It’s been a tumultuous year for air travel, from global oil markets pushing up jet-fuel prices to the partial government shutdown leading to hourslong lines at airports.
With so much stress surrounding air travel, travelers may want to know just who to rely on when it comes to flying. Headlines about tragic aviation accidents aren’t too common, but they can have a lasting impact on passengers’ sense of safety.
A WalletHub study analyzed nine major US airlines and two regional carriers across categories in safety, affordability, pet-friendliness, comfort, and reliability.
To evaluate safety, the study examined flight data from the US Department of Transportation, including the number of aviation incidents and accidents, the average fleet age, and FAA civil penalties for each airline. The data points were measured and weighted to produce a score for each airline.
These five were ranked the safest airlines in the US in 2026.
5. Alaska Airlines
With a safety score of 25.29 out of 30 on WalletHub’s analysis, Alaska Airlines was ranked as the fifth-safest US airline in 2026.
In its 2024 report, the airline ranked as the second-safest.
4. Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines, which was also among the four airlines tied for the most comfortable in the study, placed fourth with a safety score of 25.37.
With an average aircraft age of 10.9, Southwest Airlines had the youngest fleet among the four largest US air carriers in 2023, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics‘ most recent data.
3. SkyWest Airlines
SkyWest Airlines, a Utah-based regional carrier, ranked third-safest in the US in 2026, with a safety score of 26.39 in the study.
In 2023, the average fleet age for SkyWest Airlines was 12.7 years.
2. Spirit Airlines
Despite recently facing financial turmoil amid bankruptcy filing and a potential liquidation, Spirit Airlines ranked as the second-safest US airline in 2026, with a safety score of 26.98.
Spirit was also ranked as the most affordable, most reliable, and best airline overall in the study.
Between 2020 and 2025, Spirit was one of only two national airlines in the study that did not report any passenger or crew injuries requiring medical attention, WalletHub reported.
1. Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines ranked as the safest US airline in WalletHub’s study, with a safety score of 28.34.
In 2023, Frontier Airlines had the youngest fleet among major US carriers, with an average aircraft age of 3.9 years.
Frontier Airlines, along with Spirit Airlines, was the only national airline in the study to report no passenger or crew injuries requiring medical care between 2020 and 2025.
With an airfare cost of 6.15 cents per mile, Frontier also ranked the second-most affordable airline in the study.
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