HK Express Airways (HK Express) has once again been ranked #1 as the World's Safest Low-Cost Airline for 2026 by AirlineRatings, the global leading airline safety and product rating organisation. This achievement marks the second consecutive year that HK Express has secured the top global ranking, reaffirming its commitment to the highest standards of operational safety and consistency.
HK Express Wins World's Safest Low-Cost Airline Award
The recognition further builds on HK Express's long-standing safety credentials. The airline has maintained a 7-Star Safety Rating for 12 consecutive years and, in 2025, became the first low-cost carrier to receive the 7-Star Plus Safety Rating. Together these distinctions underscore that HK Express's safety performance is built on consistency, discipline and culture.
Jeanette Mao, CEO of HK Express, said: “Safety is the cornerstone of HK Express, and we prioritise it in every aspect of our operation. Being recognised as the World's Safest Low-Cost Airline for the second consecutive year is a tremendous honor and a strong endorsement of the standards we uphold every day.
HK Express Wins World's Safest Low-Cost Airline Award
All commercial airlines, including low-cost airlines, are subject to the same rigorous international safety and regulatory requirements, and safety is never compromised by business models. This recognition affirms that customers can enjoy both affordability and world-class safety in air travel. It also reflects the commitment and professionalism of our entire team. Having safely flown over 35 million customers, we remain focused on expanding our network and delivering reliable air travel service across Asia."
Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings.com, said: “HK Express has claimed the title of World's Safest Low-Cost Airline for a second time, underpinned by an exceptionally low incident rate in a jurisdiction with some of the world's most stringent reporting standards, an almost flawless onboard safety audit, and a modern fleet. At the heart of the organisation is a blame-free, collaborative culture that supports transparency, continuous improvement, and consistently strong safety outcomes.”
HK Express Wins World's Safest Low-Cost Airline Award
AirlineRatings' ranking of the World's Safest Low-Cost Airline is based on rigorous evaluation by aviation experts and check pilots. The assessment considers a comprehensive range of criteria, including serious incidents over the past two years, incident rates, fleet size and age, fatalities, pilot skill and training, as well as compliance with IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification and ICAO country audit standards.
HK Express continues to demonstrate a strong and consistent safety track record. In addition to being named the World's Safest Low-Cost Airline for both 2025 and 2026, the airline operates a young and fuel-efficient fleet of Airbus narrowbody aircraft, with an average age of under eight years. Built to enhanced specifications and equipped with advanced technology, the fleet supports high operational reliability while enhancing passenger comfort.
