Vote for your favorite airline!
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Flying has become a fundamental aspect of travel for many people. And while it might not be your favorite part of a vacation or business trip, these 20 airlines — nominated as the best by an expert panel — strive to improve the flyer experience with newer planes, better connectivity, and improved food and entertainment.
Which airline do you favor? Vote once per day until polls close on Monday, September 16 at noon ET. The 10 winning airlines, determined by your vote, will be announced on Wednesday, September 25.
Read the official Readers' Choice rules.
Flying has become a fundamental aspect of travel for many people. And while it might not be your favorite part of a vacation or business trip, these 20 airlines — nominated as the best by an expert panel — strive to improve the flyer experience with newer planes, better connectivity, and improved food and entertainment.
Which airline do you favor? Vote once per day until polls close on Monday, September 16 at noon ET. The 10 winning airlines, determined by your vote, will be announced on Wednesday, September 25.
Read the official Readers' Choice rules.
Flying has become a fundamental aspect of travel for many people. And while it might not be your favorite part of a vacation or business trip, these 20 airlines — nominated as the best by an expert panel — strive to... Read More
Best Airline Nominees
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus, the national airline of Ireland, operates on almost 70 routes from Dublin to European destinations, as well as 17 direct routes to North America. The airline earns high marks for its affordability, customer service, and timely performance. And, passengers in both Economy and Business classes can enjoy a range of entertainment options on long-haul flights.
Photo courtesy of LordHenriVoton // Getty Images
Air France
Air France offers four distinct categories of cabins — La Première, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy — to fit every budget and style. Passengers can also enjoy inflight entertainment, gourmet dining, and three Wi-Fi Pass options, whether en route to the United States or another one of Air France's global destinations.
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand — no stranger to Best Airline lists — boasts a relatively young fleet with more fuel efficiency. Beyond environmental leadership and a commitment to reduce their carbon footprint, the airline has a shining safety record and excellent amenities, particularly in its premium economy class.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines has a loyal passenger base thanks to its affordable fares, on-time arrivals, and excellent frequent flyer program. The airline and its regional partners fly to over 120 cities in North and Central America on nearly 1,300 daily flights. Passengers enjoy perks like fast satellite Wi-Fi, free texting, and inflight entertainment.
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest carrier, flies to destinations like Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Bangkok, and Jakarta from the United States. This popular airline is renowned for its comfort — especially in the First, Business, and Premium Economy classes — its friendly staff, and high-quality inflight food options.
American Airlines
American Airlines, including its American Eagle fleet of regional carriers, operates around 6,700 flights daily to more than 60 countries around the globe. It's also one of the largest airlines, by passenger capacity, in the world. And its AAdvantage program is one of the best loyalty programs for earning free travel, plus points towards other benefits.
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific offers numerous routes from the U.S. to Hong Kong, making it an excellent gateway to Asia for American travelers. Flights are almost always on time, and service is impeccable both on the ground and in the air. The travel experience is comfortable even in Economy, where passengers enjoy plenty of legroom, seats with flexible neck support, electric outlets, and ample entertainment options.
Delta Air Lines
Delta ranks among the most highly-rated U.S.-based carriers due to its on-time record, extensive route offerings, and robust frequent flyer program. Plus, more than 850 aircraft provide seatback TVs to keep passengers entertained on their journeys.
Photo courtesy of Emirates Airline
Emirates
Emirates has a well-earned reputation among luxury travelers as one of the world’s top carriers. Passengers travel on one of the world’s youngest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, with flights to nearly 160 global destinations, 14 of them being North American gateways. This Dubai-based airline crafts a top-tier inflight experience centered on excellent service, superior comfort, and award-winning cuisine.
Photo courtesy of skynesher // Getty Images
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines seeks to bring passengers to the beauty of Hawaii and provide an experience exemplary of Hawaii hospitality. The airline flies — with excellent timeliness — to and from the Hawaiian Islands and far beyond. Passengers can enjoy hot meals at no extra charge, even in the Main Cabin.
Japan Airlines (JAL)
Japan Airlines (JAL) has a well-deserved reputation for offering excellent service, food, and premium cabins. Passengers can choose from numerous routes between the United States and Japan. Plus, JAL Economy seats feature more legroom and wider seats than other airlines.
JetBlue
JetBlue caters to passengers with new and refreshed aircraft, plentiful routes, free inflight connectivity, and generous amounts of legroom in economy class. JetBlue flies to more than 100 cities across the U.S., Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe, with live TV and inflight Wi-Fi available on all flights.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is renowned for its exceptional on-time performance, modern inflight entertainment, and superior service. Passengers benefit from 24/7 assistance, the chance to earn miles through the Flying Blue program, and an extensive network of global destinations due to the airline's part in the SkyTeam Alliance.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa was the first airline to offer inflight connectivity with its introduction of Internet access on international flights in the early 2000s. Today, Lufthansa is one of Europe’s largest and most popular airlines. It earns top marks with passengers for its high-quality service and onboard amenities, especially in higher-tier cabins.
