Consumer Report's Best And Worst Airlines In America

JetBlue, Southwest, and Virgin America received favorable Ratings for their check-in, their staff service, and upfront disclosure about their fees.

• By Mandy Walker, Consumer Reports

High fares. Hidden fees. Long security lines. Shrinking seats. Crowded cabins.

There's not much to enjoy about airline travel these days, especially if you're sitting in coach, according to readers in our airline survey, conducted this summer by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

More than 14,000 coach passengers and some 6,000 first-class passengers who took a domestic nonstop flight told us their opinions about their airline's seat width and comfort, legroom, room for carry-on bags, cabin and restroom cleanliness, check-in ease, service from the airline staff, in-flight entertainment, and transparency about fees.

You'll have a more comfortable trip without springing for an upgrade if you fly with the airline at the top of our coach Ratings: JetBlue. It earned a higher score than any other airline for its coach cabin's seat comfort and legroom.

JetBlue, Southwest, and Virgin America received favorable Ratings for their check-in, their staff service, and upfront disclosure about their fees.

(Find out why it's time to strike a blow against airline fees.) Passengers dinged Southwest and Virgin America, however, for their cramped and uncomfortable seats. Yet apart from JetBlue, all coach services rate poorly in these areas.

When it comes to first-class travel, Virgin America, Hawaiian Airlines, and Alaska Airlines earned an exceptional overall score. Virgin was the real stand out, however, with top marks across the board. Hawaiian and Alaska (with the exception of its average in-flight entertainment) also received high marks in the rated areas. 

Can You Find Comfort in Coach?

Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Overall, people in our survey had a pretty dim view of the U.S. airline industry's domestic coach service. Amenities rated as particularly poor include seating, food and refreshments, and in-flight entertainment. In fact, apart from Southwest’s especially high score on fee transparency, no airline received a top mark on any of the attributes we measured.

Even the highly rated coach carriers received a few below-average marks. JetBlue passengers were unenthusiastic about its food and refreshments. People flying on Southwest gave its seat comfort, legroom, food and refreshments, and in-flight entertainment a big thumbs-down. Passengers had a mixed range of views about hidden fees, but they gave the airlines in the top half of our Ratings much better scores than the carriers that landed below.

The three U.S. airlines that control about 65 percent of the domestic market—American, Delta, and United—placed from the middle to the back of the pack for their coach service.

Two airlines made their debut in our Ratings this year: Sun Country and Allegiant. Sun Country was formed in 1982 by a group of pilots and flight attendants from the defunct Braniff International. The airline now travels to 34 destinations in the U.S., Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean. Allegiant, which took off in 1997, travels to 112 destinations in the U.S., including Laredo, Texas; Grand Island, Nebraska; Ogden, Utah; Missoula, Montana; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Peoria, Illinois, and other smaller cities.

The lowest-rated coach carrier in our survey was Spirit. It received low marks on all the aspects we measured, and was significantly worse than every other airline in terms of overall satisfaction. In fact, its overall satisfaction score is among the lowest for any service we've ever rated. 

Disparities in First Class

JetBlue

Three airlines stood out for first class: Virgin America, Hawaiian Airlines, and Alaska Airlines. Virgin America earned top marks across the board. Last year the airline added free hors d'oeuvres in first class to its traditional after-takeoff cocktail service, as well as hot towels, table linens, and a custom ice cream flavor developed in collaboration with San Francisco'sHumphry Slocombe. 

Hawaiian Airlines received favorable scores in every category, as does Alaska Airlines with the exception of its in-flight entertainment.

Much like coach class, however, passengers who flew with our lower-rated first class carriers were a lot less happy. Not only were United and US Airways first-class travelers significantly less satisfied overall than the travelers on every other airline that qualified for our first-class Ratings, but they were also significantly less satisfied than the coach travelers on the top six carriers in our coach Ratings.

Both were viewed as especially bad for cabin and restroom cleanliness, food and refreshments, and in-flight entertainment. (Note: US Airways took its last flight under its name this year on October 17, and is now fully merged with American.)

The Airlines With The Most Legroom: A Tall Traveler's Guide

Getty

Is your favorite airline one of the roomiest?

Newer and more efficient airplanes means airlines are offering longer and longer flights, but can you handle 13 hours with only 30 inches of space? Condé Nast Traveler reports which airlines, both domestic and international, offer the best (and the worst) legroom.

Newer and more efficient airplanes means airlines are offering longer and longer flights, but can you handle 13 hours with only 30 inches of space? Condé Nast Traveler reports which airlines, both domestic and international, offer the best (and the worst) legroom.

