How Axel rates airlines: the rubric behind every score

Repriceability (35%)

When the fare drops after you book, can you get the difference back, and on what terms?

• R1 Standard fare change fee 20% of the pillarThe standard fare is the economy fare one step above the cheapest (Main Cabin at American, Main Classic at Delta, Economy Standard at United), the same rung for every airline. No change fee: 10. $50 or less: 7. $51 to $150: 4. More, a share of the fare, or no changes: 0.
• R2 Lowest fare flexibility 15% of the pillarThe cheapest economy fare sold. Changes with no fee: 10. A fee of $100 or less: 7. More than $100: 4. No changes: 0.
• R3 Lower fare on the same flight 25% of the pillarAfter the first 24 hours (R6 scores those): the difference comes back as cash or to the original payment: 10. As a credit with no fee: 7. Only by cancelling and rebooking, which works only while seats at the new price last, or only by paying a fee: 4. The difference is lost: 0.
• R4 Credit terms 15% of the pillarCredits last 12 months or more and someone else can use them: 10. 12 months or more, named traveler only: 7. 6 to 11 months, or a fee to use: 4. Under 6 months, or no credit: 0.
• R5 Cancel the standard fare 10% of the pillarFull refund to the card: 10. Full credit, no fee: 7. Credit or refund minus a fee: 4. Nothing back: 0.
• R6 Risk-free window 5% of the pillarFree cancellation or hold for 24 hours on every booking: 10. Only where US law requires it: 7. Shorter or narrower: 4. None: 0.
• R7 Same-day change 5% of the pillarFree on standard fares: 10. For a fee: 7. Elite or premium only: 4. Not offered: 0.
• R8 What Axel saw 5% of the pillarIn Axel's own repricing attempts where the lower fare was still on sale, the airline returned the difference 60% of the time or more: 10. 40% to 59%: 7. 20% to 39%: 4. Less: 0. Scored only with 10 or more attempts.

Refunds and disruptions (20%)

When the airline cancels or delays, what does it owe you, and does it pay?

• D1 Commitments when the airline causes the problem 40% of the pillarUS airlines: the share of the 16 commitments on DOT's customer service dashboard the airline makes, 4 of 16 scoring 0 and 14 of 16 scoring 10. Other airlines: the compensation law covering their own flights (EU261 or UK261 for European airlines: 8; Canada's APPR: 7; a comparable national rule: 6; none beyond the US refund rule: 4), plus a point each for rebooking on other airlines and cash compensation beyond the law.
• D2 Refund conduct 35% of the pillarStarts at 10. For each regulator finding, penalty or settlement about refunds or compensation in the last 5 years: minus 1 under $100,000 or with no penalty, minus 2 from $100,000, minus 3 from $1 million, minus 4 from $10 million. Minus 2 when credible reporting from the last 2 years shows refunds routinely delayed or replaced with vouchers.
• D3 Refund complaints 25% of the pillarDOT complaint cases about refunds per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US, compared with the airline's peers: airlines based in the US, or airlines based abroad. The peer median scores 5, a quarter of it or less 10, four times it or more 0, on a log scale. Peers, because DOT counts a US airline's passengers per flight segment, so a connecting trip counts twice, while most trips on an airline based abroad are one long segment.

Reliability (15%)

Does the flight leave and arrive as sold?

• L1 On-time arrival 70% of the pillarShare of flights arriving within 15 minutes of schedule. 85% or more: 10. 60% or less: 0. US airlines: DOT data for April, May, July and August 2026. Others: the latest year Cirium or OAG published; where neither publishes the airline, the punctuality part of its AirHelp Score (0 to 10) is used as the score.
• L2 Cancellations 30% of the pillarShare of scheduled flights cancelled. 0.5% or less: 10. 5% or more: 0.

Fees and transparency (15%)

Is the price you see the price you pay?

• F1 Carry-on in the lowest fare 25% of the pillarA full-size carry-on included: 10. A fee: 0.
• F2 First checked bag 20% of the pillarIncluded: 10. $35 or less: 6. $36 to $45: 4. More: 2.
• F3 Seat in the lowest fare 10% of the pillarFree seat choice: 10. Free at check-in, or assigned free: 6. A fee: 3.
• F4 Children seated with a parent 20% of the pillarFree adjacent seating for a child 13 or under guaranteed on every fare: 10. A policy with conditions: 5. None: 0. US airlines: DOT's family seating dashboard.
• F5 Price shown is price paid 25% of the pillarStarts at 10. Minus 3 for each regulator action over fee disclosure or drip pricing in 5 years. Minus 2 when a mandatory charge is added after the first price shown.

Complaints and handling (10%)

How often do passengers end up filing complaints, and how are bags, wheelchairs and oversales handled?

• C1 Complaint rate 50% of the pillarAll DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US, compared with peers the same way as refund complaints.
• C2 Mishandled bags 20% of the pillarUS airlines, DOT data: 0.25 per 100 bags or fewer: 10. 1.0 or more: 0.
• C3 Mishandled wheelchairs and scooters 15% of the pillarUS airlines, DOT data: 0.5% or fewer: 10. 2.0% or more: 0.
• C4 Bumping 15% of the pillarUS airlines, DOT data: involuntary denied boardings per 10,000 passengers in the latest quarter. None: 10. 2.0 or more: 0.

Loyalty fairness (5%)

Do the miles keep their value?

• Y1 Miles expiry 40% of the pillarNever expire: 10. After 18 months or more without activity: 7. A shorter window: 4. A fixed expiry: 2.
• Y2 Devaluations 40% of the pillarNo cut to earning or redemption value in 24 months: 10. One: 6. Two or more, or one without notice: 2.
• Y3 Award pricing 20% of the pillarA published award chart: 10. Dynamic with published caps or bands: 6. Fully dynamic: 3.

Sources

• Airline facts come from each airline's own fare, change, credit, baggage and family seating pages and its conditions of carriage first, then regulators, then established press. Every fact on a page lists its source and date.
• US airline performance: the U.S. Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer Reports (April, May, July and August 2026 data) and its Airline Customer Service Dashboard.
• Complaint rates for airlines based outside the US compare DOT complaint cases with the passengers DOT counts on their flights to and from the US in the same months.
• Axel's own data: the fares Axel's searches saw, the bookings Axel watched after purchase, and Axel's repricing attempts with each airline, September and October 2026. How often fares drop after booking is shown on every page but is not scored: an airline whose fares rarely drop is not worse for it.

What the score is not

• It is not a safety rating.
• It is not a review of seats, food or comfort.
• It is Axel's opinion, built from the evidence on each page. Policies change, so every page shows when it was checked.