The grounding of the entire Boeing 737 MAX fleet earlier this year in March 2019 has many flyers asking what the safest airplane to fly is. Whether you're curious or have a heightened fear of flying, you might try booking a flight operating on one of these airplanes.
The best option overall might be flying the world's safest airlines. AirlineRatings places Qantas in the top spot for 2019. Other top airlines that make the top 20 include United Airlines, American Airlines, Singapore Airlines, British Airways and Hawaiian Airlines.
Sticking with the top-ranking airlines isn't always an option though. You can also try searching for flights by a certain plane type. Some travelers do this to pick the perfect seat for ample comfort. For some passangers, knowing which airplane they are flying on before you book can provide extra peace of mind.
The Safest Airplanes To Fly
Most airline fleets consist almost entirely of Airbus or Boeing planes for long-haul flights. Bombardier CRJ and Embraer are the two most common manufacturers of smaller commercial airplanes.
In general, newer generations of plane models are more reliable than the first generations. Crash rates for models launched in the late 1990s to present are notably lower than versions originating in earlier decades. AirSafe has some of the most extensive statistics for various airline models and a brief summary of each significant crash event. Their findings help determine the safest airplane to fly.
Airplanes Without Fatal Crashes
Some models from Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer have never had a fatal crash in commercial service. Sometimes this is because the models are very new and not yet in widespread operations. In other cases, previous generations in their family do have a fatal crash history.
These models currently have a clean flight record and all tie for being the safest airplane:
- Airbus: A220, A319neo, A320neo, A321neo, A340, A350 and A380
- Boeing: 717, 747-8 and 787
- Embraer: 135, 140 and 145
You can see if your preferred airline uses any of these models by visiting their fleet page. Or you can use search keywords like "airlines that use Airbus A320neo" as an example.
Embraer E170 And E190
The Embraer E170 or E190 has a remarkable fatal crash rate of 0.03 per million flights. The only catch is that these models only hold between 70 and 115 passengers, so they may only be an option for short-haul flights.
American Airlines and JetBlue are two of the largest operators of the E190 model.
JetBlue is a direct transfer partner for American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou. American Airlines flights can be booked as a partner flight by transferring your Amex points or Chase points to your British Airways Executive Club account first. Domestic American Airlines award flights start at 7,500 miles for flights 500 miles or shorter.
Boeing 737-700/-800/-900
Don't confuse the infamous 737 MAX with the Boeing next-generation 737 models. The 737-700/-800/-900 models are very reliable. These models have a 0.06 fatal crash rate per million flights. This is one of the lowest rates for commercial aircraft. As a comparison, the 737 MAX has a 3.08 crash rate through March 2019 according to AirSafe.
The next-gen 737 is a primary asset for many airlines including the American, Delta, United and Alaska Airlines. As a result, the multiple series have more commercial flights than most models. There are over 100 million recorded commercial flights. Only the Airbus 320 family has more logged flights at 119 million and counting.
Because of the 737 MAX fleet grounding, many airlines are either extending their current lease of these planes or have started leasing them again.
Airbus A320
The Airbus 320 family also includes the A318, A319 and A321 models. If the airline is using their Airbus fleet for your flight, it will most likely be one of these models. This family has a 0.08 crash rate which is also one of the lowest for airplane models with a crash history.
One of the crash events for the A320 is the historic US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, helmed by Capt. Sully Sullenberger. After striking multiple birds shortly after takeoff, Capt. Sullenberger made a successful crash landing on New York's Hudson River. There were no fatalities but one passenger sustained serious injury.
American Airlines, EasyJet, China Eastern and China Southern are the largest operators of the A320 family.
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 family has a 0.18 crash rate. Airlines will most likely use the -200ER or -300ER for long flights. This airplane is a key feature in the fleet for many domestic and international airlines. Some of the largest operators include Emirates, Singapore, United and American.
In 2020, you might be able to fly on the newest 777X model. The 777-9 model will be able to seat up to 426 passengers and have a cruising range of 7,285 nautical miles (8,383 miles).
Airbus A330
Another long-range fleet staple is the Airbus A330 with a 0.19 crash rate. This plane is currently used in some of the longest domestic flights like Boston to Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines which is 5,095 miles each way. How would you like to earn frequent flyer miles for that flight while being on one of the safest airplanes?
The A330MRT is a military version of this model that several nations use as an in-air refuel tanker.
Turkish Airlines, Air China and Delta Airlines are three airlines with the largest A330 fleet.
Boeing 767
Although the Boeing 767-300ER and 767-400ER fleets are gradually being replaced by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for performance and functionality, the 767 family has a 0.28 crash ratio. This ratio is higher than some of the other airplane models listed here but also includes some of the early 767 models dating back to the 1980s. Two of the most unfortunate incidents were two 767 aircraft crashing into the Twin Towers on 9/11.
Delta and United are the two domestic carriers with the largest 767 fleet in operation. Japan Airlines and ANA are the two largest international operators. This is also a popular cargo plane for package delivery companies UPS and FedEx.
Summing Up The Safest Airplane To Fly
It's reassuring to know that the most actively used commercial airplanes also happen to be some of the safest in aviation history. You shouldn't have a hard time booking finding a flight on one of these planes the next time you fly.