"Pitch" isn't just a term used in baseball. The word is also thrown around quite a bit in air travel, where its definition is the measurement of the distance from a seat to the one behind it. The more popular, not to mention maligned, term is "legroom," and, yes, some airlines offer more of it than others. Condé Nast Traveler's rankings are not universally inclusive; only major, recognizable airlines were taken into account in our survey. Because airlines are constantly updating their cabins and fleets, the figures listed below are subject to change.

In the United States

Our previous report already named the most spacious airlines flying around the United States, and those results hold firm. The airlines in the USA with the most legroom are:

1. JetBlue: 33 inches
2. Virgin America: 32 inches
3. Southwest: 32 inches

The "big three" airlines of Delta, American Airlines, and United all average 31-inch legroom, as does Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. At the bottom, with seriously squashed legs, are Allegiant (30 inches), Frontier (28 inches) and Spirit (28 inches with no recline). Of course, upgrading ever so slightly for the "economy plus" option on these airlines changes the situation, and you're able to enjoy a few more inches for a few more dollars.

Around the World

As in the United States, 31 inches of legroom is quite standard around the world, with some notable exceptions on either end. Comparing data from searching popular routes and long-haul aircraft onRoutehappy and SeatGuru, and cross-referencing with the airline's own sites, we're happy to find that some airlines go above and beyond the minimum to provide precious extra inches. These are the international airlines with the most legroom on long-haul flights:

1. Aeromexico: 34 inches
2. South African Airways: 33.5 inches
3. Asiana: 33 inches
4. Air India: 33 inches
5. Air Tahiti Nui: 33 inches

Surprised by the winner? Don't be; Aeromexico now flies the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner on its lengthiest routes, including the 11-hour non-stop from Mexico City to Madrid, as well as the five-hour nonstop to New York. The airline chose to match the generous legroom of its Boeing 777s with the delivery of the new 787s, upholding their standard of offering two or more inches beyond everyone else, a difference theInternational Business Times called "positively luxurious."

As for the least legroom, three airlines stand out for squeezing passengers in space that's below the 32-to-31-inch standard, and they are: Air Berlin, Austrian Airlines, and Aeroflot, all at a measly 30 inches. Stretch those legs before boarding, during the flight, and upon arrival to keep the discomfort to a minimum, and look on the bright side—at least a new study just found that sitting for long periods actually will not kill you.

Written by Cynthia Drescher, www.cntraveler.com

12 Travelore Tips For Finding The Best Airfares

No question about it, airfares on some routes are higher than they were four or five years ago, although Airfarewatchdog airfare searchers frequently find hundreds of fares crisscrossing the country for $250 or less round-trip. And even though fares seem higher, let's not forget that, adjusted for inflation, most fares are actually lower than they were 10 or 20 years ago. That said, here is my best advice for making your airfare dollars go further.

1. There's no "magic" day or lead time to buy the best airfare.

A lot of airfare experts think they're clairvoyant, so they know where airfares are headed or how far in advance you should start looking for a fare. The latest myth is to buy exactly 54 days in advance. Others say buy on Tuesday at 3 p.m. or Wednesday at midnight or when the moon is full (just kidding). But airlines are unpredictable, and anyone who claims he or she knows that airfares will be lower or higher in the coming months or the coming days should trade in their crystal ball. No one can accurately predict where airfares are heading, any more than we can predict the stock market. Think about it: if they really knew, they'd put every other airfare search operation out of business, and that hasn't happened. Don't believe me? Here's what an airline revenue manager has to say about this.

2. So search often, over a long lead time, and pounce when there's a deal

Fares fluctuate throughout the day, and the number of seats offered at the lowest fares also changes frequently. Or someone might be holding the only seat at the lowest fare and not book it, so it goes back into inventory--and then it will be yours. So if you don't like the fare at 10 a.m., check at 2 p.m. or the next day or the next week and pounce when the fare is affordable. It's easy to leave open the browser page where you're searching for a fare and keep on hitting the refresh.

3. Airfare alerts by email

This is perhaps the easiest way to track airfares. Many travel web sites offer emailed airfare alerts, letting you know when fares go down, and they all have something to offer. Do a browser search for "airfare alerts" and you'll see what's available. They all work a bit differently so sign up for more than one. One thing to note: these sites use essentially the same airfare data provided by the airlines' computer systems or ITA Software (which is now owned by Google), so they won't include discounted promo code fares, and they don't include Southwest Airlines (airfarewatchdog's fare alerts do, however, include hand-picked fares on Southwest).

