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Marielle Descalsota
2023-07-28T09:03:32Z
- Frontier was named the worst US airline in 2023 by claims management company AirAdvisor.
- Spirit, another low-cost airline, was ranked the second-worst on the list.
- Delta took the top spot as the best US airline this year.
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AirAdvisor, a Boston, Massachusetts-based claims-management company, published its first-ever top 10 US airlines rankings on July 20. The company analyzed data from January 2022 until May this year.
AirAdvisor evaluated airlines on a ten-point scale based on nine criteria: reliability, comfort, safety, price, customer reputation, airline lounges, professional reviews, family travel, and traveling with pets. The overall score is taken from the average of the individual criteria scores.
"The result: analyzing nearly 1 million reviews, over 5 million flights, and 25 different individual factors," AirAdvisor said in its press release.
At the top of the list: Delta Airlines, which had an average score of 7.67, was crowned the best US airline.
But two popular airlines — Frontier and Spirit — were ranked at the bottom of the list, with overall scores of 3.22 and 4.11, respectively.
"We received a lot of requests from our clients asking us what the best airline to fly with is. So we decided to conduct an extensive study on this to produce a comprehensive US Airline Ranking that should help consumers make better travel decisions," AirAdvisor's CEO Anthony Radchenko told Insider in an email.
Insider has included the scores of each airline in three criteria — safety, comfort, and reliability — as these are some of the most important factors for passengers when flying with airlines.
Take a look at how US airlines rank in 2023, according to AirAdvisor. Entrants are arranged in ascending order of their overall scores.
10. Frontier Airlines
Safety: 2
Comfort: 1
Reliability: 1
Overall score: 3.22
Frontier is a Denver-based budget airline. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations. It's certified as a three-star airline by the aviation rating site Skytrax.
Frontier's recent reviews have been negative. It has an average rating of two out of 10 from 3,373 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew Frontier in July said in his review it was a "horrible experience" and that the "seats are uncomfortable." Another passenger, who flew with the airline in July, said it has "endless" hidden fees and that even a cup of water is chargeable.
9. Spirit Airlines
Safety: 7
Comfort: 3
Reliability: 3
Overall score: 4.11
Spirit is a Florida-based low-cost airline. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations. It's certified as a three-star airline by Skytrax.
Spirit's recent reviews have also skewed negatively. It has anaverage rating of two out of 10 from 4,968 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew with Spirit in July commented his flight from Detroit to Las Vegas was delayed by over nine hours.
Another passenger who flew with the airline in July said the boarding staff is "so incredibly rude" and provided "abysmal" service.
8. Allegiant Air
Safety: 7
Comfort: 1
Reliability: 4
Overall score: 4.78
Allegiant is a Las Vegas-based low-cost airline. The airline only offers flights to domestic destinations. It's certified as a three-star airline by Skytrax.
Allegiant recently received mixed reviews. Theairline has an average rating of three out of 10 from 1,917 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew with Allegiant in July said the airline provides "quality customer service" and the planes are "always clean."
But another passenger who flew with the airline in the same month said Allegiant has "zero organization" and that the absence of its gate agent caused his flight to be delayed.
7. Southwest Airlines
Safety: 7
Comfort: 6
Reliability: 6
Overall score: 5.33
Southwest is a Texas-based low-cost airline. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations. It's certified as a four-star airline by Skytrax.
Southwest's recent reviews are mixed. It has an average rating of four out of 10 from 1,758 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew with Southwest in July said he was "impressed" with the service provided by the flight attendants and the flexible seating on board. But another passenger who flew with the airline in the same month said he experienced an "awful" two-hour delay on his domestic flight.
6. JetBlue Airways
Safety: 7
Comfort: 9
Reliability: 2
Overall score: 5.33
JetBlue is a New York City-based airline. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations. It's certified as a three-star airline by Skytrax.
JetBlue's recent reviews are negative. It has an average rating of three out of 10 from 1,549 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew with JetBlue in July said his flight was rescheduled "10 times." Another passenger who flew with the airline in July said its customer service is "very bad," and that staff are unhelpful.
