What are the Safest Airlines in the US

Several factors come to mind when booking flights. Some of them are reliability, comfort, price and safety. These considerations are mainly considered when choosing an airline to fly in the sky. Moreover, for this, anyone who plans to book a flight likely has a question in mind. And it is: ‘What is the safest airline? If you travel to the US, you should think what are the safest airlines in the us. Personal finance company WalletHub considered those issues and other metrics to fix the safest airlines in the US in 2024.

A string of concerning events took place in the U.S. airline industry in 2024. So, airline companies are facing questions about safety issues. On January 5, a door plug blew out of a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane in midair on an Alaska Airlines flight. However, the plane managed to land safely causing no injuries. However, the incident caused concern about the safety of other Boeing 737 Max planes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspected the incident. Later, 94% of Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max 9 planes resumed its service a month later. Airline companies have to submit all reports of safety incidents to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates each occurrence. Finally, it recommends the FAA bolster safety. Two separate incidents of United Airlines took place in March, and then again in July. The planes lost wheels and tyres during takeoff, forcing emergency landings. But, another flight of the same airlines skidded off the runway in April. Under the circumstances, the FAA pledged to boost error over United Airlines.

The above-mentioned incidents put travellers in tension about the safety of U.S. airlines or flying in general. Data shows flight safety has gotten better in March 2024, claimed Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. He continued that flying in the U.S. is the safest way to travel.

WalletHub’s 2024 report found out this year’s safest U.S. airlines. It analyzed two metrics. The first one is the number of fatal injuries in aviation accidents. And another is the number of injuries in aviation incidents and accidents. The two metrics were considered between 2018 and 2023.

Moreover, airline safety is determined by several key factors. These are the number of crashes in recent years, serious incidents in the past two years, industry audits, the average age of the fleet, reviewing pilot training programs etc.

Here are some of the safest airlines in the US.

• SPIRIT AIRLINES

Spirit Airlines, one the safest airlines in the US, is Florida-based. Travellers have no-frills experience on board their flights. It has a low-cost safety record. The airline’s slogan is “Less Money. More go”. Spirit Airlines tops the list as the safest U.S. airline for the second year at a stretch, according to WalletHub’s data. From 2019 to 2024, the airline received the Aviation Maintenance Technician Diamond Award of Excellence every year. The award was conferred by the FAA. The NTSB has investigated two incidents on Spirit flights as of August 9 of this year. It has only one incident of serious injury.

Spirit Airlines rounds out the top 5 safest US airlines for 2024! By requiring rigorous training and experience from its crew, Spirit Airlines has earned its place as one of the safest budget airlines. According to crash data and its young and energy-efficient fleet, the affordable Spirit Airlines even ranks as one of the top 25 safest airlines globally.

• ALASKA AIRLINES

According to the NTSB, Alaska Airlines’ has had only one incident this year. A door plug flew off mid-flight, but much of the fallout came to airplane manufacturer, Boeing. It was a frightening situation. Due to airline safety, it has one of the highest ratings. AirlineRatings.com said that Alaska was the only U.S. airline that ranked in the top 10 for 2021 and 2022.

Alaska Airlines has a strict maintenance program. It is also one of the safest airlines in the United States. Every plane of Alaska Airlines is checked every three months to ensure its safety condition. It applies high-tech safety features. The features let pilots know right away if something could go wrong. Alaska now flies to over 120 destinations. Popular vacation spots include Los Cabos and the Bahamas. By purchasing airfare on their official website, you can avail of the best price. Many travel experts considered the airlines as one of the safest airlines in the US.

• FRONTIER AIRLINES

The Colorado-based airline is more similar in size to Hawaiian than the major U.S. airlines. They are American, Delta, and United. Frontier Airlines operates some 500 flights per day. You cannot beat this budget carrier. As of early August, it did not place any report of incident to the NTBS this year. In 2022, it also did not have any incidents. In March 2023, rough air resulted in a flight attendant’s falling and breaking hip.

• SKYWEST AIRLINES

Utah is the Headquarters of SkyWest Airlines. It is a regional airline. There are nearly 500 planes in its fleet. It runs through carrier partnerships with American, United, Delta, and Alaska Airlines. The airline has no record of accidents with the NTSB since the middle of 2022. In June 2023, it operated some flights as charters. Later, SkyWest was accused of trying to avoid safety regulations for passenger airlines. The investigation of the airline’s maintenance program began in September of last year by the FAA.

• AMERICAN AIRLINES

In April, a union for American Airlines pilots said that scrutiny could have easily been for their airline. The union said it noticed “a significant spike in safety- and maintenance-related problems.” American Airlines has only had one serious occurrence in 2024 as of early August. The accident report was also sent to the NTSB for investigation.

Considering fleet size, passenger volume and revenue, American Airlines is the world’s largest airline. It consistently obtains good safety ratings. It places a skistrong emphasis on maintenance and regulatory compliance. American Airlines bagged the Airline Transport Association’s Award for Excellence in Safety Management and Operations in 2020. The award recognized commitment to passengers’ safety in all areas. The airline moves forward to enlarge its new flights. It makes the first-ever flight to a popular Mexican city.

