Neither Delta Nor American: These US Airlines Have Been Ranked The Best In 2026 So Far

A good flight experience is about more than getting the cheapest flight, and millions of passengers in the U.S. seek reliability, comfort, and value-for-money, but it can be hard to know which carrier can actually deliver. Early in 2026, two independent organizations conducted separate analyses to compare U.S. airlines' performance. NerdWallet examined full-service carriers with a focus on rewards programs and overall value. WalletHub assessed a broader group of national and regional airlines on operational performance and service quality. 

Both personal finance companies came away with interesting, perhaps unexpected, results. Neither Delta Air Lines nor American Airlines claimed the win. Instead, NerdWallet's findings put Alaska Airlines in the top spot, while WalletHub ranked Spirit Airlines first. 

NerdWallet limited its review to six full-service carriers based in the U.S. that met specific criteria like a publicly available rewards search calendar and top domestic market share rankings. The selected airlines included Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United. WalletHub evaluated the nine largest national airlines plus two regional carriers, SkyWest and Envoy Air, that report sufficient passenger revenue to the Department of Transportation. Both studies relied on recent government and industry data.

NerdWallet rated the six qualifying airlines across five equally weighted factors on a five-point scale: rewards rate, operations (including on-time performance), cancellations and baggage handling, network breadth, and add-on fees. It also considered qualitative input from their travel team, who log thousands of miles a year. 

Alaska Airlines earned the highest overall rating, primarily driven by their Atmos Rewards program and lower add-on fees. Delta Air Lines followed closely with strong marks in operations, network breadth, and fees. American, Southwest, and United showed mixed results. For instance, American Airlines received maximum points for their network breadth but scored low in operations and rewards networks. JetBlue placed last, limited by a smaller route network, its hybrid service model, and a lack of premium cabin options.

WalletHub analyzed 16 metrics across four categories — baggage and departure, in-flight comfort and cost, and safety — using 2025 U.S. Department of Transportation data. Spirit Airlines achieved the highest overall score, securing first place as the best overall airline, the most affordable, and the most reliable. It had the lowest rates of cancellations, delays over 15 minutes, mishandling of bags, and denied boardings. Southwest ranked second for its strong comfort scores. Alaska placed third with a balanced performance, proving itself as a consistent contender for a high-quality air travel experience. The two rankings measure very different things, which is why Spirit tops WalletHub despite not appearing in NerdWallet's list at all — Alaska is the only airline that places well in both.

Simply looking at metrics is one way to make a decision for flight services, but it doesn't always show the full picture. For example, Spirit Airlines might seem like an unlikely candidate to win best airline of 2026, given its long-standing reputation for poor service and hidden fees. And while the data actually showed it to have better performance than it gets credit for, that wasn't enough to keep it afloat. Shortly after NerdWallet and WalletHub published their findings, Spirit Airlines shut down, causing chaos ahead of summer travel.

With Spirit out of the picture, Alaska Airlines might be the best overall airline to choose in 2026. Alaska Airlines joined forces with Hawaiian Airlines through a recent merger and now covers even more ground with domestic flights in 37 states and 109 U.S. cities. It also provides service to 12 other countries and averages about 1,500 daily flights. Though it's a mid-range airline, it has well-rated first-class seating and does offer Saver Fares, which are the airline's version of basic economy. Travelers frequently speak highly about their customer service, on-time reliability, and baggage handling.