Your Favorite Airline's Drinking Water Might Not Be as Safe as You Thought

We just added something else to our list of things to consider when traveling that we did not realize needed to be there: drinking water on planes. We have definitely become more aware of minimizing germs while traveling, but we are now taking more consideration into whether water on planes is safe to drink.

How safe is the drinking water on planes?

A survey completed by the Center for Food as Medicine & Longevity reveals which airlines have the highest quality drinking water — and which ones have potentially unhealthy water! While the federal government passed the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (ADWR) in 2011, requiring airlines to provide safe drinking water, not all airlines are providing it.

The 2026 Airline Water Study, completed by the Center for Food as Medicine and Longevity, ranks 10 major and 11 regional airlines by the quality of water they have provided over a three-year period — from October 1st, 2022, through September 30th, 2025. Each airline was given a score from 0 to 5, with 5 being the highest.

Drinking water on planes isn’t always safe!

The ratings were based on five weighted criteria: violations per aircraft, Maximum Contaminant Level violations for E. coli, indicator-positive rates, public notices, and disinfecting and flushing frequency. If an airline received a score above 3.5, the study considered the water to be relatively safe and clean.

We will think twice before drinking water!

Overall, the major airlines performed better, with 4 of the 10 airlines receiving a score of at least 3.5. Only one regional airline out of the 11 surveyed received a score above 3.5. The following airlines had a score of 3.5 or higher: GoJet Airlines, Allegiant Air, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Delta Airlines. Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, and American Airlines performed the worst amongst major airlines, while Republic Airways, CommuteAir, and Mesa Airlines performed the worst amongst regional airlines.

Drinking water varies depending on the airline

Here is a look at all the ratings of the 21 airlines in the study:

Major Airlines

Delta Air Lines: 5.00 (Grade A)
Frontier Airlines: 4.80 (Grade A)
Alaska Airlines: 3.85 (Grade B)
Allegiant Air: 3.65 (Grade B)
Southwest Airlines: 3.30 (Grade C)
Hawaiian Airlines: 3.15 (Grade C)
United Airlines: 2.70 (Grade C)
Spirit Airlines: 2.05 (Grade D)
JetBlue: 1.80 (Grade D)
American Airlines: 1.75 (Grade D)

Regional Airlines

GoJet Airlines: 3.85 (Grade B)
Piedmont Airlines: 3.05 (Grade C)
Sun Country Airlines: 3.00 (Grade C)
Endeavor Air: 2.95 (Grade C)
SkyWest Airlines: 2.40 (Grade D)
Envoy Air: 2.30 (Grade D)
PSA Airlines: 2.25 (Grade D)
Air Wisconsin Airlines: 2.15 (Grade D)
Republic Airways: 2.05 (Grade D)
CommuteAir: 1.60 (Grade D)
Mesa Airlines: 1.35 (Grade F)

Another thing to consider when flying!

That means only 5 of the 21 airlines studied provided drinking water that the Center for Food as Medicine and Longevity considered safe and clean. While that is definitely not a great showing, the Center for Food as Medicine and Longevity does have some tips to stay safe when flying. Don’t drink water onboard the plane unless it is in a sealed bottle. Do not drink coffee or tea on board, as that is made with water that was not from a sealed bottle. Finally, do not wash your hands in the bathroom; instead, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Consider what you are drinking!

While there is a rule requiring airlines to provide safe drinking water, the study also found that the Environmental Protection Agency (one of the federal agencies responsible for ensuring safe aircraft drinking water) “rarely levies civil penalties to airlines in violation of the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule.” If you are flying soon, definitely keep this study in mind and consider following the tips from the Center for Food as Medicine and Longevity if you are flying on an airline with a low rating in the study.