These are the best airlines in 2026, according to The Points Guy

Delta Air Lines ranked as the top U.S. airline in The Points Guy’s latest annual survey, which evaluated carriers on factors including reliability, customer experience, loyalty programs and cost.

United Airlines and Southwest Airlines rounded out the top three in the travel site’s 2026 report.

The Points Guy gave extra weight to the cost category in its 10th annual airline ranking, citing cost pressures due to the Iran war. Cost contributed 25% of an airline’s score this year, up from 20% in 2025. Rising jet fuel prices have prompted several airlines to hike ticket prices and baggage fees. 

Still, reliability carried the greatest weight at 30% of the score, while loyalty programs accounted for 25%. Travel experience made up the remaining 20%.

The Points Guy’s 2026 airline rankings:

1. Delta Air Lines
2. United Airlines
3. Southwest Airlines
4. Alaska Air Group
5. American Airlines
6. JetBlue
7. Allegiant Air
8. Frontier Airlines

How airlines stack up

The Points Guy ranked eight airlines this year, down from 10 in years past. The site was originally planning to include Spirit Airlines, but dropped the carrier after the budget airline ceased operations earlier this month. 

Delta’s top ranking represents its eighth consecutive win in The Points Guy’s survey. 

Kelly told “CBS Mornings” that Delta’s continued success reflects strong employee satisfaction, which he said translates into a better passenger experience. This year, Delta provided $1.3 billion in profit sharing to its employees, or about 8.9% of its workers’ eligible annual earnings. 

“So when you fly Delta, there is a marked difference in the happiness of their employees, which I believe is attributed to that profit sharing,” he said. “And they’re generally very reliable.”

United ranked highly with its loyalty program, including its strong frequent-flyer benefits. However, its poor track record with baggage prevented it from claiming the top spot, Kelly said. The airline had the highest rate of mishandled bags, the report said, citing data from the Department of Transportation.

Despite scrapping their free checked bag policy last year, Southwest managed to clinch the No. 3 spot. “Southwest still is, relatively, when you look at fees, lower than most other airlines,” Kelly said, adding that they “run a tight operation.”

Which airline offers the best deal?

Frontier ranked No. 1 in terms of offering the most affordable ticket prices, according to the analysis. Spirit would have been a close second, The Points Guy said.

Delta and United ranked the worst when it came to affordability.

Kelly recommended using AI tools to find cheaper fares. One such tool is Autopilot, which tracks ticket fares and helps customers get a credit if the price drops after they book. 

Other tools include Junova, PAiback and JetBack. Google Flights can also help people traveling to Europe lock in deals, so long as they’re willing to be flexible, Kelly said.

“When you go to Google flights, you can put in your home airport on the explore map and put in Europe, the Caribbean, wherever you want to go,” he said. “It’ll show you a map of Europe and all the cheapest flights.”