These Are the Best Airlines in the U.S. for 2026, According to a New Study — and the No. 1 Pick Might Surprise You

A new WalletHub study ranked airlines on cost, reliability, comfort, and safety—and the No. 1 pick isn’t what most travelers expect.

Airfare prices are creeping up again, but most travelers aren’t just chasing the cheapest ticket anymore. Delays, cancellations, and how smoothly a trip actually goes have become a much bigger part of the decision.

A new WalletHub report looked at major U.S. airlines across 16 metrics, from baggage handling to legroom to safety, to figure out which ones really perform. And yes, the airline that landed at No. 1 might surprise you.

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10. United Airlines

United lands at the bottom of the ranking, with lower scores across reliability and overall service compared to competitors. It’s not failing in any one category, but it’s also not excelling anywhere either.

That kind of across-the-board average performance ends up dragging its overall score down in a study like this.

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9. Frontier Airlines

Frontier does well when it comes to affordability and safety, which helps it avoid the very bottom spot.

But once you factor in comfort and the overall flying experience, it drops quickly. It’s very much a budget-first airline, and the experience reflects that.

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8. American Airlines

American performs better than some budget carriers when it comes to comfort and in-flight amenities.

However, weaker scores in reliability—especially delays and baggage handling—hold it back from ranking higher.

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7. Delta Air Lines

Delta is often seen as one of the more reliable airlines, but in this ranking, it lands lower than expected.

It still performs well operationally, but higher costs and mixed scores across other categories keep it from breaking into the top tier.

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6. JetBlue Airways

JetBlue continues to stand out for comfort, with more legroom and free Wi-Fi on many flights.

That said, its reliability scores aren’t as strong, and those operational factors carry a lot of weight in this study.

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5. Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian offers one of the more enjoyable in-flight experiences, especially on longer routes.

But higher prices and lower efficiency scores keep it from climbing higher, even if the experience itself feels more premium.

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4. Alaska Airlines

Alaska sits just outside the top three, with solid performance across most categories.

It’s generally reliable and well-rounded, but doesn’t dominate in any one area enough to push into the top spots.

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3. SkyWest Airlines

SkyWest isn’t a name most travelers book directly, but it performs extremely well in the data.

It stands out for reliability and pet safety in particular, which helps boost its overall score despite being a regional carrier.

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2. Southwest Airlines

Southwest ranks near the top thanks to strong reliability and customer-friendly policies like free checked bags. (Though, they have been getting some heat recently for changing the once-popular “Customer of Size” policy.)

It’s one of the more balanced options overall, even if it doesn’t always come out cheapest.

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1. Spirit Airlines

Yes—Spirit takes the top spot.

It ranks extremely well for affordability, safety, and reliability, which are heavily weighted in this study. You’re definitely giving up comfort and extras, but if your goal is to get somewhere cheaply and with fewer disruptions, the data puts it ahead of the rest.

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What to keep in mind

This ranking leans heavily on price, safety, and reliability, which is why a budget airline like Spirit comes out on top. If comfort or perks matter more to you, your personal ranking might look very different—which is probably why this result feels a little surprising at first.

If airline rankings have you rethinking your next trip, it’s also worth seeing which U.S. carriers are most likely to mishandle checked bags. And for anyone already planning summer travel, there’s also a new report on which destinations may be cheaper to book before May 1.

Read more: Experts Say Booking Flights to These 15 Destinations Before May 1 Could Save You Up to $450

Read more: The 10 U.S. Airlines Most Likely to Lose Your Luggage, Ranked