Flight safety statistics: understanding 2025 aviation accidents and safety trends

With air traffic reaching an estimated 35.2 million flights in 2025, flying still remains the safest form of travel. However, evolving threats require unwavering continuous industry-wide vigilance. Explore the latest data and the collaborative actions driving a proactive safety culture across our industry. 

When asking how many aviation accidents per year occur, the data shows that flying remains a highly secure mode of transport. In 2025, the commercial aviation network safely transported more than five billion passengers. Air traffic reached an estimated 35.2 million flights, up from almost 34 million in 2024.

The past year recorded six accidents resulting in hull losses, three of which were fatal. This compares to four fatal accidents and twelve hull losses in 2024. While the overall air accident rate remains low, the recurring nature of these events highlights the continued necessity for enhanced safety measures. To manage safety risks effectively, the circumstances of each incident must be meticulously analysed, leading to actionable findings and practical solutions shared across the entire aviation community.

Understanding the causes of aviation accidents

The passenger traffic outlook for 2026 points to a continuing rebound over the next two to three years, trending towards a long-term annual growth rate of around 3.6%. Beyond the correlated increased risk exposure, the aviation industry faces an increasingly complex operational environment, driven by the emergence of new operators, types of operations, and evolving geopolitical threats.

Everyone has a role to play to address these challenges. 

However, addressing the underlying causes of aviation accidents means technology must be paired with human vigilance and teamwork.

"Fostering a positive safety culture based on open communication and strong safety leadership is essential to install, grow, and deploy effective safety measures across organisations", says Sophie Rougé, head of Safety Governance at Airbus.

Preventing lithium battery fires on aircraft

With more than five billion passengers transported in 2025, the commercial aviation network carried an estimated 20 to 25 billion Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs). This makes passengers an integral part of the safety equation. The sheer volume of these devices means the risk of lithium battery fires on aircraft is a serious safety threat demanding collective attention.

Regulators (EASA, FAA) and global organisations (ICAO, IATA) continually update their guidance to support all stakeholders. The entire industry must work together to anticipate and mitigate these risks, ensuring every passenger understands their role in keeping everyone safe.

To learn more about safely packing your devices and mitigating the risk of lithium battery fires on aircraft, explore our dedicated article on flying with a lithium battery aircraft device.

Explore the data: 2025 flight safety statistics

The goal of any review of aviation accidents is to help the industry further enhance the level of safety. Sharing safety knowledge, good practices, safety success stories, and lessons learned contributes to safety enhancements across the entire air transport system. Sharing safety information has proven to prevent accidents.

For a comprehensive breakdown of flight safety statistics visit the dedicated Airbus accident statistics website and to explore our interactive 360 Cockpit Viewer. This platform enables users to interactively explore statistics over time and to see four generations of commercial jets through an immersive 360 Cockpit Viewer.