• DELTA AIR LINES

Delta Air Lines, considered one of the safest airlines in the US, operates a high volume of about 4,000 flights per day. 190 million customers used it in 2023. Four serious accidents took place as of August 9 and those were reported to the NTSB. The airline had four incidents within 48 hours in late June. One of those was that an engine caught fire shortly after takeoff. However, no one was hurt in those cases.

Delta Airlines is the overall top carrier among the 10 best airlines in the US. It is a large American airline. It has a strong safety record. Its devotion to safety brings multiple honours. FlightGlobal termed it as “World’s Most On-Time Airline” for several years. Delta Airlines deploys advanced safety technologies. It provides rigorous training for its pilots and crew members. It persistently updates its safety measures. Delta Airlines has become the most reliable airline for the last few years, according to WalletHub.

• JETBLUE AIRWAYS

This year, the NTSB has had to investigate only one event. A JetBlue plane collided with another aircraft on the ground last February. However, no one was injured. In 2023, three non-serious events took place and those were reported to the NTSB. Besides, two additional accidents involved serious injury. Those are still under investigation.

JetBlue is a valued discount airline. One of the most comfortable airlines to fly in the US is JetBlue.  JetBlue has a much-rated in-flight know-how.

• HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

The nation’s oldest carrier is Hawaiian Airlines. It never had a fatal accident in its 95-year history. Hawaiian is a small-scale airline in comparison with other stateside airlines. Hawaiian Airlines runs about 260 flights each day. But, major US carriers handle upwards of 4,000 flights per day. This year, the NTSB did not start any incidents on board Hawaiian Airlines flights.

Business Insider and data from AirlineRankings.com showed that Hawaiian Airlines ranked 12th in the world for safety in 2021 and 2022. It’s an Aloha state airline. It is hard to avoid Hawaiian Airlines if you’re heading to Hawaii. It is easy for tourists to reach just about anywhere in Hawaii via Honolulu.

One of the safest airlines in the United States is Hawaiian Airlines. It has a fleet comprised fully of Boeing aircraft. It has an average age of 12.8 years, the third-highest in North America. Cutting-edge safety equipment is furnished for its flights. It has invested comprehensively in pilot training. One of them is the “One Team Safety” plan to scrutinize crew engagement while flying.

• UNITED AIRLINES

In March 2024, the FAA said it was bumping up the mistake of United Airlines. That oversight barred United from adding new routes. It required the FAA to be present during inspections of new planes to replace old ones in the airline’s fleet. United’s CEO, Scott Kirby, has pledged to progress the company on safety. It is also determined to review its policies. The FAA cleared the airline in the middle of May of this year. And it added new aircraft and routes once again.

United Airlines has an inspiring and extensive track record of safety. So, it is considered one of the safest airlines in the US. The most recent and technologically sophisticated mechanism is used in the fleets of Boeing and Airbus aircraft. It has improved a crisis reply plan for all onboard incidents. It has state-of-the-art emergency simulators for pilot training. In addition to this, it follows rigorous maintenance and repair routines.

United Airlines is the mega-popular U.S. carrier. It is also very well-known for its never-ending route map. Its headquarters is in the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois. It has many hubs across America. Connectivity is super easy when flying with United Airlines. It has the lowest cancellation rate ever!

• SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

In comparison with other airlines, Southwest Airlines has the lowest score in WalletHub’s safety reporting on U.S. airlines. In July 2024, the FAA positioned the airline under a safety review.  In May last, a Southwest flight went into a Dutch roll.  The plane’s wings oscillated causing the nose to make figure-eight motions. No one was injured in the incident. The FAA found that the occurrence took place due to damage to the tail which reins the rudder.

Southwest Airlines is a low-cost carrier.

Final Words

“Have a safe flight” is a usual farewell. Travellers sit in a metal tube that flies through the sky at 500 miles per hour.  It is surely no small feat. Airline Ratings, an aviation website, also publishes a yearly status of the safest airlines in the world. Its skilled manpower compares to the safety qualifications of nearly 400 airlines. It examines 11 criteria, including serious safety incidents, recent fatal accidents, audits from aviation governing bodies, fleet age, and expert pilot training. However, bird strikes, weather diversions, turbulence injuries, or lightning impacts are not counted here.

Among the top 25 safest airlines in the world in 2024 made by Airline Ratings, there are four safest airlines in the US. They are Alaska Airlines (number 10), Hawaiian Airlines (21), American Airlines (22), and United Airlines (25).

Last but not least, in WalletHub’s 2024 list of the best U.S. airlines compare, Alaska was ranked as the best general airline. It was also named as the second safest airline.

In a word, travellers want to arrive at their destination safely. They also want to avoid any travel stress. The above-mentioned airlines have proven to be the most reliable in terms of passenger safety and security.