Despite The Recent Rash Of Plane Crashes, Flying Is Still The Safest Mode Of Transportation

Traveling on U.S. commercial airlines is still considered safe.

2025 kicked off on a scary start with the number of plane crashes. On Jan. 29, an American Airlines plane collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, killing all 67 people on both aircrafts.

On Feb. 17, a Delta Airlines flight carrying 80 people crashed and flipped over at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The plane, carrying 76 passengers and four crew members, departed Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport before the incident. A total of 18 people were taken to the hospital and fortunately, no one died.

These two high-profile aircraft incidents come amid reports that the Trump administration plans to fire several hundred Federal Aviation Administration employees. These incidents and firings make the general public uneasy and ask, “Is it safe to fly on airplanes right now?”

Plane Crashes in 2025 So Far:

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported 87 aviation accidents in 2025. Monthly data on the agency website reveals 62 incidents in January and 25 in February so far.

According to the NTSB, there have been 13 fatal aircraft accidents this year, including 10 incidents in January and three in February as of Tuesday.

How Many Major US Plane Crashes in 2025?

According to USA Today, there have been four major deadly U.S. aviation crashes this year. All of these incidents occurred over a span of two weeks in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Alaska, and Arizona.

The Washington D.C. crash on Jan. 29 out of Reagan National Airport is the only fatal commercial aviation crash in 2025 in the last 16 years. A total of 67 people were killed when an American Airlines regional jet carrying 64 people collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three people.

Two days later, a small medical jet carrying a child patient crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood. Seven people died, including all six passengers onboard and a person from another car on the ground.

On Feb. 6, a Cessna 208B carrying 10 people crashed in Alaska after losing speed and altitude. The Alaska Department of Public Safety recovered all 10 victims.

Four days later, two private jets collided at the Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, killing one person and injuring four others.

Is Traveling Still Safe?

Traveling on U.S. commercial airlines is still considered safe. The 2024 Transportation Statistics Report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows air travel remains the safest form of transportation in terms of the number of fatalities.

“Transportation incidents for all modes claimed 44,546 lives in 2022, of which all but 2,032 involved highway motor vehicles,” the report highlights state. “There were no deaths from crashes on large commercial airlines in 2023, but several hundred deaths occurred in crashes in general aviation, commuter air, and air taxi services.”