Wondering who to take your next cross-country flight with? Which major U.S. carriers are hot, and which are not? When figuring out the best U.S. airlines, personal experience is important, but so are cold, hard statistics.
The Wall Street Journal recently published its list of best and worst U.S. airline companies, grading them on seven “equally weighted operations metrics”: on-time arrivals, flight cancellations, extreme delays, baggage handling, tarmac delays, involuntary bumping, and complaints.
Well, here’s our overall take on that list, based on other studies and experiences, plus a little extra data on the top U.S. international and domestic airlines.
ViaTraveler’s Best and Worst U.S. Airlines
1. Delta Airlines
- HQ: Atlanta, GA
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: 978 Aircraft
Do you remember the good old days when Delta was the butt of nearly every “crummy airline” joke? I barely can. These days, Delta is becoming a byword for excellence when it comes to airlines – not just in the US, but all over the world too. Flying in and out of hundreds of airports, it’s one of the world’s largest and most profitable carriers, so it must be doing something right.
As far as the WSJ is concerned, this is Delta’s sixth consecutive win. Delta comfortably takes the top spot as the best airline on our list.
Check out these other VT resources to learn more about Delta:
- Best Ways to Earn Delta SkyMiles
- Is Delta Trip Insurance Worth It?
- Book A Last Minute Spring Break Trip With These Cheap Delta SkyMiles Deals!
2. Alaska Airlines
- HQ: Seattle, WA
- Reach: Domestic & International
Fleet Size: 314 Aircraft
Alaska Airlines is WSJ’s number two for the second year in a row now, and with a few of our frequent fliers using Alaska, the consensus around the office says this is deserved. Statistically, Alaska Airlines’ record is fantastic, with a few issues regarding baggage handling. That said, they score incredibly well in punctuality and the small number of canceled flights.
Not only that, but the Seattle-based carrier has a surprisingly good reach, partnerships with other airlines, and their own affordable travel insurance packages, which aren’t too shabby. Plus I’ve only got good things to say about their staff.
3. Hawaiian Airlines
- HQ: Honolulu, HI
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: 62 Aircraft
Hawaiian Airlines was excluded from the WSJ’s list “given its regional niche.” But Hawaiian scores favorably when you stack up their record against the national airlines the WSJ listed. And when you consider other metrics, you can happily bump it up to a top 5 position.
While it offers great access to Southeast Asia, it doesn’t offer many flights to the continental U.S., and its fleet is pretty modest for an international carrier. Still, they’re easily the best domestic carrier for travel around Hawaii, and offer great customer service.
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4. Allegiant Air
- HQ: Las Vegas, NV
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: ~520 Aircraft
Possibly the largest upset on WSJ’s best U.S. airlines list was seeing Allegiant jump to a top-three position. This is purely anecdotal, but my experiences with this domestic carrier have either been “meh” or “grrr.” Reviews I’ve trawled through seem to vibe with this.
The carrier’s list of international destinations is a bit meager, only making short hops to Mexico and the Caribbean. But looking at the numbers, Allegiant genuinely does well for punctuality and has made huge improvements in reducing flight cancellations.
According to the WSJ, Allegiant did not involuntarily bump a single passenger from its flights in the past year. Not one.
They’re also undergoing fleet modernization, which should be complete around 2025. I’m sure this statement will age like milk, but I cautiously expect to see them jump in the ranking next year.
5. Southwest Airlines
- HQ: Dallas, TX
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: 817 Aircraft
Say what you want about Southwest Airlines’ reputation for customer service, delays, and baggage handling. They’re one of the most reliable ways to get around the U.S., dominating the domestic flight scene. You can also use them for cheap flights to Mexico and the Caribbean.
Southwest’s public image has taken a decent thrashing for as long as I can remember. Putting that aside, what feels like a tradition of clickbaity Southwest articles aside, they get the job done. Southwest offers excellent access around the US and frequent flights, and they’re a great choice for budget-conscious travelers.
6. United Airlines
- HQ: Chicago, IL
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: 948 Aircraft
United Airlines has taken some hammering in the past couple of years. There has been an increase in complaints regarding mishandled luggage and an increase in canceled and delayed flights, which points to either efforts to cut costs or poor management.
But United is still a reasonably reliable choice regarding U.S. domestic travel. The carrier’s international reach is top-tier, with over 300 destinations under United’s belt. Their fleet is also pretty modern, with standard cabins with decent amenities.
They also operate a few Dreamliners, which I’m all for. Read our full United Airlines Domestic First Class review to see what it’s like flying in their 777.
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7. American Airlines
- HQ: Fort Worth, TX
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: 957 Aircraft
It feels a bit like American Airlines is becoming something of a punching bag for Delta. Not like a heavy bag taking hooks, but more of a speed bag, suffering a death by a thousand wallops. It’s just average – too average for the world’s second-largest airline.
Besides its enormous fleet size and great international reach, American Airlines’ scores are unremarkable. Flights are typically a little more expensive, and delays and cancellations are a mixed bag, as are complaints about baggage handling.
8. Spirit Airlines
- HQ: Miramar, FL
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: 195 Aircraft
Oof, where to begin. As far as budget airlines go, Spirit’s fares are very reasonable. It’s the additional fees that get you.
Using similar tactics to airlines like Ryanair and Frontier (don’t worry; their time will come), you can expect to be charged for anything short of getting on the plane and breathing. Although there may be fees for those later, who knows?
Their customer service is also a bit wanting, and they haven’t had a great track record of cancellations. Their international portfolio is also limited, but they frequently offer the cheapest flights from the U.S. to top Caribbean destinations and Latin America.
See Related: Southwest vs Spirit: Which is Better?
9. Frontier Airlines
- HQ: Denver, CO
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: ~140 Aircraft
Ah, Frontier, the Denver-based budget airline we all know and, well, not exactly love. They offer cheap flights across North America and sometimes destinations in the Caribbean, and that’s the kindest thing I can say about them.
Frontier saw a crazy spike in issues this past year, largely stemming from delayed and canceled flights. They don’t do well regarding customer service either – which I’m sure comes as a huge surprise.
From my assessment, much of this is due to an overstretched fleet and workforce. They just don’t have the people or planes to operate optimally.
10. JetBlue Airways
- HQ: Long Island City, New York City, NY
- Reach: Domestic & International
- Fleet Size: 290 Aircraft
This was another surprise for me. They enjoy great coverage of North America and operate out of several European airports, too.
And yeah, based on JetBlue’s recent public image issues and all that fallout stemming from the proposed Spirit merger, I knew they wouldn’t score well. Still, according to the WSJ, JetBlue “finished last in four categories: on-time arrivals, canceled flights, delays longer than 45 minutes, and tarmac delays.” Ouch.
JetBlue also seems to be having trouble turning a profit, making that merger block situation feel desperate. Consequently, it scores last on WSJ’s and is the worst airline on our list. Better luck next year!
The rankings here cover U.S. carriers only. If you are flying transatlantic and comparing a European operator on the same route, our honest KLM Airlines review covers cabin service, delays, and pricing after 12 flights.
This list covers U.S. carriers. For the wider picture including international operators, see our overall airline rankings.
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