The Best Airlines in the United States: 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards

icarussmith20
5 hours ago
2 min read

It isn’t possible for the Condé Nast Traveler team to see and do everything, everywhere, all at once—though we try our best! Fortunately, we also have you, our readers. This year you cast an astonishing 757,109 votes in the 38th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, sharing your opinions on the very best in travel. You told us you were enchanted by Italian hotels, went on safari in Botswana, took to semiprivate aviation, and advocated for newcomers to the top American cities. We loved poring over the results to find out what’s sticking with readers and editors and spinning the data into a snapshot of the current moment in travel. Ahead: your manual for planning that next adventure, whether it's to a top-rated hotel or resort, or centered around a worthy cruise, spa, or island. These are the US best airlines, as voted by our readers.

10. Aero

Aero is a premium semi-private carrier based in Los Angeles that offers book-by-the-seat service to destinations like Napa, Aspen, Sun Valley, and Los Cabos. The fleet includes custom 16-seat Embraer ERJ 135 aircraft and 13-seat Legacy 600 jets with perks like spacious Italian leather seats, in-flight catering from Erewhon, a top-shelf open bar, Starlink Wi-Fi, and pet-friendly policies. Operating between private terminals, passengers can check in curbside just 20 minutes before their flight—circumventing the crowds and wait times plaguing today’s commercial airports. This year marked Aero’s expansion into the East Coast market with new bicoastal flights between New York City and Los Angeles. And in November 2025, Aero will launch weekly service between Los Angeles and Kahului, Hawaii on board the Gulfstream-IV, a long-range business jet and the newest addition to its fleet.

9. Southwest Airlines

Southwest long ago moved beyond the geographic boundaries its name suggests, with an increasingly vast route network that now stretches from Hawaii to Latin America and the Caribbean. No matter where they’re flying, travelers can take advantage of the low fares and consumer-friendly “bags fly free” policy, though they’ll have to accept some of the carrier’s quirks, like the love-it-or-hate-it boarding process. Newer amenities like in-flight Wi-Fi have helped smooth the rough edges of the airline's basic passenger experience, which on most itineraries consists of a free beverage and a snack, but bargain hunters rarely find a better deal in the skies.

8. American Airlines

With eight hubs across the United States (including Guam), the Chicago-based carrier offers an expansive and ever-growing network of international destinations. Recent additions include Amman, Jordan; Bergen, Norway; Johannesburg; Lagos, Nigeria; Accra, Ghana; and a trio of island hotspots that have historically been tricky to get to from the US: the Azores, Mallorca, and the Canary Islands. The airline responded to the pandemic by eliminating change fees for most flights, and it will soon welcome 270 new Boeing and Airbus planes to its fleet. The new aircraft will of course make your flight more comfortable and high-tech, but they come with an added bonus: They’re expected to reduce carbon emissions by 17 to 20% per seat, compared to older planes.