Discover the Most Reliable and Unreliable Airlines for Your Holiday Travels

Share and Follow

(NEXSTAR) — As Thanksgiving looms just days away, the holiday season is upon us, regardless of whether we’re fully prepared. During the same festive period last year, the TSA reported that nearly 39 million travelers passed through U.S. airport security from December 19 through January 2, making it one of the busiest travel times annually.

Though many aspects of flying are beyond our influence, choosing the right airline can significantly ease your journey. An analysis by FinanceBuzz, based on Department of Transportation data from the last four holiday seasons, reveals that selecting an airline can be just as crucial for a smooth experience.

In its assessment, FinanceBuzz evaluated factors such as the frequency of flight cancellations and delays, the incidence of mishandled luggage, and the average delay duration. Airlines were scored, with 50 representing the optimal performance, reflecting minimal disruptions. Here’s what this financial advice platform discovered.

Airline	SCORE (out of 50)	% of flights delayed	% of flights cancelled	Average delay length	% of bags mishandled
Delta	35.9	13.7%	0.7%	65 mins	0.48%
Hawaiian Airlines	32.9	19.5%	1.2%	52	0.45%
Southwest	27	18.8%	2.4%	50	0.49%
United	26.2	17.2%	0.9%	66	0.64%
Spirit	20.6	22.9%	1.7%	63	0.51%
American Airlines	20	18.9%	0.8%	75	0.76%
Frontier	18.7	25.6%	1.3%	72	0.40%
Allegiant	18.4	26.6%	2.2%	75	0.17%
Alaska	16.5	22%	2.5%	53	0.71%
JetBlue	15.9	27.5%	1.3%	70	0.49%

Delta Air Lines emerged as the leader in FinanceBuzz’s evaluation, boasting the lowest rate of delayed or cancelled flights among the carriers studied. However, despite its top ranking, Delta was outperformed by several other airlines regarding the average delay duration.

“The average flight delay clocks in at over an hour (63 minutes),” says FinanceBuzz writer Josh Koebert. “Passengers on just three major airlines experienced average delays shorter than that, with Southwest’s average delay of 50 minutes leading the industry, followed by Hawaiian Airlines at 52 minutes and Alaska Airlines at 53 minutes.”

Delta was also recently named Best U.S. Airline by Forbes in its second annual Verified Air Travel Awards. Per Forbes, the airline received five awards — the most out of all airlines considered. The outlet noted Delta’s complimentary Wi-Fi and customer service as big benefits for passengers.

For the full holiday travel rankings, visit FinanceBuzz.