This domestic airline was just voted the best in the country

Navigating the friendly skies has felt a bit more turbulent lately. Between skyrocketing airfares, shutdowns, delays and the stunning collapse of Spirit Airlines, travelers are facing an increasingly nerve-racking landscape when it comes to flying.

To help passengers make sense of it all, The Points Guy just released its 10th annual Best Airlines Report. By taking into account thousands of data points from the past year, the trusted travel platform has officially crowned the champion of the domestic skies—and a familiar giant remains at the top.

For the eighth consecutive year, Delta Air Lines captured the title of best overall domestic airline. Delta’s continued dominance is a testament to its consistent, end-to-end travel experience. The carrier paired its hallmark on-time reliability with top-tier airport lounges and premium onboard amenities to edge out the competition.

However, Delta's rivals aren't far behind. United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and the newly consolidated Alaska Air Group (which now includes Hawaiian Airlines) are all hot on Delta's heels. In fact, the report notes that United was within striking distance of the top spot, dragged down only by a single low metric regarding mishandled baggage.

The 2026 report heavily weighted affordability and route schedules to reflect surging ticket prices, revealing a highly volatile airline landscape where different carriers excel in very specific niches:

Most Reliable: Allegiant Air earned top marks for reliability, defying a year where industrywide flight cancellations rose.

Best Baggage Handling: Allegiant and JetBlue were the least likely to mishandle checked bags.

Best Loyalty: American Airlines claimed the top spot for loyalty due to the high value of its AAdvantage miles, despite simultaneously posting the industry’s worst cancellation rate.

Best Budget: Spirit Airlines was initially included in the data before its May liquidation. Analysis shows it would have ranked just ahead of Frontier, highlighting a massive void left in the low-cost travel market. Frontier ranked the lowest overall, however, due to struggles with reliability.

Ultimately, TPG's 2026 rankings show that while the perfect airline might not exist, Delta remains the safest bet for a premium, reliable journey.

Best U.S. airlines overall according to The Points Guy

1. Delta Air Lines
2. United Airlines
3. Southwest Airlines
4. Alaska Air Group (Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines)
5. American Airlines
6. JetBlue
7. Allegiant Air
8. Frontier Airline