacific also featured in AirlineRatings.com <a href="https://cnn.com/travel/article/airline-excellence-awards-2019/index.html" target="_blank">top 10 airline "excellence" rankings in November 2018</a>. Back then, AirlineRatings said: "The airline is a byword for operational excellence."
Cathay Pacific Airways: Asian carrier Cathay Pacific also featured in AirlineRatings.com top 10 airline "excellence" rankings in November 2018. Back then, AirlineRatings said: "The airline is a byword for operational excellence."
Boeing
<strong>Emirates:</strong> Emirates is one of AirlineRatings.com's safest airlines. At the Arabian Travel Market in 2018, the <a href="https://cnn.com/travel/article/emirates-windowless-planes/index.html" target="_blank">Dubai-based airlines revealed plans to introduce windowless planes.</a>
Emirates: Emirates is one of AirlineRatings.com's safest airlines. At the Arabian Travel Market in 2018, the Dubai-based airlines revealed plans to introduce windowless planes.
Boeing
<strong>EVA Air: </strong>Taiwan's EVA Air <a href="https://cnn.com/travel/article/airline-excellence-awards-2019/index.html" target="_blank">got the number 8 spot on AirlineRatings.com's top 10 airlines for 2019</a>. The carrier also made it into AirlineRatings.com's top 20 safest airlines list.
EVA Air: Taiwan's EVA Air got the number 8 spot on AirlineRatings.com's top 10 airlines for 2019. The carrier also made it into AirlineRatings.com's top 20 safest airlines list.
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<strong>Finnair: </strong>Finnair, also on the list, is among those to have never recorded a fatality since the advent of modern passenger jets.
Finnair: Finnair, also on the list, is among those to have never recorded a fatality since the advent of modern passenger jets.
Airbus
<strong>Hawaiian Airlines:</strong> Hawaiian Airlines is another of the world's safest airlines, according to AirlineRatings.com. In 2018, the Hawaiian flagship carrier was also <a href="https://cnn.com/travel/article/most-punctual-airline-and-airports-2018/index.html" target="_blank">ranked number 3 in Travel analyst OAG's Punctuality League.</a>
Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian Airlines is another of the world's safest airlines, according to AirlineRatings.com. In 2018, the Hawaiian flagship carrier was also ranked number 3 in Travel analyst OAG's Punctuality League.
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<strong>KLM:</strong> Dutch carrier KLM is the world's oldest operating airline -- it's also one of AirlineRatings.com's safest carriers for 2019.
KLM: Dutch carrier KLM is the world's oldest operating airline -- it's also one of AirlineRatings.com's safest carriers for 2019.
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<strong>Lufthansa:</strong> German airline Lufthansa is also featured on AirlineRatings.com's ranking. The airline started 2019 <a href="https://www.airlineratings.com/news/lufthansa-seeks-5500-2019-hiring-spree/" target="_blank" target="_blank">by announcing plans to hire roughly 5,500 people.</a>
Lufthansa: German airline Lufthansa is also featured on AirlineRatings.com's ranking. The airline started 2019 by announcing plans to hire roughly 5,500 people.
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<strong>Qatar Airways: </strong>Qatar Airways is also one of the world's safest airlines, according to AirlineRatings.com
Qatar Airways: Qatar Airways is also one of the world's safest airlines, according to AirlineRatings.com
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>Scandinavian Airline System (SAS): </strong>AirlineRatings.com uses a seven-star rating system to assess the safety and in-flight product of each airline. Scandinavian airline SAS also made the top 20.
Scandinavian Airline System (SAS): AirlineRatings.com uses a seven-star rating system to assess the safety and in-flight product of each airline. Scandinavian airline SAS also made the top 20.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>Singapore Airlines: </strong>Singapore Airlines relaunched <a href="https://cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-longest-flight-live-updates/index.html" target="_blank">the world's longest flight in 2019</a> and the airline was also named as the world's best by both <a href="https://cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-best-airlines-2018/index.html" target="_blank">Skytrax</a> and <a href="https://cnn.com/travel/article/airline-excellence-awards-2019/index.html" target="_blank">AirlineRatings.com</a>
Singapore Airlines: Singapore Airlines relaunched the world's longest flight in 2019 and the airline was also named as the world's best by both Skytrax and AirlineRatings.com
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