Is it better to fly United or American?

In fact, American outranked United on most metrics in our 2023 Best-Of Awards analysis of major domestic carriers. But United has a few things going for it, including its credit card perks, more legroom in economy plus and the luxurious Polaris class.



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In its list of the 20 overall safest airlines for 2023, U.S. based airlines which made the cut include Alaska Airlines in eighth place, Hawaiian Airlines in 12th, United Airlines in 14th, American Airlines in 19th and Delta Air Lines in 20th, according to Airlineratings.com.

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However, United almost unarguably has the most global route network. Not only does the airline serve so many destinations across six continents, but United also isn't afraid to experiment with new ultra long haul flights, which American and Delta shy away from.

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United Airlines Weaknesses
  • Intense competition from other domestic and international airlines means limited market share growth.
  • Heavy dependence on third-party service providers for customer service, maintenance, fueling operations, etc.


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For long-haul international flights, United offers a great customer service experience in economy and premium classes, with comfortable seating, attentive service and good food. On short-haul domestic flights, United's service is adequate, but other airlines often outperform them in this area.

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United restricts full-sized carry-ons for its basic economy tickets. Basic economy tickets are ineligible for refunds and don't include seat selection. Economy Plus features standard economy seats with extra legroom. Standard economy includes seat selection and a free carry-on.

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Top 10 safest airlines to fly on right now
  • Delta Airlines. Major crashes in the last 50 years: 7. ...
  • American Airlines. Major crashes in the last 50 years: 14. ...
  • International: Qatar Airways. Major crashes in the last 50 years: 0. ...
  • International: Etihad Airways. Major crashes since operations started: 0.


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American Airlines' Flagship First is a testament to the potential of a well-rounded, luxurious air travel experience. VIP Services: Flagship First Check-In, Flagship Lounge access, and priority privileges throughout the journey mark American's VIP services.

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United MileagePlus elite status benefits
  • 7x miles earned on every flight.
  • Complimentary Premier Upgrades.
  • Complimentary Economy Plus upgrades at check-in for you and a companion.
  • One complimentary checked bag.
  • Priority check-in.
  • Priority security screening, where offered.
  • Priority boarding (Group 2)


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United Airlines The top complaint category was flight issues (92), followed by issues with refunds (69), fares (35), and reservation/ticketing/boarding and baggage (34 complaints each).

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Economy Plus is an excellent option for travelers looking for a higher level of comfort but do not want all of the features of a full business-class seat. The economy plus cabin debuted on United in 1999 and is now offered on all mainline aircraft and almost all United Express regional jets.

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U.S. travelers report that American Airlines is the most unreliable airline in the world when measured by the total flight problems and reported complaints in 2022. American is also the world's largest airline, so this finding may not surprise frequent flyers.

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Here's the ranking of US airlines from MOST complaints in May 2022 to LEAST complaints in May 2022:
  • American Airlines (575 complaints)
  • United Airlines (400 complaints)
  • Frontier Airlines (301 complaints)
  • Delta Air Lines (281 complaints)
  • Spirit Airlines (269 complaints)
  • JetBlue Airways (244 complaints)


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United is not strict at all about carry-on sizes and I have seen countless clearly oversized bags being taken into various short to long flights with them. On small planes they offer to take larger ones as gate checked luggage to those who have among the largest items, most typically roller bags.

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