Most loved airlines

Delta▲ Rising

Delta clawed its way from Chapter 11 in 2007 to the industry's gold standard for reliability, and by the 2020s it was routinely topping customer satisfaction surveys while competitors stumbled through meltdown after meltdown. Its early, unglamorous bet on operational discipline and free seatback entertainment paid off in loyalty that's hard to fake. The argument for the top spot: when things go wrong industry-wide, Delta is the one people trust to actually get them home.

Value: $8Overall: 9/10

added by IJRin 3 rankings

Alaska Airlines▲ Rising

Alaska built its reputation in the Pacific Northwest on something rarer than legroom: consistency, genuine West Coast friendliness, and a mileage program frequent flyers still call the best in the business. The 2024 door-plug blowout on a Boeing MAX 9 was a terrifying gut-punch, but the airline's transparent handling and quick grounding response actually reinforced trust rather than shattering it. It's the underdog with outsized loyalty — smaller than the giants, but beloved with an intensity that punches way above its market share.

Value: $8Overall: 9/10

added by IJRin 4 rankings

United▲ Rising

United spent years defined by the 2017 Dr. David Dao dragging incident, a viral nightmare that became shorthand for airline arrogance and cost the brand dearly in public trust. Since then, under Scott Kirby, United has poured billions into new planes, Polaris seats, and route expansion, clawing back some goodwill through sheer product investment. It sits mid-pack here because the comeback is real, but the memory of that video still lingers longer than any ad campaign can erase.

Value: $7Overall: 8/10

added by IJRin 3 rankings

Southwest

Southwest built five decades of goodwill on bags fly free, no change fees, and a scrappy, folksy culture that made flying feel almost human — then the December 2022 holiday meltdown stranded two million people and torched that reputation almost overnight. The airline's decision to finally end open seating and unbundle its famous free-bag policy in 2024 further alienated the loyalists who loved it precisely because it refused to nickel-and-dime. It ranks here as a fallen favorite: still beloved by legacy fans, but visibly abandoning the very things that earned that love.

Value: $8Overall: 8/10

added by IJRin 2 rankings

Hawaiian▼ Falling

Value: $8Overall: 8/10

added by IJRin 2 rankings

American Airlines▼ Falling

American Airlines merged with US Airways in 2013 to become the world's largest carrier by fleet size, but scale never translated into love — it's spent years near the bottom of customer satisfaction rankings, criticized for cramped cabins, inconsistent service, and a AAdvantage program that frequent flyers feel keeps getting worse. Its 2024 attempt to funnel corporate bookings through a controversial new booking model backfired publicly, forcing a reversal. It anchors this list as the airline that's everywhere but rarely anyone's favorite.

Value: $6Overall: 7/10

added by IJRin 4 rankings