On Thursday, the financial services website WalletHub released a report on the best airline in the U.S. The report ranked the nine largest U.S. airlines, plus three regional carriers, on the basis of departure complaints, in-flight comfort and cost, safety, and animal incidents.
Delta Air Lines took the lead in terms of reliability, as they had the lowest rate of cancelations, delays, mishandled luggage, and denied boardings. JetBlue earned the top spot in comfort, thanks to an array of amenities including Wi-Fi, extra legroom, and complimentary snacks and beverages. But Alaska Airlines was deemed the safest airline, and edged out the competition in terms of overall score.
Airline rankings are often inconsistent, because what appeals to travelers about an airline depends on their individual needs, which is why it’s useful that this study gave airlines accolades for several different categories.
For example, given the alarming amount of in-flight pet deaths that took place in 2018, travelers who are concerned with the safety of their furry companions above all else might want to consider ExpressJet Airlines and Envoy Air, which tied for being the most pet-friendly by having no fatal incidences. On the other side of the spectrum, dog lovers may want to steer clear of United Airlines, which made the news for being responsible for 75 percent of all in-flight pet deaths in 2017, according to The Washington Post.
If cost is king for you, then it’s worth noting that Frontier was named the cheapest airline, followed by fellow low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines. And if you just want to get from one place to another with as little frustration as possible, Southwest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines tied for the airlines with the least overall complaints.
More into in-flight movies and TV shows? Then check out The 10 Airlines with the Best In-Flight Entertainment.
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