Looking to travel this summer but not sure which airline to fly for the best experience? The Points Guy (TPG), an online site dedicated to improving consumers’ travel experiences while helping them save money, has revealed its annual ranking of the best airlines in the U.S.
Founder and CEO Brian Kelly said the site ranks airlines based on four criteria: a carrier’s reliability and performance; passenger experience; its cost and reach; and the quality of its loyalty or rewards program. Recent carrier meltdowns have travelers thinking more carefully about which airline — and through which airports — they want to fly.
“This is not just my personal decision,” Kelly told CBS Mornings. He also explained how the company weighs each metric. “We have a formula. We use lots of data. This isn’t us just sticking our finger up in the air and kind of playing favorites. We look at reliability, first and foremost.”
“When you buy airfare, you need to get to where you’re going, so we give a huge amount — 30% — to reliability,” Kelly explained.
Some airlines are going the extra mile to make flying more enjoyable for customers, from the minute they step foot in an airport through touchdown. For that reason, TPG assigned a 25% weight to an airline passenger’s experience score to determine its overall ranking.
An airline’s cost and reach — including how expansive its network of destinations is — was assigned a 20% weight. And one-quarter of an airline’s score was determined by the quality of its loyalty of rewards program.
How the airlines stack up
Delta Air Lines topped the list for the seventh year in a row, with its relative strength across all categories earning it the highest ranking, according to TPG. It is the most reliable on-time airline in America. It also provides passengers with free wi-fi, a wide selection of inflight entertainment options and meals from Shake Shack.
United came in second place, rising from third place last year, aided by an improved onboard experience. It could continue to climb the rankings next year after announcing a partnership with JetBlue that will expand the airline’s reach and improve perks for its loyalty members, TPG said.
Weighing on the airline, though, is United’s outsized presence at Newark Airport, which is suffering from persistent equipment and staffing issues.
Southwest Airlines moved up two spots to earn the No. 3 position. Working in the airline’s favor is its low flight cancellation rate, which is the best of any of its competitors. While it scored points in the cost and reach category, recent changes in fee structures could end its reign. It recently ended its popular “bags fly free” policy and offers a new, basic economy fare.
Here are the full rankings, according to TPG:
- Delta Air Lines
- United Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Alaska Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JetBlue
- American Airlines
- Allegiant Air
- Spirit Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
