IATA Reports 2025 Air Travel Saw Improved Safety Metrics

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its annual safety report, revealing that 2025 marked a significant year for air transport safety. The all-accident rate for the year was recorded at 1.32 per million flights, equating to approximately one accident per 759,646 flights. This figure demonstrates improvement compared to the 1.42 rate in 2024, although it remains slightly above the five-year average of 1.27 for the years 2021 to 2025.

In total, there were 51 accidents among the 38.7 million flights operated in 2025, a reduction from the 54 accidents recorded in 2024. Nevertheless, this number exceeds the average of 44 accidents observed during the previous five years. The report highlighted that eight fatal accidents occurred in 2025, surpassing the seven fatal accidents reported in 2024 and the five-year average of six.

Fatality Statistics and Safety Improvements

The total number of fatalities onboard aircraft in 2025 reached 394, a stark increase from 244 fatalities in 2024 and higher than the five-year average of 198 fatalities. IATA Director General Willie Walsh emphasized the ongoing commitment to safety, stating, “Flying is the safest form of long-distance travel. Accidents are extremely rare and each one reminds us to be even more focused on continuous improvement through global standards and collaboration guided by safety data.”

Walsh further noted that the five-year rolling average for fatal accidents has improved significantly, from one fatal accident for every 3.5 million flights between 2012 and 2016 to one for every 5.6 million flights in the current five-year period. He reiterated that while safety continues to improve, the aviation industry’s ultimate goal remains “zero accidents and zero fatalities.”

Key Insights from the Report

Among the common types of accidents in 2025 were tail strikes, landing gear events, runway excursions, and ground damage. The absence of loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) accidents was notable, marking the second time this has been recorded, following a similar achievement in 2020. LOC-I events are typically a leading cause of fatalities in aviation.

According to the report, airport facilities contributed to 16% of accidents in 2025, underlining the importance of adhering to global safety standards. Walsh pointed out, “Airport infrastructure and runway environments play a critical role in accident outcomes. Rigid obstacles near runways can increase accident severity, potentially turning otherwise survivable occurrences into fatal ones.” He urged all airports and regulators to review compliance with safety standards regularly.

Airlines that are part of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry demonstrated a significantly lower all-accident rate of 0.98, compared to 2.55 for non-IOSA carriers. Member airlines of IATA recorded an all-accident rate of 0.72 per million flights, illustrating a marked contrast to the 3.09 rate for non-IATA members.

The report also revealed an increase in the fatality risk for 2025, which rose to 0.17 per million flights, up from 0.06 in 2024 and higher than the five-year average of 0.12. This increase was primarily attributed to a few fatal accidents, including the tragic incidents involving Air India 171, which accounted for 241 fatalities, and PSA Airlines flight 5342, with 64 fatalities, together comprising over 77% of all loss of life in 2025.

This report underscores the ongoing challenges and improvements within the aviation sector, highlighting the efforts being made to enhance safety standards globally as air travel continues to grow.