The de facto expert on flying, The Points Guy, released data on the best and worst airlines.

These Are the Worst Airlines to Fly in 2025

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A mesmerizing close-up of an airplane cockpit, as it gracefully makes its way onto the runway, ready to take flight into the enchanting hues of the sunset

Flying can be a less-than-relaxing experience, to say the least. But some airlines undoubtedly make that experience more pleasant than others. We all have our favorites we’re loyal to, but when it comes to getting hard and fast data, The Points Guy’s Best Airlines Report for 2025 offers a clear-eyed view of which carriers are truly delivering. His data points range from timeliness and baggage handling to frequent flyer perks and route networks.

It may not come as a surprise that Delta Air Lines once again took the top spot, marking its seventh straight win. The Georgia-based carrier didn’t score the highest in every individual category, but its well-rounded excellence helped it clinch the top ranking. It led in reliability, with standout performance in on-time arrivals and remarkably low involuntary bumping (just four passengers all year). Delta also offered solid scores across loyalty and onboard experience—with dependable Wi-Fi, premium cabin upgrades, and strong customer satisfaction metrics. Its operational resilience, even during last year’s CrowdStrike-induced outage, further proved Delta’s commitment to consistency and recovery.

Coming in fourth place was the West Coast’s Alaska Airlines, which also won in TPG’s overall travel experience category. With guaranteed family seating, early boarding for families, and lounge access perks for children, it’s probably the most family-friendly airline out there. The carrier also earned top marks for the value of its paid lounge membership, making it an especially strong choice for frequent travelers who appreciate a little comfort in the terminal, especially since Priority Pass has become nearly useless.

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United Airlines climbed to second place behind Delta, powered by its industry-leading MileagePlus loyalty program and a robust international route network. Southwest rebounded to third place, thanks in large part to the lowest cancellation rate in the industry (there isn’t one) and IT investments that helped turn the page on its 2022 holiday meltdown. But with new basic economy fares, the addition of assigned seating, and changes to its “bags fly free” policy, Southwest’s long-held reign over affordability may be tested next year.

At the bottom of the list? It’s no surprise to frequent budget travelers that Frontier, Spirit, and Allegiant were the worst of the bunch, which continued to struggle with high add-on fees, weak loyalty benefits, and sparse in-flight amenities. Frontier, notably, bumped more than 17,000 passengers in 2023–24—a sharp contrast to zero bumps from Allegiant. Here are the official rankings:

  1. Delta Air Lines
  2. United Airlines
  3. Southwest Airlines
  4. Alaska Airlines
  5. Hawaiian Airlines
  6. JetBlue
  7. American Airlines
  8. Allegiant Air
  9. Spirit Airlines
  10. Frontier Airlines