As travelers saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, airline ticket prices dropped sharply due to travel restrictions. But, with the decrease of covid-19 cases worldwide and as travel resumes, prices rose again and according to some experts, they are expected to keep rising due to spiking oil costs.
For many travelers, however, travel costs are not the only thing that matter when they decide to pick what company they will fly with. In fact, choosing the right carriers is an important aspect to avoid problems during your vacations. Since travelers can find pricey tickets more easily while surfing on the internet or through a travel app, finding out the best airline companies in other categories is not an easy task, indeed.
Ranging from cancellation and delay rates to baggage mishaps and in-flight comfort, Travel Noire received a list of 2022’s best And worst airlines from WalletHub that will help travelers to choose the best airlines for their next trip.
As airline travel is essential for business, vacation, migration and so many other aspects of society, providing comfortable, convenient service to their passengers must be at the core of airline’s services. Wallet Hub states in a press release that it still considers costs in relation to in-flight amenities for the sake of fairness. “For example, it wouldn’t be right to penalize an airline that charges for drinks if its tickets are far cheaper than those from an airline with free in-flight refreshments,” Wallet Hub said.
In order to get the ranking, WalletHub turned to a panel of experts, asking them –
- What measures can airlines undertake in order to diminish their pilot shortage?
- What are the easiest measures that airlines can implement in order to increase passengers’ comfort?
- Is there an easy measure that airlines can implement in order to reduce congestion at the counter?
- What do you believe will be the main trend for the medium term in the airline industry? Will we see consolidation or the rise of regional players?
Also, WalletHub evaluated the 9 largest national airlines as well as two regional carriers through 16 key metrics across four major categories:
1) Baggage,
departures and complaints,
2) Animal incidents,
3) In-flight comfort and cost
4) Safety.
See WalletHub findings with each airline below:
1. Best Overall - Delta Airlines/ Worst Overall Southwest Airlines
Delta Air Lines earned the highest overall WalletHub Score (70.48) after being the runner-up for three years in a row, followed by Hawaiian Airlines (67.00).
Delta Air Lines achieved this position because it has the lowest rate of cancelations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings.
Southwest Airlines was the worst carrier among the 11 airlines evaluated with a score of 30.6, according to the research.
See how other airlines were ranked:
4. Envoy Air (60.46)
5. Spirit Airlines (59.22)
- SkyWest Airlines (57.01)
7. United Airlines (56.30)
8. Frontier Airlines (50.65)
9. JetBlue Airways (43.34)
10. American Airlines (41.40)
2. Most Reliable – Delta Air Lines
According to the research, Delta Air Lines has the lowest overall rate of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings. The next most reliable company is Hawaiian Airlines.
3. Safety – Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is ranked as the safest airline in the US. According to the research, the company registered the lowest number of incidents and accidents per 100,000 flight operations, no fatalities and fewer than 15 people injured between 2016 and 2021.
Wallethub also emphasized that Alaska Airlines also has a relatively new fleet of aircraft. The safety runner-up is Envoy Air.
4. Most Pet-Friendly – Delta Air Lines, SkyWest Airlines and Envoy Air
In 2021, seven animals died during air transportation, and three major U.S. airlines had at least one pet fatality.
According to the research, Delta Air Lines, SkyWest Airlines and Envoy Air tied for being the most pet-friendly – with no incidents.
5. Most Comfortable – JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways leads the pack in terms of in-flight experience, offering free amenities such as Wi-Fi, extra legroom, and complimentary snacks and beverages. Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines & Delta Air Lines are tied for the second position in this category.