There are some insane things happening in the world, particularly in Ukraine which has made many people skittish about traveling. The war has caused fuel costs to skyrocket which is making traveling by air more expensive. But there are many other reasons for concern including safety, delays, lost baggage, traveling with animals, and wacked-out passengers stressed out about masks and COVID protocols.
Wallet Hub has just released a report that focuses on these concerns called 2022’s Best Airlines. It includes informative videos and expert commentary if you are planning a trip in the future. And what is cool is that it is categorized to meet individual needs.
The best of the best
Best Airline Overall goes to Delta Airlines which has the lowest rate of cancelations, delays, mishandled luggage, and denied boardings. Next in line are Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, and SkyWest Airlines.
Comfort on board is key
That prize goes to JetBlue which offers free Wi-Fi, extra legroom, and complimentary snacks and beverages. 2nd and 3rd prizes go to Delta Airlines and Alaska Airlines respectively.
Affordability
If you are flying on a budget, try booking a flight with Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, or Alaska Airlines.
Traveling with your pet
Our fur babies are precious and can be put in danger on the wrong airline. The three airlines without any incidents with pets so far include Delta Airlines, Envoy Air, and SkyWest.
The airline with the least complaints
SkyWest comes out on top with JetBlue and Frontier as runners-up for the fewest customer complaints.
Safety should always come first
I want to know that I will get to my destination and back in one piece. The top airline for safety is Alaska Airlines with Envoy Air and Spirit Airlines at its heels.
Flying these days is touchy-feely
I was on a Southwest Airlines flight a few months ago. It has always been one of my personal favorite airlines because they do not charge extra for incidentals like extra bags. However, it was shocking to me how close the seats were. It may have been pandemic panic, but we were literally shoulder to shoulder.
Seating on Southwest is unassigned and I was in group 4 or 5 so by the time I got on the plane only the middle seats were available which I hate. As soon as I boarded I looked for skinny seat partners. Even someone slightly overweight (like myself) would make being in the middle excruciating. I don’t get how flying in a sardine can for several hours will keep passengers calm, cool, and collected.
Add a crying baby or a freaked-out dog and you are in flying hell.
We are old enough to remember when flying was luxurious
Those old Pan Am and TWA flights had seats wide apart so you could sleep, eat in comfort, or get up to go to the bathroom easily. For a while, we could even walk upstairs inside a 747 and sit on comfy couches. The drawback was smoking. You couldn’t escape the stink even if you were in the back of the plane. I don’t miss that at all.
The food we ate on airlines, even in coach, was elegant. Now you are lucky to get a pack of pretzels or peanuts.
Onboard movies with complimentary headphones made it easy for us to be entertained. Now, those of us who are older must figure out how to get airline Wi-Fi on our phones or tablets and squint to view films and TV on tiny screens. If you forget your earbuds, you are out of luck.
Oh well, traveling by air is still fun
I’m not going to stop doing it. It can be physically exhausting maneuvering through airports, but if it gets me where I want to go, it’s well worth it.
Read statistics and get your questions answered about flying in 2022 on Wallet Hub here.
Find the most affordable flights on Skyscanner by clicking here.
I was a flight attendant for TWA for 15 years. Unfortunately, the “good old days” of flying has passed and the hope of “Class” has given way to max pax load and revenue. The good thing is how much fares have come down, hopefully, to remain that way. There is nothing glamorous about flying anymore. What a shame.
That must have been a fun time for you Kathleen. I agree, it is far from glamourous anymore but good to hear about the rates. I hope they stay that way for a while.