Here's every main character who managed to survive the six seasons of Lost. While not as trigger happy as the likes of Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, Lost certainly wasn't afraid to bump off major characters when necessary, and with so many trials on the island for the Oceanic survivors to overcome, it's no surprise that not everyone made it out alive. Given the ambiguities of Lost's series finale, however, it's impossible to say whether those who did survive would go on to lead normal, happy lives.
Nevertheless, a lucky few did manage to escape the mysterious island, with some even finding their way home twice. Thanks to a combination of survival instinct, pure dumb luck and the sacrifice of others, these characters were still breathing by the time the credits rolled on Lost's final episode, while the rest were whisked away to another plane of existence and forced to wait for everyone else to die so that all the cast could move on to the afterlife together.
Characters That Escaped Lost's Island
With both survival skills and a smart attitude, Kate never felt in serious danger on Lost. Lacking the impulsiveness of Jack, but adapting to the island more naturally than most, Kate managed to escape via boat, return, and then leave once again on the hastily-repaired Ajira plane. The fact that both Jack and Sawyer were desperately vying to Kate's affections perhaps aided her chances of survival, with Jack ultimately sacrificing himself shortly after declaring his love. However, Kate proved she was more than capable of looking after herself by killing the Man in Black.
Sawyer nobly gave up his seat during Lost's first escape attempt, but made sure he was on board the Ajira plane in the series finale. Deeply troubled before his arrival on the island, it's hard to imagine Sawyer leading a happy life back in the real world, especially after losing Juliet in Lost season 5. There's an unspoken implication that, with Jack and Juliet both deceased, Kate and Sawyer might finally get together, but this is left entirely to the audience's imagination.
As Kate and Sawyer fled the island for the final time, they managed to drag Claire along with them. Best known as the pregnant lady in Lost season 1, Claire was taken by the Others and disappeared completely for several seasons. Returning in season 6, Claire had evidently suffered some sort of breakdown following her abduction and was still in a poor state when leaving the island.
Of all Lost's love stories, viewers were most heavily invested in Desmond's relationship with Penny. Unlike the other main characters, Desmond returned to the island in season 6 under duress, forced to cooperate due to his unique electromagnetic properties. Although he survives the final episode, Desmond doesn't make it onto the Ajira plane, but it's heavily implied that Hurley and Ben plan to ensure he's returned home to Penny safely.
Other characters that survive and make it off the island include immortal Richard, psychic Miles and conveniently-placed pilot, Frank Lapidus.
Characters That Stayed On Lost's Island
Hurley was, by his own admission, not best suited to being a plane crash survivor on a desert island and had several brushes with death over the course of Lost's six seasons. Hurley's survival can perhaps be partly attributed to his strange relationship with luck both before and after arriving on the island. Following Jack's death, however, Hurley proves his mettle by becoming the protector of the island and tying up the loose ends that remained at the end of Lost's final season.
Assisting Hurley's new career was Ben, former leader of the Others. Ben committed some reprehensible acts during his time on the island and acting as Hurley's partner provided the character with a path towards redemption. In many ways, it's not at all surprising that Ben survived. The villain had a wily sense of self-preservation and prioritized his own well-being above all else.
In the Lost epilogue, "The New Man In Charge," Hurley and Ben visit Walt and recruit him as part of their island protection team. Walt was one of the first characters to escape the island but, due to his deep connection with the place, was unable to live normally on the outside world.