4. Sign up for the airlines' email feeds and frequent flyer programs

Speaking of promo codes, the airlines want to develop a relationship with you, so they'll send you special deals, such as 50 percent off promo codes or two-fers, if you sign up for their emails. Here are links to US domestic airline sign up pages and for international airlines. We signed up for Virgin America's frequent flyer program and because we hadn't flown them yet we keep on getting promo code discount offers to give them a try.

5. Use Twitter

Email is great, but some of the most amazing airfare deals last only a short time (even if they're valid for travel over a long period), or you open the email too late. Twitter is more immediate. Our advice? Follow @Airfarewatchdog where we tweet unusual airfare deals every day of the week and alert followers to promo codes and other airfare deals.

6. Be a flexible travel date flyer

If you don't care when you go as long as the fare is low, try a flexible date search. It's getting harder to search airfares based on flexible travel dates now that many sites (Orbitz, Hotwire, Travelocity and Expedia among them) have eliminated their flexible date calendars. But Kayak.com still has a good one (you must register as a user to see it under Flights/more options/flex month). Another good site is Adioso.com and Google has two sites worth exploring: Google Flight Explore and Google Flights.More about flexible travel date search. 

7. Search airline sites individually, but online travel agencies are still useful
Many airlines have "private" sales, reserving their very best fares for their own sites. These are different from promo code sales mentioned above. International airlines such as Aer Lingus, Iberia and Qantas regularly offer lower fares (i.e., $100-$400 less) on their own web sites compared to what you'll find on Kayak or Orbitz. And yet, you shouldn't ignore online travel agencies such as Expedia and Travelocity, because these sites will tell you if it's cheaper flying out on one airline and back on another (United won't tell you it's cheaper to fly out on United and back on American).

8. Use Priceline for last minute trips

If you don't have a 7-, 14-, or 21-day advance purchase window to buy your fare, your best bet is the "name your own price" feature of Priceline.com. True, you won't know the exact flight times or airline you're flying until to pay for your trip, but you can save 50% or more.

9. Use consolidators, but beware of the restrictions

Consolidators specializing in premium cabins will have some great deals, and the airlines themselves will often heavily discount their premium cabins in the summer and just before Christmas, so check the specials on their web sites. Sites like Vayama.com, airfare.com and Asia.com also sometimes sell consolidator fares, but read this to understand how these fares work and what the extra restrictions might be.

10. Consider the extra fees before you buy

If Southwest has a fare of $198 round-trip and United has one for $148, and you are checking three bags, then Southwest actually has the lowest fare because Southwest charges nothing for the first two checked bags, whereas United would charge you an additional $165 each way for three. (See Airline fee chart). 

11. Combine two separate fares rather than buying one fare

If you're flying to a destination in Europe, you might save money by purchasing one fare from the US to, say, Dublin, and another from Dublin onward on Ryanair.com (just beware of Ryanair's onerous fees). Same holds true for some destinations in Asia (fly into Singapore and catch a low cost carrier such as Airasia.com from there) and to some smaller Caribbean destinations via San Juan or the Bahamas. Even domestically, two fares are often less than one, such as the recent scenario where Dallas to Honolulu was selling for $350 round-trip with tax, but Houston/Honolulu was $800. As you're no doubt aware, you can fly Houston-Dallas for a lot less than $450! Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time between connecting flights in case one flight is delayed.

12. Buy tickets on an airline that will refund the difference if a fare goes down

Let's say you've found the lowest fare, and then the day after purchase your non-refundable fare for the same itinerary goes down. If you ask for it you can get a refund for the difference. But some airlines will charge you a costly "administrative" fee of $200 or more, wiping out any savings. Others will give you the entire fare difference in the form of a travel voucher without extracting a fee. All airlines used to do this but no longer. The only ones left are JetBlue, Southwest, and Alaska.

Hot Destinations And Top Travel Trends

Contributed by Emily Fisher 

As we wrap up another eventful year in travel, it’s a great time to sneak a peek at what’s ahead.

The rise of the super airline

For travelers in the U.S., one of the biggest stories of the past year is the rise of the super airline. With the merger of American Airlines and US Airways, United Airlines’ rule as the largest airline ended less than a year into its new life. Last March, Continental Airlines was fully integrated into United – the fruit of two years’ worth of work.

It will take American and US Airways time to combine their resources too, but consumers can expect changes to start early in 2014. Most notable will be when US Airways drops its membership in the Star Alliance to join oneworld. This shift in the international airline partner base will leave heavy mileage accumulators and frequent overseas travelers with some homework and head scratching to do — and maybe some tough decisions to make. It might also encourage folks who have been planning to cash in for a big trip to get moving. The switch over happens on March 31/April 1, 2014.

