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These two U.S. airlines are among the world’s safest

Jan. 03, 2020
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3 min read
Alaska Airlines, American and JetBlue at LAX
These two U.S. airlines are among the world’s safest
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Four U.S. airlines are among the safest in the world, according to a new report.

Of the top 20 safest airlines, according to Airline Ratings, just two U.S. carriers cracked the list. Alaska Airlines came in at No. 8 while Hawaiian Airlines was No. 11. The world's safest? According to the website, it was Australia's Qantas.

Airline Ratings says it judges an airline's safety from "audits from aviation’s governing and industry bodies, government audits, airline’s crash and serious incident record, profitability, industry-leading safety initiatives, and fleet age."

If you're a Frontier or JetBlue loyalist, you'll be pleased to know that both airlines took top spots on Airline Rating's low-cost lists. Frontier came in at No. 3 while JetBlue was sixth. Unlike other low-cost airlines, the website said, "these airlines have all passed the stringent International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and have excellent safety records."

The website said that in some countries, the reporting process for low-cost carriers is weak. Indeed, a New York Times report from November highlighted issues at Lion Air with reporting safety concerns.

But if you're a nervous flyer, you should be comforted in knowing air travel is the safest it's ever been. According to The Associated Press, plane crash deaths globally fell by more than half in 2019.

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According to AP, 257 people died worldwide in eight accidents in 2019. That was down from 2018, when 534 people died in 13 fatal accidents. To put that in perspective, the fatal accident rate for large planes 2019 works out to just one fatal incident for ever 5.6 million flights, according to the To70 aviation consultancy that compiled the safety survey.

The low 2019 numbers come even despite the high death tolls from both years is attributed to two crashes involving the now-grounded Boeing 737 MAX. In March 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 onboard. And just before the New Year, a jet in Kazakhstan killed 12 . That crash was blamed on pilot error and technical malfunctions. On Oct. 29, 2018, Lion Air flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea just off of the coast of Indonesia, killing all 189 onboard.

For now, the 737 MAX remains grounded with no clear timetable as to when regulators might clear it to resume flying.

Featured image by Alberto Riva

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Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.