Is United or Delta nicer?

The Bottom Line Overall, Delta is consistently rated the more reliable airline. And when it comes to first-class flying, Delta's amenities possess a posh factor that United doesn't quite match, though it comes close.



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1 best domestic airline: Delta. Delta Air Lines ranked as the highest-rated domestic airline in the U.S. According to Bounce's 2023 Airline Index, Delta recorded the highest percentage of on-time arrivals at 81.82% and one of the lowest cancellation rates at 1.96%.

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In terms of fleet size, United is not the largest in the world. In fact, with its current 893 active planes, it is the third largest behind American Airlines (937) and Delta (945).

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Delta excels in providing a consistently good onboard experience, understandable fees and an extensive range of credit cards that provide a good fit for every type of traveler. However, United offers travelers more destinations and American's loyalty program is easier to use.

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Delta, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines are tied for No. 2 in passenger comfort. WalletHub names Envoy, a regional airline owned by American, as the safest airline.

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Overall Rankings: The Best Airlines in the U.S.
  • Delta Air Lines.
  • Spirit Airlines.
  • SkyWest Airlines.
  • United Airlines.
  • Alaska Airlines.
  • Hawaiian Airlines.
  • JetBlue.
  • Envoy Air.


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The 10 Airlines With The Hottest Cabin Crews
  1. #1 Virgin Atlantic.
  2. #2 Singapore Airlines.
  3. #3 Etihad. Courtesy of Etihad.
  4. #4 Emirates.
  5. #5 Aer Lingus. Courtesy of Aer Lingus.
  6. #6 Lufthansa. Courtesy of Lufthansa.
  7. #7 Cathay Pacific. Courtesy of Cathay Pacific.
  8. #8 TAP Portugal. Courtesy of TAP.


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Based on the 2021 J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study, United ranked 6 out of 7 North American airlines. The study looks at eight factors, including baggage, boarding, cost and fees, and in-flight services.

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For aspiring flight attendants, Delta Air Lines, ranked by its employees as one of the best places to work, is also one of the most difficult places to get a job. It's harder to get invited to Delta flight attendant training than it is to get into Harvard University.

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With Diamond, You Earn More This benefit is exclusive to Delta, and only for our Medallion Members. Here's an example of how Rollover MQMs work: You reach Diamond Medallion Status by earning 150,000 MQMs and $20,000 MQDs during the 2023 calendar year. You only needed 125,000 MQMs to reach Diamond.

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Changes to United Premier 1K Status for 2023 To become a United Premier 1K status holder through Jan. 31, 2025, you have to fly 54 Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) and earn 18,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs), in addition to flying at least four United/United Express flights in 2023.

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Air New Zealand, Malaysian Airlines, South African Airways, Asiana Airlines, Turkish Airlines and LATAM are just some that no longer offer the highest level of airline travel. Qantas offers first class only aboard its Airbus A380 superjumbo flights.

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Their planes are well taken care of and they have great in-flight entertainment, with lots of viewing options, with screens on the backs of seats in most of their planes. But these perks come with a price because as you'll see in the cons section, Delta is a higher-cost airline. Ready to book your next flight?

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Delta has been recognized as the best U.S. airline and most reliable airline for 2021 by the consumer website WalletHub. The rankings determined that Delta had the lowest rate of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings among U.S. carriers.

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