The Most Comfortable U.S. Airlines—According To A New Report

22.04.2024 - 19:24 / forbes.com / Spirit Airlines / U.S.Airlines / Delta Airlines / Southwest Airlines

Plenty of metrics can be used to rank the best airlines, from safety measures to customer satisfaction ratings and how their fleet and crew does at getting passengers to their destinations on time. But which airlines are the most comfortable for passengers? According to a new study from WalletHub, there’s a tie between two U.S. airlines: Both Delta and JetBlue earned the honors for being the most comfortable airlines.

WalletHub, a personal finance company, released its 2024 best airline rankings this week, using several metrics to gauge reliability, comfort, safety, and affordability.

The best U.S. airline overall is Alaska Airlines, according to the rankings. However, Spirit Airlines was ranked the best for affordability and safety and Delta ranked the highest for reliability.

To determine which airlines are most comfortable, research analysts considered factors such as legroom in economy, entertainment options like live TV or movies, Wi-Fi availability (and whether it’s free), and if there’s free snacks and drinks on domestic flights over two hours.

Free amenities like Wi-Fi and complimentary snacks and beverages set Delta Airlines and JetBlue Airways apart from other airlines when it comes to in-flight experiences, according to the report. Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines are tied for third place in the category.

In addition to being the most comfortable, Delta Airlines also is the most reliable, according to the study, with the lowest rate of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings.

Along with safety, comfort is top of mind for lots of travelers. Cramped quarters with not enough leg room, dry air, and lackluster snack options or meals are all some of the comfort woes passengers face. In March, low-cost carrier Frontier began offering a $49 upgrade to customers that don’t want anyone next to them in the middle seat. The “UpFront Plus” upgrade blocks out the middle seat giving passengers more elbow room, and is available in the first two rows of the plane.

So, what are some ways airlines can improve passenger comfort?

“As for on-board comfort, the obvious answer is better seats, but this improvement will tend to increase weight and that converts to increased fuel costs which the airlines will understandably avoid if they possibly can (and not an easy change to implement),” says Don Koorse, an assistant professor the College of Aeronautics at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida.

The offering of increased on-board amenities such as food, and Wi-Fi without charge is always appreciated, Koorse says.

Another idea? Having apps update faster so you can get out of your middle seat reservation when a fellow passenger in an aisle or window gets upgraded,