The all-accident rate for airlines in 2025 was 1.32 per million flights, the equivalent of one accident per 759,646 flights, compared to 1.42 per million flights in 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 2025 Annual Safety Report.
Last year’s rate was above the 2021-2025 five-year average of 1.27.
“A decade ago, the rate stood at one fatal accident for every 3.5 million flights (2012-2016),” IATA Director General Willie Walsh said. “Today, it is one fatal accident for every 5.6 million flights (2021-2025). Flying is so safe that even one accident among the nearly 40 million flights operated annually moves the global data. Every accident is, of course, one too many. The goal for aviation remains zero accidents and zero fatalities.”
Other findings include:
In 2025, there were 51 accidents among 38.7 million flights. The most common accidents were tail strikes, landing gear events, runway excursions, and ground damage. Airport facilities contributed to 16 percent of the accidents.
There were eight fatal accidents and 394 onboard fatalities in 2025. The fatality risk, the measure of the potential for loss of life, increased to 0.17 per million flights. Air India 171 and PSA Airlines flight 5342 accounted for more than 77 percent of fatalities.