JSX topped Travel + Leisure readers’ 2025 ranking of favorite U.S. airlines, with a score of 92.29 out of 100. Hawaiian Airlines came second at 79.92, leaving a gap of more than 12 points. The list is a reader survey about comfort, service and value—not a definitive ranking of fares, safety, punctuality or which airline will best fit your trip.
Travel + Leisure’s 2025 ranking of U.S. airlines
Travel + Leisure published this ranking on July 8, 2025, after asking readers which domestic airlines they had “come to trust and love.” Here are the ten airlines and their scores, in order:
| Rank | Airline | Score out of 100 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JSX | 92.29 |
| 2 | Hawaiian Airlines | 79.92 |
| 3 | Breeze Airways | 78.63 |
| 4 | Alaska Airlines | 77.77 |
| 5 | Delta Air Lines | 77.34 |
| 6 | JetBlue Airways | 75.91 |
| 7 | Southwest Airlines | 74.63 |
| 8 | United Airlines | 70.66 |
| 9 | American Airlines | 67.86 |
| 10 | Sun Country Airlines | 66.81 |
JSX was also the prior year’s domestic winner, according to the publication. Its 2025 score was in the 90s and more than 12 points above Hawaiian’s. Travel + Leisure’s 2025 airline ranking and survey details.
What the scores measure—and what they don’t
Travel + Leisure asked readers to rate airlines on four dimensions: cabin comfort, in-flight service, customer service and value. Respondents chose from five ratings—excellent, above average, average, below average or poor—and the publication averaged the responses to produce scores.
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Nearly 180,000 readers completed the 2025 World’s Best Awards survey across all award categories, which covered more than 8,700 properties. Travel + Leisure did not report how many of those readers rated airlines specifically. The results therefore show the preferences of participating readers, not a representative poll of all U.S. flyers.
The ranking also is not an operational scorecard. It does not establish which carrier has the lowest fare for a route, the most convenient schedule, the fewest delays, or the best record on baggage handling. JSX is described in the article as a public charter operating point-to-point service, so its first-place result should not be read as a direct substitute for comparing the route and flight options available to you.
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Why other airline rankings can name different leaders
Airline rankings answer different questions depending on who is surveyed and what is measured. A passenger-satisfaction study by J.D. Power, released May 7, 2025, used a separate framework and identified different leaders by cabin segment:
| Cabin segment | 2025 J.D. Power leader | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First/business | JetBlue | 738 |
| Premium economy | Delta | 717 |
| Economy/basic economy | Southwest | 694 |
J.D. Power assessed seven dimensions on a six-point rating scale. Its study was based on 10,224 recent passengers surveyed from March 2024 through March 2025. Those cabin-specific results should not be blended with Travel + Leisure’s four-criterion reader ranking: the measures, samples and scales differ. J.D. Power’s 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Study.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsCondé Nast Traveler also published a 2025 U.S. airline ranking based on its Readers’ Choice Awards survey, which reported 757,109 votes. That is another publication’s reader-vote result, not an independent replication of Travel + Leisure’s methodology. Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 U.S. airline list.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use the ranking as a starting point, not a booking rule
A high reader score can help identify airlines that survey participants liked for the experience and value they perceived. For a personal-finance decision, the fare and itinerary still matter: compare the total price, schedule, cabin and service needs for the trip you are actually taking. Airlines for America and Ipsos reported in February 2026 that 87% of respondents ranked price among their top flight considerations and 78% ranked schedule convenience; the survey was fielded January 5–19, 2026, about travel in 2025. Those figures provide broad context, not an explanation for any carrier’s Travel + Leisure score. Airlines for America/Ipsos survey release.
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For operational comparisons such as delays, mishandled baggage or mobility devices, oversales and consumer submissions, consult the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report rather than treating a reader poll as a performance measure. The department’s July 2025 report page was last updated August 11, 2025; its measures can cover different reporting periods, so check the underlying window before comparing airlines. U.S. DOT Air Travel Consumer Reports.
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