6 Reasons Delta Was Just Named The Best Airline In North America

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We’ve all said it before: « I’m never Flying that airline again. »

It’s rare that airlines make travel better, but they sure have a knack for ruining it.

As the summer travel season reaches its peak, travelers are looking for ways to make flying feel a little less like Armageddon and a little more like vacation.

Nothing can be done against airport chaos or record crowds. But you can choose the airline that is most likely to give you a smooth ride and a pleasant in-flight experience.

That’s why so many travelers turn to Delta Airlines.

Skytrax dropped its 2023 World Airline Awards this summer, and the North American winner has it clear.

Delta took gold for Best Airline and Best Airline Staff Service in the US and Canada for the second year in a row.

The Atlanta-based airline also garnered some other accolades:

Best Cabin Crew in the USA
Best Business Class in North America
Best Business Class Seat in North America
The best premium economy class in North America
Best Premium Economy Seat in North America
Best economy class in North America
20th best airline worldwide

Today, Delta is number one most awarded airline in america. So why do travelers love Delta so much?

Here are six reasons why Delta was just named the best airline in North America:

reliability

Skytrax isn’t the only rating recognizing Delta’s industry-leading performance.

For five consecutive years, The dot boy has named Delta the best airline in the US, a spot secured largely by its best numbers in the reliability category.

Brian Kelly, CEO of The dot boyrecently commented on Delta’s superior performance to CBS News: « When you buy a plane ticket, especially an expensive one these days, you need to get where you’re going, and Delta shines there. » Kelly said.

Delta overbooking fewer flights and collides with fewer passengers than any other North American airline. In fact, Delta only cut two travelers out of Delta’s nearly 161 million passengers last year.

More important, Delta delays and cancels the fewest flights from any major North American carrier.

happy travelers at the airport with suitcases

Leading Most On-Punctual US Airline

Delta is the most punctual airline in the US. It’s that easy.

According to the US Department of Transportation83% of Delta’s flights were on time in 2022, more than 3 percentage points higher than its US competitors.

Delta kept pace in the first quarter of 2023, with 81% of Delta flights arrive on time. In May, a whopping 89% of Delta flights arrived on time, according to Candle.

Delta’s major hubs in Detroit, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City also ranked among the top 20 airports in the world for on-time departures and arrivals in the first half of 2023.

In general, Delta is a North American traveler’s best bet to get where they need to go without delays or cancellations.

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Better baggage handling

Passengers can trust Delta to get them and your bags to your destination on time more often than the competition.

Delta has the lower baggage loss rates among North American full-service carriers. They mishandled less than 0.6% of bags last year (about half the rate for American Airlines) and classified among the top ten US airlines for baggage handling.

In addition, Delta offers generous compensation for late baggage. If your checked baggage arrives at the carousel more than 20 minutes after your domestic flight arrives, you’ll be awarded 2,500 bonus miles.

airport checked baggage carousel with a lot of luggage

Best for staying connected in the air

Passengers love how easy (and free) it is to stay connected on board. Delta provides members of its free SkyMiles rewards program with access to 15 mbps Wi-Fi, iMessage and WhatsApp during the flight, all free of charge.

Keeping your devices charged at Delta is easy too. Every seat has USB ports and most have AC power outlets, even in economy class.

Whether you’re planning your next trip or working, Delta takes the crown for in-flight connectivity.

woman on plane working on computer happily

Comfort in economy class

You shouldn’t have to spend money on first class to travel without bruised knees and neck cramps.

Delta’s economy class is Roomier than the American average, with wider seats and more legroom. Passengers love it so much that it’s been voted the most comfortable economy seat time and time again.

For passengers who need more personal space than economy, Delta’s Comfort Plus offers up to four additional inches of legroom and more recline at a fraction of first class costs.

Customer Service and Satisfaction

While no one loves having to call customer service, Delta passengers have more positive experiences than most.

Delta repeatedly ranks in the top two US airlines for customer service and customer satisfaction, according to JD Power, Expedia, Forbes and others.

It’s true that Delta’s phone waits can be as long as any other airline’s, especially during peak travel hours.

That is why many passengers like the Extended functionality of the Fly Delta mobile appthat allows them to change or cancel flights, redeem credits, and even make same-day flight changes without even calling customer service.

For more complex issues, using the app’s text chat and callback option can speed Delta customer service wait times to less than 5 minutes in some cases.

Delta also has a designated « emergency » phone line with the shortest wait times for passengers with urgent issues with their booked travel departing within the next 48 hours (1-855-548-2505).

While no customer service system is perfect, Delta seems to keep most of its passengers happier than the competition.