Planning your next vacation? Take a look at how this recent study ranked 10 U.S. airlines
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With search engines such as Google Flights and other sites that track the price of tickets and compare flight costs, it is easy to find the most affordable airfare these days.
But with recent news of numerous plane malfunctions, airfare cost might not be the only deciding factor when deciding which airline to fly.
A new study conducted by Wallethub, a personal finance company, compared nine of the largest U.S. airlines and one regional carrier across 13 metrics that ranged from cancellation and delay rates to baggage mishaps and in-flight comfort while still considering costs in relation to in-flight amenities.
The study compared the following airlines:
So which airline topped the list?
Wallethub’s 2024’s Best Airlines
The three key dimensions the study used to determine the best airlines were:
- Baggage and departures
- In-flight comfort and cost
- Safety
All key dimensions were evaluated using 13 metrics that ranged from the canceled flight to Wi-Fi availability and fatal injuries in aviation accidents.
The study ranked the airlines in the following order:
Alaska Airlines - 68.07/100
Skywest Airlines - 65.96/100
Spirit Airlines - 65.69/100
Delta Airlines - 61.56/100
United Airlines - 51.96/100
JetBlue Airways - 51.60/100
Hawaiian Airlines 48.30/100
American Airlines - 46.52/100
Frontier Airlines - 43.57/100
Southwest Airlines - 36.03/ 100
How did other airlines rank?
Along with ranking the best overall airline, the study also ranked the best airlines in the following categories: most affordable, most reliable, most comfortable and safest airlines.
Here’s how the airlines ranked in those categories:
▪ Most affordable airline: Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines was ranked the most affordable airline and best airline for budget flyers. According to the study, the airline’s cost of airfare in cents per mile in 2024 is 5.23 cents per mile while American Airlines’ cost of airfare in cents per mile in 2024 is 16.15 cents per mile.
▪ Most reliable airline: Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines was ranked the most reliable airline because it has the lowest rate of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boarding.
▪ Most comfortable airlines: Delta Airlines and JetBlue Airways
Delta Airlines and JetBlue Airways were ranked as the most comfortable airlines due it their in-flight experience, free amenities such as Wi-Fi, extra legroom and complimentary snacks and beverages.
▪ Safest airline: Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines was ranked the safest airline compared to the other nine airlines and received a 33.07 out of 35 on the safety score. Alaska Airlines was the safety runner-up.
This story was originally published April 20, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
