World’s Best Airlines survey from Travel + Leisure awards JSX best US domestic carrier, but it shouldn’t really be eligible.
JSX Wins The Hearts Of Travel + Leisure Readers
Travel magazine, Travel + Leisure issued a survey for the best airlines in the world and 2025 (though it’s hardly halfway through the year) has been tabulated.
“The 2025 World’s Best Awards survey asked Travel + Leisure readers to call out the domestic airlines they have come to trust and love, and these carriers rose to the top.” – Travel + Leisure
More than 180,000 respondents with 657,000 selections were made in this year’s survey.
Criteria was based solely on the onboard experience.
- Cabin comfort
- In-flight service
- Customer service
- Value
There’s no question that travelers with JSX service in their market would elevate the carrier to the top of the ranks based on this criteria. The airline offers 1-1 seating configuration in first class-style leather seats with an impossibly large center section. The fewer seats on the aircraft creates a more intimate experience, included wifi doesn’t hurt either. JSX frequently flies to smaller airports, some of them FBOs which gives a private jet-like experience with departures from airports like Miami Opa-Lacka or Fort Lauderdale Executive rather than the discounter mega hub. The airline has also been famous for allowing dogs in the cabin and most of its flights are relatively short due to the limitations of its CJR equipment.
Here’s the whole list with scores:
- JSX (92.29)
- Hawaiian Airlines (79.92)
- Breeze Airways (78.63)
- Alaska Airlines (77.77
- Delta (77.34)
- JetBlue (75.91)
- Southwest (74.63)
- United (70.76)
- American (67.86)
- Sun Country (66.81)
Smaller Than A Regional Carrier
With fewer than 20 destinations operated regularly, and just 24 total with seasonal service added in, JSX is incredibly limited in its reach. Cape Air, a feeder to the smallest markets in the country, operates 35 destinations with Caribbean service based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Montana service from Billings, and routes throughout the Northeast, it’s possibly a more complete network within its markets.
How could a carrier that runs such limited routes possibly beat out carriers that competently fly beyond niche markets and limited frequencies? The survey criteria only asked readers to rank their experience on various carriers but didn’t ask questions to touched on the ability to use the carrier more widely.
For most of the country, JSX is not even a consideration. The majority of the flying public that hail from cities like New York (not Westchester), Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, Seattle and other major points throughout the US don’t even have the opportunity to try the product. JSX offers four year-round routes from Westchester, New York to points along the lower east coast of Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton with seasonal service to Naples) but outside of that the only regular service east of Houston is a single flight from Dallas to Miami.
The real question is whether a tiny boutique carrier should be considered among the likes of Delta, United, Southwest, and American. And if so, would carriers like the former OneJet or Blade (helicopter service) excel too? With Blade, the experience includes the shortest possible transit time from Manhattan to New York area airports, includes a lounge, personal luggage handling, and undoubtedly the best views into and out of the city. OneJet was a fleet of Citation aircraft with included wifi giving a private jet experience on short hop service originating in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis for hour-long flight distances but airports that would otherwise be a long drive (Milwaukee, