I have never doubted that air travel is the safest form of travel today. Given the amount of focus on safety, your chances of being in an accident on a plane are much slimmer than when traveling by car. Airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and aviation organizations give the highest priority to safety. Even the smallest details receive close inspection, as even minor cracks or misplaced components can lead to major issues, which both manufacturers and airlines understand well. But among all the commercial aircraft produced, which one has the best safety record?
Several commercial aircraft models stand out for their impressive safety records, including some recent and popular models still flying today. Based on data from Boeing covering 1959 to 2023, the Boeing 717, Bombardier CRJ700 series, Boeing 747-8, Airbus A380, Airbus A220, Airbus A330neo, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner have all achieved flawless records. These aircraft have not experienced fatal hull-loss incidents, providing high confidence for passengers and airlines alike. Many airlines continue to favor these aircraft models for their reliability, making them common choices across regional, medium-haul, and long-haul services.
The Boeing 717, though out of production since 2006, remains a safe choice in regional aviation, with no recorded fatal accidents. Similarly, the Bombardier CRJ700 series, a popular regional jet, holds a spotless safety record, showcasing Bombardier’s reputation for reliability in short-haul operations. Boeing’s 747-8, the final model in the 747 series, and the Airbus A380, the largest passenger airliner, also boast excellent safety records. Though out of production since 2021, the A380’s legacy continues, as airlines worldwide operate it on high-demand routes with high passenger capacities. These aircraft have proven their dependability across years of operation.
Among the newer aircraft, the Airbus A220, originally developed by Bombardier as the CSeries, has consistently maintained a strong safety record. Introduced in 2018, the Airbus A330neo also shows impressive performance and reliability in its long-haul role. Meanwhile, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, known for its fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, has become a mainstay in long-haul fleets and has operated with remarkable safety.
The Boeing 737 MAX, in contrast, experienced two fatal crashes early in its operational history. These incidents gave the model a hull-loss accident rate of 0.7 per million departures, which stands above the industry average of 0.55 over the 64-year period studied. However, with over 1,500 of these aircraft now in service and improvements to safety measures, the model’s safety rating has started to improve.
Other Aircraft with Low Accident Rates
Other aircraft, while not flawless, also have strong safety records. The Boeing 777, widely used for long-haul flights, has a hull-loss accident rate of 0.13 per million departures, one of the lowest rates among long-haul aircraft. The Boeing 737 “Next Generation” family, another popular choice, has a rate of 0.08, showing excellent reliability in short-haul and medium-haul operations. Both models contribute to Boeing’s reputation for safe and durable aircraft in commercial aviation.
Older models, while less common today, have different safety records. The Airbus A310, last produced in 1998, remains in service with select airlines but has a higher accident rate at 1.89 per million departures. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, a tri-jet largely phased out from passenger service, has a rate of 1.58, and the Fokker F28, mostly retired, shows a rate of 2.31. These models served well during their peak years, though their accident rates reflect the advancements in safety and technology seen in newer aircraft.
Boeing’s data covers only aircraft that have operated commercially within the last five years, meaning older models such as the Concorde, Boeing 707, and Douglas DC-8 do not appear in the dataset. The DC-8, no longer produced since 1972, has an estimated hull-loss accident rate of about 4 per million departures, while the 707, produced until the early 1980s, had a rate of 4.28. The Concorde, although involved in only one fatal crash, recorded a rate of 11.36 per million departures due to its limited operations.
Safety data for Soviet-era aircraft can be hard to verify, but certain models faced high accident rates during their time in service. The Tupolev Tu-104, the first Soviet jet airliner, recorded 33 hull-loss accidents from a production run of 200 aircraft. The Ilyushin Il-18, a propeller-driven airliner with a production total of around 678 units, suffered 97 hull-loss incidents, leading to more than 2,400 fatalities. In recent years, Russian manufacturers have struggled to compete with Boeing and Airbus in the commercial market, though Sukhoi has attempted to re-enter the market with the Superjet 100, a model that encountered some issues early in its service life.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
