The NTSB says that despite more people flying than ever, the accident rate for commercial flights has remained the same for the last two decades, and the survivability rate is a high 95.7 percent.

Statistically, the chances of surviving an aviation accident are remarkably high, with research in 2026 confirming that approximately 95% of passengers involved in plane crashes survive. This high survival rate is due to decades of improvements in aircraft fire retardancy, cabin structural integrity, and seat design. While "catastrophic" mid-air incidents are rare and often unsurvivable, the vast majority of aviation accidents are "survivable events" like runway overruns or controlled emergency landings. Passengers can significantly increase their personal survival odds by sitting within five rows of an emergency exit, wearing seatbelts low and tight across the lap, and following the "90-second rule"—the time target for a full aircraft evacuation. In 2026, air travel remains the safest form of long-distance transportation, with the odds of being in a fatal accident being roughly 1 in 11 million.