These Are the Most Comfortable and Reliable Airlines in the U.S. Right Now

Unless you’re living it up in first class, commercial air travel can be tough. Wedging yourself into a middle seat isn’t exactly the most private or comfortable mode of transportation. What’s worse, airlines are notoriously unreliable -- at least, some of them. Thankfully, a helpful new report reveals both the most comfortable airlines and the ones with the best track records for reliable service.

The report, released by personal finance site WalletHub on Thursday, provides yet another ranking of US-based airlines to consider when shopping around for your next flight. It should come as no surprise to anyone who flies regularly that some airlines stacked up better than the rest.

Overall, Alaska Airlines received the highest marks from WalletHub, with a score of 63.52. The airline has been No. 1 in overall comfort, reliability, safety and other factors for three years in a row. This year, it ranked just ahead of Delta Air Lines, which was named the most reliable airline on the site’s list.

Another airline passengers can count on to be on time, at least most of the time, is Hawaiian Airlines. The airline flew into the No. 2 spot based on low cancellations, delays, denied boardings, and instances of mishandled baggage, according to the analysis. Here’s the full ranking of airlines, from most reliable to least reliable, per the report:

1. Delta Air Lines
2. Hawaiian Airlines
3. United Airlines
4. Spirit Airlines
5. Alaska Airlines
6. SkyWest Airlines
7. JetBlue Airways
8. Southwest Airlines
9. American Airlines
10. ExpressJet Airlines
11. Envoy Air
12. Frontier Airlines

As for comfort, JetBlue Airways beat out Alaska Airlines, United, Southwest, and Delta (those four tied for second place) for the top spot. WalletHub’s comfort rating is based on more than just cushy seats. The site found that JetBlue offered the best in-flight experience, offering passengers amenities like WiFi, extra legroom, and snacks at no additional cost. This is becoming less and less common, so it’s kind of a big deal -- especially for frequent fliers. Here’s the full airline comfort ranking:

1. JetBlue Airways
2. United Airlines
2. Southwest Airlines
2. Alaska Airlines
2. Delta Air Lines
3. American Airlines
4. Hawaiian Airlines
5. Spirit Airlines
6. Frontier Airlines

WalletHub used all that information to compile a list of the best airlines overall. Check it out:

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

WalletHub’s rankings come after the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) released its annual travel report on the airlines with the most satisfied customers. Each airline was rated on a scale of 0 to 100 based on data ACSI gathered from more than 300,000 customer interviews. Alaska Airlines was No. 1 in that ranking, too, with Southwest, JetBlue, Delta, and American not far behind.

You should always do as much research of your own as you can before booking your next flight, but reports like these are a great jumping off joint.