An ultra low-cost airline claimed the title of the best U.S. airline in 2025, according to an annual ranking from .
Spirit Airlines—a no-frills airline that sells cheap base tickets but recoups some costs through add-ons like carry-on and checked bag fees and seat selection—jumped from last year’s No. 3 spot on the list to the top spot in 2025.
In addition to being named the best overall airline, Spirit ranked No. 1 in two of WalletHub’s subcategories—affordability and safety—that are top of mind for travelers at the moment, however data for the rankings was captured through 2024.
But Spirit may not be a super-budget airline for much longer.
Spirit filed for last November after losing $1.2 billion in 2024, but in March it emerged from bankruptcy protection and announced it will be rebranding as a premium airline.
The rankings were released as the airline industry grapples with a spate of catastrophic incidents that have prompted travelers to and as President Donald Trump’s .
Alaska Airlines was named the top airline in the U.S. in , but slipped to the No. 6 spot this year.
In January 2024, a door plug blew out mid-flight on a Boeing 737 Max, forcing Alaska Airlines to ground a flight. While no one was seriously physically injured, the incident did prompt serious safety concerns over Boeing’s manufacturing processes and the schedule of airlines safety checks.
Since WalletHub, a personal finance site, examined data through 2024, it didn’t capture major incidents in 2025 like the January midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft.
For its 2025 rankings, WalletHub compared the nine largest U.S. airlines, plus two regional carriers, across 14 metrics and drawing from U.S. Department of Transportation data.
Read on to find out more about the methodology of the airline rankings, as well as how the airlines fared in rankings that zeroed in on safety, affordability and reliability.
How Was The Best U.S. Airline Determined?
For its rankings of the best U.S. airlines in 2025, WalletHub considered factors like reliability, comfort, affordability, and safety. Criteria such as flight cancellations and delays, animal-related incidents affecting those traveling with pets, leg room, complimentary refreshments and price are considered. Criteria is also weighted differently — for example, mishandled baggage reports bear more significance in final scores than in-flight entertainment.
Analysts also factor in ticket costs in relation to in-flight amenities. “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,” according to WalletHub.
What Are The Best Airlines in The U.S.?
No. 1: Spirit Airlines
No. 2: SkyWest Airlines
No. 3: Delta Air Lines
No. 4: JetBlue Airways
No. 5: Southwest Airlines
No. 6: Alaska Airlines
No. 7: Hawaiian Airlines
No. 8: United Airlines
No. 9: Frontier Airlines
No. 10: American Airlines
No. 11: Envoy Air
What Are The Top Airlines in Other Categories?
In addition to the best overall U.S. airlines, WalletHub recognizes the leaders of categories. Here are the airlines that ranked highest this year.
Most Affordable Airline
In 2024, airline ticket prices shot up by nearly 8%, outpacing inflation, according to the . The most affordable airline for budget flyers in 2025, according to WalletHub is Spirit.
Most Reliable Airline
Delta Air Lines is the most reliable airline in 2025, according to the WalletHub ranking that found it had the least amount of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings.
Most Comfortable Airlines
As far as the most comfortable airlines in 2025, Jetblue Airways and Hawaiian Airlines tied for the top spot on WalletHub’s rankings. The analysts credited free amenities such as Wi-Fi, extra legroom, and complimentary snacks and beverages.
Best Airline for Pets
Three airlines tied in WalletHub’s rankings for being most pet-friendly: SkyWest Airlines, United Airlines and Envoy Air with no incidents related to the loss, injury or death of pets as tracked by the
Safest Airline
The safety category from WalletHub includes metrics like aviation fatalities and injuries as well as fleet age. Spirit Airlines was ranked the safest airline by WalletHub, followed up by Frontier Airlines.
Spirit flies to destinations throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean with its all-Airbus Fit Fleet, which it claims is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the U.S.
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