Qantas
Qantas, the national airline carrier of Australia, earns high marks for its lounges, inflight dining and entertainment, and free baggage allowance with every fare. It’s one of the safest airlines in the world, with an excellent on-time rating and comfortable seats in all classes.
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways is known for its top-notch premium cabins, excellent service, inflight amenities, and superb lounges, especially at its hub in Doha. No matter the cabin, passengers always enjoy unlimited snacks and beverages during their journey, as well as the airline's wide, comfortable seats and spacious cabin design.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines operates a newer fleet, including Airbus A380s which feature the latest suites. Service is excellent in every cabin, and each passenger can enjoy access to days' worth of inflight entertainment. U.S.-based travelers can fly nonstop to Singapore from New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Southwest Airlines
While you won’t find first class seats or luxe airport lounges when flying with Southwest, the popular American-based airline wins passengers over with a host of perks. Southwest offers low fares, free baggage allowance, no fees for flight changes or cancellations, and spacious seats, compared to their competitors.
Photo courtesy of Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines operates one of the biggest global flight networks, including numerous North American destinations and hundreds of others throughout the world. The airline is frequently praised for its excellent customer service, top-notch food, and comfortable Economy Class seats.
United Airlines
United Airlines has over 300 global destinations, as well as hubs in all four of the largest cities in the U.S. — Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York City. The airline has an increasingly fuel-efficient fleet, as well as a popular loyalty program, in which passengers can earn points toward future travel.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Tibaldi
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based... Read More
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.
Allison Tibaldi
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.
Christopher Parr
Christopher Parr is the Founder and... Read More
Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Pursuitist, one of the world’s most influential luxury lifestyle and travel guides. Named a "Top 10 Luxury Travel Blogger” by USA Today 10Best, Parr has also been selected as the official winner in Luxury Lifestyle Awards’ 2023 list of the “Top 50 Best Luxury Influencers and Bloggers in the World.” In addition to Pursuitist, Christopher is a contributor to numerous travel and luxury publications and TV shows, including being the host of Travel Tuesday on CBS. Follow along on Twitter.
Christopher Parr
Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Pursuitist, one of the world’s most influential luxury lifestyle and travel guides. Named a "Top 10 Luxury Travel Blogger” by USA Today 10Best, Parr has also been selected as the official winner in Luxury Lifestyle Awards’ 2023 list of the “Top 50 Best Luxury Influencers and Bloggers in the World.” In addition to Pursuitist, Christopher is a contributor to numerous travel and luxury publications and TV shows, including being the host of Travel Tuesday on CBS. Follow along on Twitter.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music... Read More
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Molly O'Brien
Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance... Read More
Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance travel journalist, who writes and edits for a variety of international travel and lifestyle outlets including Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, and Business Insider among others. She's lived on both coasts from Massachusetts to California and has so far made Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Luis Obispo, Barcelona, and Los Angeles her home. Molly earned her journalism degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California and since then has worked professionally in the fields of hospitality and travel PR and most recently, as a freelance travel writer and editor. Molly especially enjoys covering feature profiles about interesting people doing interesting things such as chocolate making, beekeeping, wing-walking, and interesting destinations like under-the-radar wine spots, the best brewery towns, and lesser-known ski destinations. She also loves to write about a boutique hotel with a good story. When she's not writing, Molly enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring new coffee shops and breweries, and of course, traveling. Her favorite city in the world (so far) is Barcelona, Spain, but she loves traveling anywhere that offers sunny weather and ample hiking opportunities. She loves spending time in the mountains, enjoys connecting with nature through camping and glamping adventures, and is always up for learning about the world through fun, immersive experiences (and then sharing those stories!). You can connect with Molly here: Instagram: @metropolitanmolly Twitter: @Molly_A_OBrien Facebook: @MetropolitanMolly LinkedIn: @mollyannobrien www.metropolitanmolly.com
Molly O'Brien
Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance travel journalist, who writes and edits for a variety of international travel and lifestyle outlets including Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, and Business Insider among others. She's lived on both coasts from Massachusetts to California and has so far made Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Luis Obispo, Barcelona, and Los Angeles her home. Molly earned her journalism degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California and since then has worked professionally in the fields of hospitality and travel PR and most recently, as a freelance travel writer and editor. Molly especially enjoys covering feature profiles about interesting people doing interesting things such as chocolate making, beekeeping, wing-walking, and interesting destinations like under-the-radar wine spots, the best brewery towns, and lesser-known ski destinations. She also loves to write about a boutique hotel with a good story. When she's not writing, Molly enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring new coffee shops and breweries, and of course, traveling. Her favorite city in the world (so far) is Barcelona, Spain, but she loves traveling anywhere that offers sunny weather and ample hiking opportunities. She loves spending time in the mountains, enjoys connecting with nature through camping and glamping adventures, and is always up for learning about the world through fun, immersive experiences (and then sharing those stories!). You can connect with Molly here: Instagram: @metropolitanmolly Twitter: @Molly_A_OBrien Facebook: @MetropolitanMolly LinkedIn: @mollyannobrien www.metropolitanmolly.com
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of Read More
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.