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

Posted on July 05, 2023 by Admin in Travel Guide

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Last Updated 3 hours ago

We’ve all said it before: “I’m never flying that airline again.”

It’s rare for airlines to make trips better, but they sure have a knack for ruining them.

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

You can’t do anything about airport chaos or record-breaking crowds. But you can choose the airline most likely to give you a smooth trip and a pleasant in-flight experience.

That’s why so many travelers are turning to Delta Airlines.

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

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

The Atlanta-based airline swept up a few other accolades too:

Best Cabin Crew in the USA
Best Business Class in North America
Best Business Class Seat in North America
Best Premium Economy in North America
Best Premium Economy Seat in North America
Best Economy Class in North America
20th Best Airline Globally

Today, Delta is the 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 ranking to recognize Delta’s industry-leading performance.

For five consecutive years, The Points Guy has named Delta as the best airline in the U.S., a place secured largely by its top numbers in the reliability category.

Brian Kelly, CEO of The Points Guy, recently commented on Delta’s top performance to CBS News: “When you buy an airline ticket, especially an expensive one these days, you need to get where you’re going, and Delta shines there,” Kelly said.

Delta overbooks fewer flights and bumps fewer passengers than any other North American carrier. In fact, Delta only bumped two travelers out of almost 161 million Delta passengers last year.

Most importantly, Delta delays and cancels the fewest flights of any major North American carrier.

happy travelers in the airport with suitcases

Most On-Time Major U.S. Airline

Delta is the most on-time airline in the U.S. It’s just that simple.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 83% of Delta flights arrived on time in 2022 – more than 3 percentage points higher than its U.S. competitors.

Delta kept it up in the first quarter of 2023, with 81% of Delta flights arriving on time. In May, a whopping 89% of Delta’s flights arrived on time, according to Cirium.

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

All in all, Delta is a North American traveler’s best bet at getting where you need to go without delays or cancellations.

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Best Luggage Handling

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

Delta has the lowest rates of lost luggage among full-service North American carriers. They mishandled less than 0.6% of bags last year (about half of American Airlines’ rate) and ranked in the top ten best U.S. airlines for baggage handling.

Plus, Delta offers generous late baggage compensation. If your checked bag arrives on the carousel more than 20 minutes after your domestic flight arrives, they’ll give you 2,500 bonus miles.

checked baggage carousel at airport with lots of luggage

Best For Staying Connected In The Air

Passengers love how easy (and free) it is to stay connected on board. Delta gives members of their free SkyMiles rewards program access to 15 mbps Wi-Fi, iMessage, and WhatsApp in flight – all free of charge.

Keeping your devices charged on Delta is easy, too. Every seat has USB ports, and most have A/C power outlets, even in economy.

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

woman on plane working on computer happily

Comfort In Economy

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

Delta’s economy class is more spacious than the American average, with wider seats and more legroom. Passengers like 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 extra inches of legroom and more recline at a fraction of first-class costs.

Customer Service And Satisfaction

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

Delta repeatedly ranks in the top two U.S. airlines in customer service and customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power, Expedia, Forbes, and others.

Admittedly, Delta’s phone waits can be just as long as any other airline – especially during peak travel times.

That’s why many passengers like the Fly Delta mobile app’s expanded functionality, which lets them change or cancel flights, cash in 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 up Delta passengers’ 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 in the next 48 hours (1-855-548-2505).

While no customer service system is perfect, Delta seems to be keeping most of their passengers happier than the competition.