Flying can be a pleasant and memorable experience with the right airline and a bit of luck. Conversely, an airline with poor management can turn your flight into a nightmare, exceed your budget, and make you regret not staying home. Identifying companies that provide a top-notch experience can be challenging, especially for those with limited airport and airplane exposure. Before booking a flight for your upcoming vacation or business trip, take a look at this list of the five worst airlines in America. It can help you save a significant amount of time, hassle, and annoyance in the long run.
Airline Rankings in the United States
Typically, there isn’t much discussion about which airline in America should be ranked the highest, but there is often a heated debate about which one should be considered the worst. This list ranks airlines based on important factors to consider when purchasing tickets: comfort, cost, safety, and reliability.
Delta Air Lines
- Places to go: Local and global
- Baggage fees: $30 for the first bag, $40 for the second bag
- Number of aircraft in the fleet: 978
- Number of daily flights: More than 4,000
Delta Air Lines, the oldest airline in the US, is consistently rated as the best in the country. Customers praise their customer service, quick response time, and convenience. Although Delta flights may be costly, the comfortable seats and meticulous service provided make the expense worthwhile.
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Alaska Airlines
- Travel to both local and global locations
- Baggage fee for checked luggage is $30.
- Number of aircraft in the fleet: 315
- Number of flights per day: 1,200
Alaska Airline’s minimal customer complaints indicate its superior performance among airlines in the country. Passengers are usually happy with the service they get, but some are unhappy about the limited entertainment choices during flights.
Located in Washington, Alaska Airlines outperforms many other US airlines in terms of punctuality. From October 2022 to October 2023, 77% of Alaska Airline’s flights were punctual, with only 1.48% being canceled, as per the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The numbers are not as remarkable as Delta’s, but it’s a strong performance for a smaller airline.
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United Airlines
- Travel to both local and global locations
- Baggage fees: $35 for short flights, $75 for long flights
- Number of aircraft in the fleet: 944
- Number of daily flights: 4,500
Based in Chicago, United Airlines ranks third. It boasts a comparable on-time arrival rate to Alaska Airlines, but experiences slightly more cancellations and delays.
Hawaiian Airlines
- Travel to both local and global locations
- Baggage fee for checked luggage: $30
- Number of aircraft in the fleet: 62
- Number of daily flights: 260
It’s challenging to compare Hawaiian Airlines with industry giants like Delta when looking at the best and worst airlines. They operate with a smaller fleet and have fewer daily flights. Just like the name implies, their main focus is on transporting passengers to and from the Hawaiian islands. Although there are some limitations, Hawaiian Airlines is a great choice for travelers going to a tropical paradise. It receives minimal customer complaints in comparison to its competitors, and the cancelation rate is low.
JetBlue Airways
- Travel to both local and global locations
- Baggage fees: First two bags are free, $75 for the third bag
- Number of aircraft in the fleet: 285
- Number of daily flights: Over 1,000
Located in New York City, JetBlue Airways is famous for its exceptional first-class in-flight services. Regrettably, such an experience is quite costly. JetBlue Airways charges a high price for both premium economy and economy seats, with an average ticket cost of $217.
American Airlines
- Travel to both local and global locations
- Baggage fees: $30 for short flights, $75 for long flights
- Number of aircraft in the fleet: 965
- Number of daily flights: 6,700
American Airlines boasts a solid 75% on-time arrival rate and experienced only a 1% flight cancellation rate last year. Based in Texas, this airline is known for its punctuality compared to JetBlue Airways, and it received fewer customer complaints in the last year. It’s not ranked higher due to other factors.
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