Is it safe to fly? NTSB data says yes
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
2025 is on pace for fewer fatal aviation accidents compared to the last several years, despite the I'll-just-drive vibes lately.
Why it matters: It may seem like the planes are falling out of the sky over the past few weeks, but the data paints a different picture.
By the numbers: There have been 13 fatal U.S. aviation accidents so far in 2025, per NTSB data.
- There were 31 such accidents in January and February 2024, 28 during those months in 2023, 33 in 2022, and 39 in 2021.
How it works: That includes all U.S. civil aviation, from single-engine private planes to commercial airliners — the latter of which have far more pristine safety records.
- It also includes Alaska, where often treacherous conditions can make flying more dangerous compared to the Lower 48.
Caveat: This is a measurement of overall accidents, not the number of fatalities.
- So January's tragic midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which killed 67 people, only counts once.
- Still, that was an aberrant event — the country's first major fatal commercial air disaster in about 16 years, a remarkable stretch of safe flying.
Between the lines: There's palpable unease in some aviation circles about President Trump and Elon Musk's still-vague plans to "upgrade" air traffic control.
- That the Trump administration recently fired hundreds of FAA technicians and other staffers has only amplified those concerns.
Yes, but: There's no clear link between Trump's recent moves and the latest high-profile aviation incidents.
The bottom line: It's perfectly reasonable to be concerned about aviation safety right now, given all the headlines. But frequency illusion is a heck of a thing, and as Superman said: Statistically speaking, flying is still the safest way to travel.
