ATLANTA- Delta Air Lines (DL) has once again secured the top spot in the 2025 U.S. airline rankings, maintaining its dominance for a seventh consecutive year. The carrier outperformed peers across reliability, passenger experience, and consistency, despite facing growing competition.
United Airlines (UA) rose to second place, fueled by a strong loyalty program and unmatched international reach. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines (WN) jumped to third, excelling in cancellation rates and affordability.
Top 10 Airlines in the US
The 2025 rankings reveal Delta Air Lines (DL) maintaining its top spot due to consistent performance across reliability, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
| Rank | Airline | IATA Code | HQ Location | Strengths | Weaknesses | Movement from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delta Air Lines | DL | Atlanta (ATL) | Reliability, overall experience | Affordability | ↔ Same |
| 2 | United Airlines | UA | Chicago (ORD) | Loyalty program, international network | Baggage handling, affordability | ↑ Up 1 |
| 3 | Southwest Airlines | WN | Dallas (DAL) | Cancellations, satisfaction, no add-on fees | No lounges | ↑ Up 2 |
| 4 | Alaska Airlines | AS | Seattle (SEA) | Family travel, lounges, loyalty program | Mishandled mobility devices | ↓ Down 2 |
| 5 | Hawaiian Airlines | HA | Honolulu (HNL) | Timeliness | Limited route network | ↑ Up 2 |
| 6 | JetBlue Airways | B6 | New York City (JFK) | Cabin features | Timeliness, lounge network | ↔ Same |
| 7 | American Airlines | AA | Fort Worth (DFW) | Route network, loyalty program | Mishandled baggage, premium service lacking | ↓ Down 3 |
| 8 | Allegiant Air | G4 | Las Vegas (LAS) | Fewer bumps, handles bags well | Weak loyalty program, family travel experience | ↔ Same |
| 9 | Spirit Airlines | NK | Miramar (FLL) | Affordability | Mishandled mobility devices | ↔ Same |
| 10 | Frontier Airlines | F9 | Denver (DEN) | Low fares | Reliability, customer satisfaction, bump rates | ↔ Same |
Based in Atlanta, Georgia (ATL), Delta excels despite challenges like a 2024 IT outage, recovering quickly to uphold its reputation. Its strengths include a robust international network and high customer satisfaction, though affordability remains a weak point.
United Airlines (UA), headquartered in Chicago, Illinois (ORD), rises to second place, boosted by an enhanced loyalty program and improved reliability.
Southwest Airlines (WN), from Dallas, Texas (DAL), climbs to third with the lowest cancellation rate in 2024, though new bag fees may impact future rankings.
Hawaiian Airlines (HA), based in Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL), jumps two spots to fifth, driven by timeliness and family-friendly policies.
American Airlines (AA), based in Fort Worth, Texas (DFW), drops to seventh due to poor baggage handling and lagging profitability.
Budget carriers like Allegiant Air (G4) from Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS), Spirit Airlines (NK) from Miramar, Florida (MIA), and Frontier Airlines (F9) from Denver, Colorado (DEN) rank lower, hindered by high fees and limited amenities.
JetBlue (B6), from New York, New York (JFK), holds sixth place, excelling in cabin features despite timeliness issues.
Airline Reliability
Reliability, which carried 30% of the overall score, remains the top concern for travelers. It includes metrics like delays, cancellations, involuntary bumps, and mishandled baggage or mobility devices.
Despite a global IT outage affecting operations in mid-2024, Delta quickly recovered, helping it retain its reliability leadership.
Southwest’s rebound from its 2022 holiday failure was noteworthy, and Hawaiian Airlines (HA), headquartered in Honolulu (HNL), returned to form after wildfire-related disruptions in 2023.
Allegiant showed solid improvement in mishandled baggage rates, while Frontier ranked last with the highest bumping rate- 0.02%, or 17,111 passengers over two years.
Travel Experience
Seattle-based Alaska Airlines (AS) topped the “experience” category, driven by its family-friendly policies and strong lounge value.
JetBlue offered the best cabin features, including generous legroom and seatback screens, while Delta and United trailed closely with free Wi-Fi and upgraded cabins.
Lounges became increasingly central in 2024, with major carriers launching premium spaces, most notably, Delta’s “Delta One” lounges in JFK, LAX, and BOS. Still, overcrowding and stricter access rules remain challenges industry-wide.
Cost and Reach Analysis
Cost and reach, accounting for 20%, evaluate route networks and affordability. Southwest (WN) leads with an extensive domestic network and low fees in 2024, though new policies may alter this.
American (AA) dominates domestic routes, while United (UA) excels internationally with far-reaching flights.
Budget airlines Spirit and Frontier offer the cheapest base fares but offset this with high ancillary fees. The industry average cost per 1,000 miles rose to $235.27 in 2024, up 1% from 2023, reflecting slight fare increases.
Loyalty Program Rankings
Loyalty, also 25% of the score, focuses on frequent flyer programs and award availability. United (UA) wins with a vast Star Alliance network, followed by Alaska (AS) and American (AA), whose miles tie for the highest value.
Delta (DL) ranks fourth, while budget carriers like Frontier (F9) and Allegiant (G4) lag due to weak programs.
Upcoming changes, including United tightening elite status and Southwest (WN) devaluing points, may shift next year’s rankings. Merging Alaska and Hawaiian plans to launch a new joint program in August 2025.
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