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WalletHub has announced the best and worst airlines of 2023 in a new report from data collected over the last year.
This is major news considering ticket prices are skyrocketing, and airlines see more and more cancellations.
Recently, Southwest had to ground more than 100 planes because of a technical glitch, so if you’re traveling this summer, be sure to study this list well.
No one likes to start a holiday with a flight delay or cancellation, and by reading this article, you can hopefully avoid an airline with a higher chance of problems.
The best and worst airlines may or may not be surprising to frequent travelers, but this new study took some new things into account when making the ranking.
Things like free WiFI, more legroom, and denied boarding were all factored into this study.
Find out the best and worst airlines of 2023, according to a new report from WalletHub.
Best Overall
Delta Airlines will be the best overall U.S. airline in 2023.
They’ve had fewer cancellations and delays and are known for having more comfortable seating than most airlines. Even though the price tags are slightly higher for Delta flights in many cases, you get more reliability and fewer issues.
Delta was also announced as one of the best airlines to buy last-minute tickets. Surprisingly, Spirit Airlines was second. The low-fare economy airline has been performing better and better over the years.
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Most Reliable
No surprise here, but Delta is also the most reliable.
Delta Airlines wins this category with its fewer canceled and delayed flights. It also has less mishandled luggage and denied boarding (in cases of overbooking).
This is all from data they pulled from over nine different U.S. airlines.
Safety
Envoy Air wins this category.
If you don’t recognize this airline, you should look into them for your next trip if safety is top of mind.
Envoy Air is a small regional airline that flies to many places in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas.
Data gathered by WalletHub has confirmed them as the safest airline to fly within 2023.
Most Pet-Friendly
If you travel with pets, you know how complicated the process can be with any airline.
That’s why picking the airline that has the most straightforward method is essential. In this case, there is a triple tie.
Delta, SkyWest, and Alaska Airlines are winning this category.
Most Comfortable
JetBlue is the winner here. The ever-expanding airline just announced service to Amsterdam starting later this year and begins its first-ever service to Paris at the start of this summer.
They’ve been crowned the most comfortable airline by WalletHub because they offer free WiFi, extra legroom, and complimentary snacks and beverages.
This goes a long way if you travel more than a few hours.
Most Affordable
Traveling this summer will be expensive because of rising gas prices and constant strikes leading to canceled flights. That’s why picking an affordable low-fare airline is essential if you don’t want to spend millions of dollars on a week-long vacation.
The winner of this category is Spirit Airlines. The airline has fares as low as $30 to some regional destinations like Atlanta, New York, and Orlando. It’s the perfect airline to grab a state-side flight without spending too much. You do have to be careful with the baggage situation.
Read the fine print and understand that they will charge you for overhead baggage, which airlines like Delta don’t normally do.
Flying this summer should be fun; you shouldn’t have to worry about waiting for a plane to arrive or having it canceled. Starting your vacation on the right foot and with the right airline is the best way to start any holiday.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Nancy Finnen
Saturday 17th of June 2023
American Airlines is the worse. The customer service people started yelling at the passengers when we asked why they cancelled our flights. Finally, one of the passengers stood up for himself and reported the customer service for verbal abuse. There was a long line waiting for them needing help and customer services left because it’s their break time. They rescheduled us to another flight that is likewise delayed. When we ask to get our bags, the customer service lady won’t release it. There was a flight going from another airline and they wouldn’t release my bag. I decided to forgo my bag and drive to my destination because I will miss my kid’s birthday
Rich
Friday 21st of April 2023
I think there are two issues with studies like this: first they tend to focus on coach and do not look at business or first accommodation particularly on longhaul wide bodies. In this category Delta is not ahead of UA or AA at all, Second they ignore the routes where Delta has good service TPAC but is a poor third against AA and UA TATL where the Delta link with KLM does not deliver much. Fun to read but not likely to change my choices.