5. American Airlines
Safety: 7
Comfort: 8
Reliability: 7
Overall score: 6.78
American is a Texas-based airline. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations. It's certified as a three-star airline by Skytrax.
American's recent reviews are negative. It has an average score of two out of 10 from 5,677 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew with American this month said it has "poor customer service" and that his flight to Knoxville, Tennessee, was delayed. Another passenger who flew with American in July said it was "the experience" he's ever had and that the airline only served him two meals instead of three during an international flight.
4. Alaska Airlines
Safety: 7
Comfort: 4
Reliability: 5
Overall score: 6.78
Alaska is a Washington-based airline. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations. It's certified as a three-star airline by Skytrax.
Alaska's recent reviews are negative. The airline has an average rating of four out of 10 from 967 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew first class with Alaska in July said the plane was "dirty" and "so disgusting." Another passenger who flew with the airline in July said there was no in-flight entertainment, and the ticket counter was "absolute chaos."
3. United Airlines
Safety: 7
Comfort: 7
Reliability: 8
Overall score: 7.11
United is a Chicago-based airline. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations. It's certified as a three-star airline by Skytrax.
United's recent reviews are negative. It has an average rating of three out of 10 from 4,569 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew with United in July said his flight was delayed by four hours and caused him to miss his connecting flight. Another passenger who flew with United in July said the airline lost his luggage and didn't offer compensation.
2. Hawaiian Airlines
Safety: 7
Comfort: 5
Reliability: 9
Overall score: 7.22
Hawaiian is a Hawaii-based airline that's certified as a three-star airline by Skytrax. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations.
Hawaiian's recent reviews were mixed. The airline has anaverage rating of five out of 10 from 519 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew Hawaiian in July said he received no updates after his flight was delayed and that he was only given a $12 food voucher as compensation. But another passenger who flew with Hawaiian in June said the airline's service was "exceptional" and staff were "customer focused, friendly, cheerful and enthusiastic about helping travelers."
1. Delta Airlines
Safety: 2
Comfort: 10
Reliability: 10
Overall score: 7.67
Delta is an Atlanta-based airline certified as a three-star airline by Skytrax. The airline offers flights to domestic and international destinations.
Despite its top ranking, Delta's recent reviews have been negative. The airline has an average rating of four out of 10 from 2,855 reviews on Skytrax's customer reviews site.
One passenger who flew with the airline in July said on Skytrax his mother's luggage was mishandled, and they were offered a flight credit valid only for a year. Another passenger who flew first class with Delta in July said the food was terrible, and the flight attendant gave her an "attitude."
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FAQs
Frontier is the worst US airline in 2023, and Spirit isn't far behind, according to recent study — see the list of the top 10 airlines? ›
Frontier is the worst US airline in 2023, and Spirit isn't far behind, according to recent study — see the list of the top 10 airlines. Frontier was named the worst US airline in 2023 by claims management company AirAdvisor. Spirit, another low-cost airline, was ranked the second-worst on the list.
Which one is worse Spirit or Frontier? ›Is Frontier better than Spirit? Though Spirit is attractive to more frequent international travelers, has Wi-Fi available and offers more credit card options, there's still a clear winner according to our 2023 airline-industry analysis: Frontier.
Why is Frontier Airlines so bad? ›Frontier does not provide passengers Wi-Fi, in-flight entertainment, or even electrical outlets. Complimentary snacks are also not provided, but those with a credit card can purchase on board. While some of these perks may be missed by passengers, Frontier passes these savings onto travelers with low ticket costs.
