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Which US airline offers best value: A comparison of Delta, United & American

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Which US airline offers best value: A comparison of Delta, United & American
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Delta Air Lines | Wikipedia

Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines are the three largest US-based carriers. Determining which one offers the best value for money depends on various factors such as route, aircraft age, and passenger priorities.

Delta Air Lines is a full-service carrier with hubs at several major airports including Boston Logan International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It was founded in 1929 and is part of the SkyTeam alliance. According to Skytrax rankings, Delta is considered the best among these airlines, holding the 21st position globally with a 3-star rating. United Airlines follows as the second-highest ranked US airline at 42nd place worldwide, while American Airlines ranks 78th.

Skytrax evaluates airlines based on cabin comfort, staff service, onboard entertainment, and catering. Another ranking by AirlineRatings.com emphasizes safety but did not list any US-based airline among the top 25 full-service airlines for 2025. Instead, Delta, United, and American were categorized as "hybrid" carriers with Delta leading in comfort and safety ratings.

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In terms of legroom, Delta offers more than its competitors with an average economy seat pitch of 31 inches compared to American's 30.2 inches and United's 30.1 inches. The seating density on Delta’s Airbus A321neo and Boeing 737-800 also suggests more space per passenger than those operated by United or American.

When considering fares reported by Cirium in August 2022, American had the lowest average fare at $282 compared to Delta's $295 and United's $330. However, this may be influenced by flight distances; United typically operates longer flights than either Delta or American.

Regarding baggage fees, all three airlines provide complimentary light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages on most routes along with free Wi-Fi services being phased in across their fleets. For carry-on luggage policies in basic economy class: Delta allows a carry-on bag without charge; United requires it to be checked for a fee; American follows Delta’s policy.

The choice of aircraft types also plays a role in passenger experience. All three airlines operate fleets comprising both narrowbody and widebody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. Notably, Delta has invested heavily in modern Airbus A220s known for their quietness and spacious feel.

Ultimately deciding which airline provides better value involves personal preference considerations like seat comfort versus ticket price or route convenience versus additional costs associated with checked baggage fees or inflight amenities availability during travel timeframes across different routes served by each carrier respectively throughout North America primarily but internationally too given their extensive networks supported through global alliances memberships accordingly.

Organizations Included in this History
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