One airline soars above the rest in 2025 rankings while two major carriers crash to bottom
Despite another year of flight delays, cancellations and passenger complaints, no U.S. airline truly soared in 2025 — though one carrier stood out as the industry’s top performer, while two tied for the lowest rankings.
On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal released its annual ranking of the best and worst airlines. While some industry gains were spotlighted, overall performance did not improve year over year — even with higher fares and major airline investments.
By a wide margin, Southwest Airlines soared above its competitors to take the top spot. It marks the first time the carrier ranked No. 1 since 2020, ending Delta’s four-year winning streak.
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According to The Journal, Southwest had the fewest customer complaints and tarmac delays, with a cancellation rate of just 0.84%. Its lowest score was for baggage handling.
The airline made headlines in recent years for cutting its workforce by 15% and starting to charge fees on checked bags.
Allegiant Air placed second, earning praise as a strong performer despite being a low-cost carrier.
The airline excelled in three areas — posting the lowest cancellation rate at 0.55%, the fewest lost bags and the fewest involuntary passenger bumps. However, when Allegiant flights are delayed, those delays tend to last longer than the industry average.
Delta Air Lines came in third, slipping from its No. 1 position over the past four years. The airline told The Journal it plans to reclaim the top spot in 2026, saying, "Delta people set the bar high for airline performance as part of our drive for continuous improvement."
Although Delta led the industry in on-time arrivals, The Journal noted that its 2024 summer system outage — which caused widespread flight disruptions — weighed heavily on its 2025 performance. The airline also saw increases in delays, cancellations and complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Alaska Airlines was recognized as a steady, reliable performer — though well behind the top three. There was a noticeable gap between Alaska and the airlines that ranked below it.
While it didn’t lead in any major category, Alaska avoided serious operational breakdowns in 2025. The carrier is expected to integrate Hawaiian Airlines data following its planned merger in 2026.
Despite its reputation for no-frills service and ongoing financial struggles, Spirit Airlines saw the biggest year-over-year improvement.
It cut its cancellation rate to 1.42%, down from its 2024 high, and jumped to fourth place in on-time arrivals — showing operational gains even as it faced bankruptcy proceedings.
United Airlines ranked sixth, largely because of its poor performance in baggage handling. The carrier’s mishandled-bag rate was 7.07 per 1,000 — well above the industry average — and its tracking technology failed to deliver better results.
JetBlue Airways ranked near the bottom but avoided the last-place spot. It performed relatively well in baggage handling — second only to Allegiant — but struggled with reliability and flight delays.
Travelers beware, as American Airlines and Frontier tied for dead last in The Journal’s rankings. Both companies wrestled with reliability and "outside issues" while passengers paid the price.
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American had the highest cancellation rate of all major airlines at 2.2% and rarely ranked higher than sixth in any category. The company blamed weather and hub disruptions for its poor performance. Also, in January of last year, one of its regional jets collided with an Army helicopter in D.C., killing 67 people.
Frontier ranked last in four of seven categories, and finds itself in the bottom spot for the second year in a row. The company’s bid to acquire Spirit was rejected early in the year, and its CEO Barry Biffle suddenly departed Frontier in December.