Where does Frontier Airlines rank? ›| Airline (2022 rank) | Total score (out of 100)* | Top-performing areas |
|---|---|---|
| 7. JetBlue (7) | 47.68 | Cabin features. |
| 8. Spirit (10) | 38.99 | Affordability. |
| 9. Allegiant (9) | 37.04 | Involuntary bumps, baggage, wheelchairs/scooters. |
| 10. Frontier (8) | 27.74 | Affordability. |
- Spirit Airlines 21.06%
- Allegiant Air 16.36%
- American Airlines 14.40%
- Frontier Airlines 14.30%
- Delta Air Lines 12.63%
- JetBlue 12.63%
- Alaska Airlines 10.68%
- Southwest Airlines 10.28%
| Percent of on-time flights | Percent of canceled flights | |
|---|---|---|
| JetBlue Airways | 70%. | 1%. |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 70%. | 1%. |
| Spirit Airlines | 69%. | 2%. |
| Frontier Airlines | 65%. | 2%. |
| Rank | Airline | Delay rate, 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegiant Air | 32.9% |
| 2 | Frontier Airlines | 32.7% |
| 3 | JetBlue | 31.6% |
| 4 | Spirit Airlines | 27.4% |
Because Frontier is a no frills airline, they don't offer any extras that you may get when flying with other airlines such as Delta. Inflight Wi-Fi and entertainment are not available for free or for purchase. Frontier doesn't offer these things in order to keep their flight prices low for customers.
Does Frontier Airlines have a lot of delays? ›Frontier Airlines
Another airline in the United States with lots of delays is Frontier Airlines. This airline only had 66.1% on-time flights in 2022. Additionally, 30.86% of all scheduled flights were delayed, and 2.87% were canceled.
United Airlines and its partners – 2.71% of flights canceled. American Airlines and its partners – 2.81% of flights canceled. Frontier Airlines – 2.87% of flights canceled.
Which is better Delta or Frontier? ›
Delta is the best airline in the US for 2023 according to The Points Guy's annual ranking.
What is Frontier Airlines known for? ›Frontier is America's Greenest Airline. Our weight-saving tactics and modern, fuel-efficient fleet contribute to an average of 43% fuel savings compared to other U.S. Airlines.
Are there better seats on Frontier? ›No, Frontier does not offer a first class option. However, if you purchase stretch seating on Frontier, you'll receive some perks like more legroom, extra recline, early boarding, and more.
What is the most unreliable airline? ›You might avoid these carriers, when possible, to be less likely to encounter unpleasant flight experiences. U.S. travelers report that American Airlines is the most unreliable airline in the world when measured by the total flight problems and reported complaints in 2022.
Which airlines to avoid right now? ›Department of Transportation complaint data backs up this list of the least-favorite carriers. In the first half of 2022, American Airlines had the most complaints (3,186), followed by United Airlines (2,391), Spirit Airlines (1,909) and Frontier Airlines (1,750).
What is the nicest airlines in America? ›Delta Air Lines topped Wallethub's list for the second year in a row. “Some of the main factors that contributed to Delta being the winner include the lack of denied boardings in the past year, the lack of animal related incidents and the fact that it has no fatal injuries in aviation accidents,” says Gonzalez.
Is Spirit worse than other airlines? ›Here's how I managed surprise fees on a flight from New York to Miami as a veteran low-cost traveler. Spirit Airlines is commonly named one of the worst airlines, coming in second-worst in a new ranking. The bad reputation is due to mediocre on-time performance and sometimes unexpected extra costs.
Is Spirit airline a bad airline to fly? ›In some sense, Spirit's bad reputation is not without merit. The airline is rightly criticized for its misleading fee system, which shows you a low price — called a “bare fare” — but has a substantial catch: The price you see frequently includes only a small personal item and the flight ticket.
Is Spirit less safe than other airlines? ›In terms of safety, Spirit Airlines has high safety ratings from reputable organizations such as the FAA and IATA. However, in terms of overall customer satisfaction, Spirit Airlines may rank lower than other airlines due to their budget model and fewer amenities.
Is Spirit worse than Delta? ›1 by WalletHub, which studied each airline's delays, baggage issues, safety and other factors. Spirit Airlines ranks No. 2 in this year's report. Delta is also the most reliable airline, because the carrier has the lowest overall rate of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings, WalletHub says.