Wondering which airline to book for your summertime excursions? Well, The Points Guy has spoken, and for the seventh year running, Delta Airlines takes the crown as the best U.S. airline. In the 2025 rankings, Delta once again came out on top after TPG's deep-dive into the four categories that matter most to travelers: reliability, cost and reach, experience and loyalty.
Why Delta? According to TPG, this win comes down to consistency across the board. While other airlines scored better in individual areas—like Alaska Airlines’ strong showing in customer experience or JetBlue’s stacked economy cabins—Delta rises above them all when it comes to the big picture. The airline bounced back fast from a major IT outage in 2024 and still delivered one of the most reliable operations in the skies.
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Southwest Airlines made a big move this year, climbing to third place with the lowest cancellation rate and unbeatable value, though its future ranking might take a hit now that the beloved “bags fly free” perk is on the chopping block. Hawaiian Airlines also rose in the ranks, recovering solidly after the Maui wildfires.
Meanwhile, United Airlines snagged second place overall, boosted by an improved experience and the strongest loyalty program in the game. On the flip side, American Airlines dropped to seventh place, dragged down by lagging premium upgrades and poor baggage handling.
At the bottom are the usual suspects: Allegiant, Spirit and Frontier. Still cheap, still charging for everything and still struggling with loyalty value.
Delta didn’t ace every category, but what set it apart was its balance: solid performance, decent perks and an operation travelers can count on. In today’s unpredictable travel world, that reliability still goes a long way.
Top ten airlines in the U.S. according to The Points Guy
- Delta Air Lines
- United Airlines
- Southwest
- Alaska Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JetBlue
- American Airlines
- Allegiant Air
- Spirit Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
Other rankings from The Points Guy
Most reliable: Delta
Best travel experience: Alaska
Best cost and reach: Southwest
Best loyalty program: United