For the first time in 18 years, Delta Air Lines has reclaimed the top position in the Airline Quality Rating report.
The 29th annual assessment, prepared by Wichita State University and Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, evaluates nine major U.S. carriers across multiple performance and service measures, including baggage handling, customer complaints, denied boardings and on‑time arrivals.
This year’s ranking lists the airlines as follows: Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska Airlines (which held the top spot in 2018), Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Spirit, American Airlines and Frontier.
Delta last led the ranking in 2000 and subsequently faced many challenges over the next two decades. In the 2019 report, Delta recorded the fewest involuntary denied boardings and achieved the second‑highest rate of on‑time arrivals, helping it regain the top position.
Overall, U.S. carriers showed improvement in three of the four measured categories — baggage handling, denied boardings and customer complaints — while performance declined in the on‑time arrivals category.