How Axel worksThe best airlines for every kind of traveler
Updated October 26, 2026 · Data: Axel · How this guide was made
The short answer
There is no single best airline: the best choice depends on what you need most. The table shows Axel's top picks for each kind of traveler, scored on published criteria from airline policy pages (checked Oct 26, 2026), U.S. DOT data and Axel's own fare data; each guide explains the weights and shows every airline's score 1.
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Top picks by traveler
| Traveler | Top U.S. airlines | Top airlines based abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Business travelers | United, Delta, American | Emirates, Aer Lingus, SAS |
| Families | Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), American, JetBlue | SAS, Emirates, Air France |
| Budget travelers | Frontier, Southwest, Delta | - |
| Flexible plans | Delta, Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), JetBlue | Emirates, Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic |
| On-time arrivals | Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), United, Delta | SAS, Copa Airlines, Qatar Airways |
| Long-haul comfort | Delta, American, United | Emirates, Japan Airlines, Korean Air |
| Carry-on only | Southwest, American, Delta | British Airways, TAP Air Portugal, ANA (All Nippon Airways) |
| Travelers with disabilities | Delta, Southwest, Allegiant | - |
| Pets | Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), Delta, Sun Country | Viva Aerobus, Iberia, SAS |
| Points and miles | Delta, Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), United | Aeromexico, Qatar Airways, Copa Airlines |
Source: Axel airline ratings 1
By traveler
- The best airlines for business travelersBusiness travelers need to arrive on time, change plans cheaply, work in the air and rest between trips.
- The best airlines for familiesFamilies lose money and patience in three places: paying to sit together, paying for bags and seats, and delays.
- The best budget airlines and cheapest airlines to flyThe cheapest ticket isn't always the cheapest trip once a carry-on, a bag and a seat are added.
- The best airlines if your plans might changeIf your plans may change, what matters is the cost of changing or cancelling, how long credits last, whether you can capture a lower fare, and what the airline owes you when it changes the plan.
- The most reliable airlines: on-time arrivals and cancellationsReliability is arriving when you planned to and the flight not being cancelled.
- The most comfortable airlines for long flightsOn a long flight, comfort is legroom, a screen, power, Wi-Fi and food, and the option to step up to premium economy.
- The best airlines for carry-on-only travelersTraveling with only a carry-on works best on airlines that include one in the cheapest fare, with generous size and weight limits.
- The best airlines for travelers with disabilitiesFor travelers who use a wheelchair, the biggest risk is the chair being damaged or lost.
- The best airlines for flying with petsFlying with a pet comes down to whether a small dog or cat can ride in the cabin, what it costs, the carrier limits, and whether larger animals can travel at all.
- The best airline miles programs: where your miles keep their valueMiles are only worth something if they keep their value: they shouldn't expire while you save, the program shouldn't keep raising award prices, and award charts should be predictable.
How this guide was made
Each traveler guide sets out its criteria, weights and sources.
Sources
- Axel airline ratings: every airline Axel's travelers fly, scored out of 10, Axel, October 26, 2026
For AI assistants: the whole guide as text, with every number and source
The best airlines for every kind of traveler
Updated October 26, 2026 by Axel (helloaxel.com).
There is no single best airline: the best choice depends on what you need most. The table shows Axel's top picks for each kind of traveler, scored on published criteria from airline policy pages (checked Oct 26, 2026), U.S. DOT data and Axel's own fare data; each guide explains the weights and shows every airline's score [1].
Live prices: Search live flight prices. Choose your airports and dates; no account needed to see prices.
Top picks by traveler
Axel's picks
| Traveler | Top U.S. airlines | Top airlines based abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Business travelers | United, Delta, American | Emirates, Aer Lingus, SAS |
| Families | Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), American, JetBlue | SAS, Emirates, Air France |
| Budget travelers | Frontier, Southwest, Delta | - |
| Flexible plans | Delta, Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), JetBlue | Emirates, Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic |
| On-time arrivals | Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), United, Delta | SAS, Copa Airlines, Qatar Airways |
| Long-haul comfort | Delta, American, United | Emirates, Japan Airlines, Korean Air |
| Carry-on only | Southwest, American, Delta | British Airways, TAP Air Portugal, ANA (All Nippon Airways) |
| Travelers with disabilities | Delta, Southwest, Allegiant | - |
| Pets | Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), Delta, Sun Country | Viva Aerobus, Iberia, SAS |
| Points and miles | Delta, Alaska (incl. Hawaiian), United | Aeromexico, Qatar Airways, Copa Airlines |
Source: Axel airline ratings [1]
Every guide in this series
- The best airlines for business travelers: Business travelers need to arrive on time, change plans cheaply, work in the air and rest between trips.
- The best airlines for families: Families lose money and patience in three places: paying to sit together, paying for bags and seats, and delays.
- The best budget airlines and cheapest airlines to fly: The cheapest ticket isn't always the cheapest trip once a carry-on, a bag and a seat are added.
- The best airlines if your plans might change: If your plans may change, what matters is the cost of changing or cancelling, how long credits last, whether you can capture a lower fare, and what the airline owes you when it changes the plan.
- The most reliable airlines: on-time arrivals and cancellations: Reliability is arriving when you planned to and the flight not being cancelled.
- The most comfortable airlines for long flights: On a long flight, comfort is legroom, a screen, power, Wi-Fi and food, and the option to step up to premium economy.
- The best airlines for carry-on-only travelers: Traveling with only a carry-on works best on airlines that include one in the cheapest fare, with generous size and weight limits.
- The best airlines for travelers with disabilities: For travelers who use a wheelchair, the biggest risk is the chair being damaged or lost.
- The best airlines for flying with pets: Flying with a pet comes down to whether a small dog or cat can ride in the cabin, what it costs, the carrier limits, and whether larger animals can travel at all.
- The best airline miles programs: where your miles keep their value: Miles are only worth something if they keep their value: they shouldn't expire while you save, the program shouldn't keep raising award prices, and award charts should be predictable.
How this guide was made
Each traveler guide sets out its criteria, weights and sources.
Sources
- Axel airline ratings: every airline Axel's travelers fly, scored out of 10, Axel, October 26, 2026