According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, January 22, 2025, the annual ranking of airlines in the United States for the year 2025 has been released, highlighting the best and worst performing airlines. Southwest Airlines, a low-cost carrier, has emerged as the top performer, while American Airlines, one of the four major airlines in the U.S., found itself at the bottom of the list alongside another company.
In 2025, due to frequent flight delays, cancellations, and passenger complaints, the overall performance of airlines in the United States was mediocre. However, there were still distinctions in performance. Southwest Airlines led the way with a significant advantage over its competitors, claiming the top spot. This marked their first win since 2020, breaking Delta Air Lines’ four-year streak at the top.
According to The Wall Street Journal’s statistics, Southwest Airlines had the lowest passenger complaint volume and the fewest delayed departures, with a flight cancellation rate of only 0.84%. Their lowest scoring aspect was baggage handling services.
Allegiant Air ranked second, despite being a low-cost carrier, showing strong performance in three key areas: a minimal flight cancellation rate of 0.55%, the least amount of lost luggage, and the fewest involuntary rebookings.
Delta Air Lines secured the third position, ending its previous streak of four consecutive years at the top of the ranking. While leading the industry in on-time arrival rates, Delta Air Lines faced challenges in 2025 due to a system failure in the summer of 2024, leading to widespread flight disruptions.
Alaska Airlines was recognized for its stable and reliable performance, although there was a significant gap compared to the top three airlines. Despite not leading in any major category, Alaska Airlines successfully avoided major operational failures in 2025.
Spirit Airlines achieved the most significant service improvement compared to the previous year. Their flight cancellation rate dropped from a peak in 2024 to 1.42%, jumping to the fourth position in on-time arrivals. Even amidst bankruptcy proceedings, they demonstrated improved operational capabilities.
United Airlines ranked sixth primarily due to poor performance in baggage handling. The airline had an error handling rate of 7.07 per thousand bags, far exceeding the industry average. While performing relatively well in the baggage handling category, they lagged in flight reliability and delays.
American Airlines and Frontier Airlines tied for the bottom position. Both airlines faced issues with flight reliability and external factors, which had consequences for passengers.
American Airlines had the highest flight cancellation rate at 2.2% among major carriers and struggled to make it into the top six in any assessment category. Furthermore, a regional jet collided with a U.S. Army helicopter in Washington, D.C. in January of the previous year, resulting in the deaths of 67 individuals.
Frontier Airlines ranked last in four out of seven assessment categories and remained at the bottom for the second consecutive year.
(This article referenced reports from The Wall Street Journal and Fox News.)