Flying with a low-cost airline does not mean giving up safety. On the contrary. In the European Airline Safety Index 2026, published by AirAdvisor, three of the top five positions are occupied precisely by low-cost carriers. A result that narrows the gap, at least in terms of safety, between budget airlines and traditional ones.
Twenty of the leading European operators were scrutinized, ten low-cost and ten traditional carriers. AirAdvisor rebuilt their safety profile by examining the period from 2016 to 2025. Ten years of activity, therefore, for a ranking that aims to go beyond individual incidents and assess how airlines manage risk over time. Incidents remain the decisive factor and account for 40% of the final score. But they are not the only element that makes a difference. Certifications, the checks carriers undergo, and the procedures adopted in daily operations also matter. The age and characteristics of the aircraft, pilot training, and the financial strength of the companies also enter into the evaluation.
Selection began from EUROCONTROL data on flights operated in 2025, considering airlines with a significant presence in the European market and a sufficiently continuous activity over the past decade. Each was assigned a score on a 100-point scale. The standout finding is that the low-cost model does not appear to suffer any safety disadvantages, quite the contrary.
Aegean Airlines is the safest airline
Claiming the top spot is the Greek carrier Aegean Airlines, which takes first place with a record of 89 points out of 100 in the European Airline Safety Index 2026 by AirAdvisor. Across the ten-year period studied, from 2016 to 2025, there were no incidents, earning a safety history score of 40 out of 40. The lead, however, is not solely due to the lack of incidents: the group scores 13 out of 15 for operational safety management and 9 out of 10 for fleet assessment. We can thus say that there isn’t a single factor pushing the Greek airline to the top; the result stems from a blend of details that enabled the company to enter the ranks of Europe’s major honored operators.
The top 10 safest airlines of 2026
Behind Aegean Airlines sits Ryanair, first among low-cost carriers, with 86 points. The Irish carrier stands out for its safety history and its flight-operation monitoring systems. Third place goes to Austrian Airlines, which reaches 85.5 points. The fourth and fifth positions are held respectively by Norwegian, with 85 points, and SunExpress, with 84.5. The next three airlines share sixth place: Air France, British Airways, and Iberia, all on 83.5 points. The top 10 closes with Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, both at 83 points and tied for ninth.
The ranking of the safest airlines according to the European Airline Safety Index 2026:
- Aegean Airlines (89 points);
- Ryanair (86 points);
- Austrian Airlines (85.5 points);
- Norwegian (85 points);
- SunExpress (84.5 points);
- Air France (83.5 points);
- British Airways (83.5 points);
- Iberia (83.5 points);
- Turkish Airlines (83 points);
- Lufthansa (83 points).
