USA TODAY 10Best
Fly with the best: Top 10 airlines of 2023, according to readers
Best Airline (2023)
Flying has become a fundamental aspect of travel for many people. And while it might not be your favorite part of a vacation or business trip, these 10 airlines — voted as the best by our readers — strive to improve the flyer experience with newer planes, better connectivity, and improved food and entertainment.
- Singapore Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Emirates
- Cathay Pacific
- Alaska Airlines
- JetBlue
- United Airlines
- American Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
Photo courtesy of Singapore Airlines
No. 10:
Singapore Airlines operates a newer fleet of planes, including Airbus A380s with the latest first-class suites. Service is excellent in every cabin, and each seat enjoys access to days' worth of onboard entertainment. U.S.-based travelers can fly nonstop to Singapore from New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
No. 9:
Lufthansa, one of Europe’s largest and most popular airlines, earns top marks with passengers for its onboard amenities (particularly in premium cabins) and excellent lounges. The line was the first to offer inflight connectivity with its introduction of Internet access on international flights in the early 2000s.
No. 8:
Dubai-based Emirates has a well-earned reputation among luxury travelers as one of the world’s top carriers. Passengers travel on one of the world’s youngest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, with flights to nearly 160 global destinations (14 of them North American gateways). Onboard service has been compared to that of a five-star hotel.
Photo courtesy of Cathay Pacific
No. 7:
Cathay Pacific offers numerous routes from the U.S. to Hong Kong, making it an excellent gateway for American travelers to Asia. Flights are almost always on time, and service is impeccable both on the ground and in the air. The travel experience is comfortable even in economy, where passengers enjoy plenty of legroom, seats with flexible neck support, electric outlets, and ample entertainment options.
Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines
No. 6:
Alaska Airlines, one of the best U.S.-based airlines, has a loyal passenger base thanks to its affordable fares, on-time arrivals, and excellent frequent flyer program. The airline and its regional partners fly to some 115 destinations on nearly 1,200 daily flights. Passengers enjoy perks like fast satellite Wi-Fi and free text messaging and entertainment.
No. 5:
JetBlue caters to passengers with new and refreshed planes, plentiful routes, inflight connectivity, and some of the most legroom in economy for any American-based airline. The airline flies to more than 100 cities across the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America, with live TV and inflight Wi-Fi available on all flights.
Photo courtesy of United Airlines
No. 4:
United operates hub locations in all four of the largest cities in the U.S., complementing their huge global route network. They also have one of the most fuel-efficient fleets in the country and a popular loyalty program. You can earn points while traveling to more than 300 destinations worldwide.
Photo courtesy of American Airlines
No. 3:
At full operation, American Airlines (and its regional American Eagle fleet) operates some 6,700 flights daily to more than 50 countries around the globe. This makes it the largest airline by passenger capacity in the world. It also has one of the better loyalty programs, AAdvantage, with plenty of ways to earn points (and free travel).
Photo courtesy of Southwest Airlines
No. 2:
While you won’t find first class seats or luxe airport lounges with Southwest, the popular American-based airline wins over fans with a host of perks, including low fares, free baggage allowance, no change or cancellation fees, and spacious seats compared to their competitors.
Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines
No. 1:
Delta ranks among the most highly rated U.S.-based carriers due to its on-time record, extensive route offerings, robust frequent flyer program, and excellent lounges at airports across America. Even smaller planes have seat-back TVs to keep passengers entertained on their journeys.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Tibaldi
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based... Read More
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.
Allison Tibaldi
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.
Dynie Sanderson
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has... Read More
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has been a food, wine and travel journalist and digital influencer living and indulging in life in the Napa Valley and around the world for over 25 years. She was founder, publisher and editor of GuestWest Magazine, Napa Valley’s first luxury lifestyle magazine; Food and Flavor Editor for Napa Valley Life Magazine and contributor to a variety of food and wine publications. Always seeking out the next wine region or food and wine festival to experience around the US and around the world to add to “Dynie’s Delicious Destinations.” Follow NapaFoodGal on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Dynie Sanderson
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has been a food, wine and travel journalist and digital influencer living and indulging in life in the Napa Valley and around the world for over 25 years. She was founder, publisher and editor of GuestWest Magazine, Napa Valley’s first luxury lifestyle magazine; Food and Flavor Editor for Napa Valley Life Magazine and contributor to a variety of food and wine publications. Always seeking out the next wine region or food and wine festival to experience around the US and around the world to add to “Dynie’s Delicious Destinations.” Follow NapaFoodGal on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on... Read More
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on travel, wine, spirits and culture. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. Traveling, eating, and imbibing may be part of the "job" but Jillian truly believes in the whimsical power of a local experience or meeting over a traditional spirit to bond strangers in the most chance of circumstances. Outside of 10Best, Jillian's work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Elite Traveler and Hemispheres.
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on travel, wine, spirits and culture. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. Traveling, eating, and imbibing may be part of the "job" but Jillian truly believes in the whimsical power of a local experience or meeting over a traditional spirit to bond strangers in the most chance of circumstances. Outside of 10Best, Jillian's work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Elite Traveler and Hemispheres.
Wendy O'Dea
Born and raised in western New York, Wendy O'Dea... Read More
Born and raised in western New York, Wendy O'Dea moved to L.A. to attend the USC graduate School of Journalism and stayed for the innovative and creative lifestyle the city offers. Other than the traffic, there's not much about California she doesn't love. You can track her gallivanting ways on Instagram via @WendyTravels .
Wendy O'Dea
Born and raised in western New York, Wendy O'Dea moved to L.A. to attend the USC graduate School of Journalism and stayed for the innovative and creative lifestyle the city offers. Other than the traffic, there's not much about California she doesn't love. You can track her gallivanting ways on Instagram via @WendyTravels .
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
