AirHelp, a service that helps airline passengers claim compensation for flight interruptions, released its annual ranking of the best U.S. airlines in November.
To determine the rankings, the organization analyzed data from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, looking at on-time performance, complaint handling, and customer experience. Each airline was given a score out of 10.
According to the report, AirHelp considered on-time flights to be “flights that arrived within 15 minutes of the published arrival time.” When it comes to claims handling, the organization evaluated each airline based on how they treat customers when issues arise. Additionally, in the customer experience category, passengers were asked for their opinions on five factors: cabin crew, aircraft comfort, aircraft cleanliness, food, and entertainment.
To ensure AirHelp’s database ranks among the most accurate databases available, the company says it cross-references statistics with a variety of sources, including airport databanks, flight tracking vendors, and government agencies.
2025 was a challenging year for U.S. airlines, Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at AirHelp, told CNBC Make It. The government shutdown, which lasted just over a month, had a major impact on air traffic and travel, he said.
For example, on-time performance has really taken a hit, he says, “and we’ve had that operational issue this year.”
Napoli says American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines are working fairly well with AirHelp to ensure that customers who file claims for things like canceled flights or lost luggage get paid.
But it’s still an area that can be improved, he added.
“Each airline has its own operating mode, but claims processing needs to make it less difficult for customers to actually claim what they should be claiming under the law,” he says.
American Airlines is the best airline in the United States for on-time performance, customer satisfaction, and more.
With a score of 7.64, American Airlines is the best airline in the United States, according to AirHelp. American Airlines ranked 11th in the world rankings.
The airline had an on-time performance of 7.1, a customer opinion of 8, and a complaint handling score of 7.8.
Napoli said American Airlines outperformed both United Airlines and Delta Air Lines because American Airlines outperformed in one key category.
“We weren’t as efficient or quick in claims processing as before, but we were better than United,” he says. “We were able to receive compensation for passengers sooner.”
american airlines
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American Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines. It serves more than 300 destinations and operates a fleet of more than 900 aircraft.
American Airlines was a pioneer in loyalty programs, starting its frequent flyer program in 1979. American Airlines is also a founding member of the oneworld alliance, which includes other partner airlines around the world such as British Airways and Qatar Airways.
America’s best airline for on-time performance, etc.
According to AirHelp, United Airlines is the second largest airline in the United States. His score was 7.54, placing him 13th in the world rankings.
It received a score of 7.4 for punctual performance, 8.1 for customer opinion, and 7.2 for complaint handling.
Napoli said United outperformed other teams in on-time performance and customer feedback, but ultimately fell short in claims processing.
united airlines
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
United Airlines flies to more than 350 destinations and is a member of the Star Alliance. This global partnership also includes other airlines such as Lufthansa and Air Canada.
In 2025, United Airlines added routes from Newark, New Jersey and Tokyo, Japan to new destinations such as Nuuk, Greenland. According to Britannica, the airline has a total of 147 international destinations, including Palermo, Italy, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
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