Find Out Which Airline Is Best for You

When you’re buying a plane ticket, there’s a lot to consider: how much it costs, what time the flight leaves, whether there’s a layover—and which airline to fly.

Of course, travelers make choices primarily based on fares and schedules. But when you have multiple options that meet your requirements on price and time, then other criteria can come into play—from on-time performance to your risk of a lost bag. To help you to size up airlines on those types of factors, this interactive lets you compare information from nine major U.S.-based airlines.

Methodology

The interactive includes the nine U.S. airlines that reported data to the federal Department of Transportation; airlines that comprise at least 1% of domestic flights are required to provide some of the data, while others provide it to the DOT voluntarily. The “fees” metric includes both baggage fees and reservation cancellation and change fees. The airline listed as “best” for you may not fly to the destination you’re seeking; in that case, the interactive provides second, third and fourth choices that come closest to meeting your criteria, as long as they are available from your airport.