The new American (Image: American Airlines)

With United, Delta and the new American all truly super sized, these large airlines are sure to be very busy competing with one another with a lot of focus on international travel and amenities like lay flat beds in first class (even on domestic flights). For the price-conscious traveler, there may be less to love on those major airlines as nickel and diming for basics — like a few more inches of leg room — becomes even more prevalent.

However, this battle among the power airlines will likely leave room for newer and smaller players competing on base price to emerge, for established “budget” airlines like Southwest and JetBlue to gain even more ground and for regional airlines like Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines to expand the number of markets they serve.

Travel hot spots

In 2013, a number of new travel hot spots began to emerge (or reemerge). Domestic travel is still by far the most popular in the United States, but we did find that people are increasingly including the U.S. territories in their vacation plans. Searches to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, jumped 40 percent while those to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, where up 34 percent. Puerto Rico also saw a 10 percent spike in popularity.

Good budget airline service can also deliver a boost to the popularity of a destination. Two prime examples: Denver, Colo., and Myrtle Beach, S.C. Denver is not only a great city and jumping off point for a mountain getaway but also a strategic low-cost carrier hub. Southwest, Frontier, JetBlue and Spirit all serve Denver International and the competition works in the traveler’s favor. So it’s no surprise that Denver saw a 17 percent increase in travel searches for the year. Likewise, Myrtle Beach’s small but growing airport now offers non-stop flights to 25 different cities – the majority offered by low-cost carriers Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Airlines. That has served as pricing pressure on the flights US Airways, United and Delta offer into Myrtle Beach, which led to a 20 percent increase in travelers looking to visit this southern beach town.

All year we’ve been tracking Los Cabos’ continued appeal as a year-round beach destination with something to offer at pretty much any price point. Despite the troubles that have plagued many parts of Mexico, Los Cabos has been a relative safe haven for tourists. Now, as Mexico tourism begins to bounce back for many parts of the country, Los Cabos is leading the pack. In 2013, we saw a 4 percent increase in travel searches to Los Cabos.

For 2014, we see signs U.S. travelers will continue to chase warm weather and sunshine, look for new bargain destinations and travel for events. Here are some destination trends to watch for:

The year of Brazil

With the Olympics on the horizon and the World Cup coming this summer (June 12 to July 13), Brazil is working hard to be a welcoming host country to sports fans and tourists in general. Already a popular destination, especially during Carnival, Brazil is building out infrastructure for its major upcoming events. Even so, capacity is tight. If you’re planning to visit during the World Cup, act now. Even during the offseason, it’s advisable to book four months in advance.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Image: pedrokirilos)

Paying homage in Europe

2014 is the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I so this may be a year for history buffs and family members to visit the battlefields to reconnect with and remember loved ones who sacrificed across Europe in the “war to end all wars.”

Caribbean distinction

Images of crystal blue water and white sandy beaches are the ubiquitous daydream of the Caribbean. However the islands have a mix of cultures, climates and currencies that make it worthwhile to do your homework before you book. Some recent changes, especially in the Dutch Antilles, mean some key island countries have new-found autonomy. As a result, they have – and will – continue to ramp up how they market themselves.

Be prepared to see an increase in other parts of the Caribbean pushing what makes them stand out. Price will be one point but so will ease of access (for example, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with no passport requirements for Americans), travel style (nightlife versus beach views, family versus adventure, chic versus laid back) and activities (diving and bare boating – or cruise ships and shops).

Staying ahead of the crowds

As deal destinations get popular, they lose their unique appeal-of-the-new charm – and their bargain status. The challenge is to spot the next wave of alternatives and beat the growing crowds and climbing prices. This year’s list: instead of Costa Rica, try Nicaragua. Skip Malta and head for Albania. Swap Bulgaria for Estonia. Opt for Laos over Vietnam

The connected passenger

As we flip the calendar, we are in the heyday of a major transition in terms of the individual flier’s travel experience. Gone are the days of simply reading a book or flipping through a magazine to pass the time on a flight. Whether you are watching satellite TV or playing trivia against your cabin mates on the airplane’s infotainment system or, more likely, glued to your tablet, laptop or phone for videos, games or news from the outside world, you are now a “connected passenger.”

Inside a Virgin America plane (Image: Albert Domasin)

The rules and technology will push this trend even further over the next 12 to 36 months. In-flight WiFi is on the verge of blazing new speeds with vendors eyeing satellite technology to deliver more capacity. Meanwhile, the FAA has relaxed the rules about personal electronic device use below 10,000 feet so you will soon find you can keep reading, playing your games and watching your movies right through landing and takeoff.

The real question now is whether you will be able to chat away on your cell phone during flights. The debate is on as the FCC is currently considering lifting a ban on cell phone use on planes. Some members of Congress are already moving to block in-flight calls.