89 points for Aegean — leader of the ranking
Aegean Airlines topped the new ranking with a result of 89 points out of 100. Over the period 2016−2025 the company had no accidents recorded in the study, and this significantly affected the final score.
Individual metrics for Aegean are: 5 points out of 5 for financial stability, 13 out of 15 for operational safety and 9 out of 10 for the fleet. These figures show that the leader not only avoided serious incidents but also has strong financial and technical parameters.
86 and 85,5 — close pursuers and three low-cost carriers in the top five
Ryanair scored 86 points and took second place; Austrian Airlines received 85,5 points and closed the top three. The difference in scores is small and indicates close competition among carriers at the top of the list.
Three low-cost carriers — Ryanair, Norwegian and SunExpress — made the top five. This shows that low-cost carriers on some metrics are not inferior to traditional carriers and can compete on safety levels.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Study period | 2016−2025 years |
| Number of airlines in the ranking | 20 (10 low-cost and 10 traditional) |
| Average score of low-cost carriers | 79,2 |
| Average score of traditional carriers | 82,8 |
| Fleet score of low-cost carriers | 7,8 of 10 |
| Fleet score of traditional carriers | 7,1 of 10 |
| Maximum fleet scores | Wizz Air and Pegasus received 10 |
2016−2025 and methodology — what was compared
The European Airline Safety Index 2026 ranking was prepared by AirAdvisor based on data for 2016−2025. The sample included the 10 largest low-cost and 10 largest traditional carriers operating in Europe; size was determined by flight volume in 2025 according to Eurocontrol.
Airlines were evaluated across six criteria with different weights. AirAdvisor stresses that the ranking is comparative and should not be interpreted as a definitive judgement of whether a specific company is safe or unsafe. In particular, aircraft age by itself is not decisive, and proper maintenance allows older aircraft to be operated for a long time.
What matters for the Ukrainian passenger
For Ukrainians, the results of such a ranking have practical significance because of currency expenses on tickets and labour market opportunities in aviation. Competition between low-cost and traditional carriers affects prices and flight frequency, which is felt directly by passengers and businesses.
Incidentally, Finance.ua reminds that it offers travel insurance online at favourable prices; the policy is valid worldwide and can serve as an additional layer of protection during trips.
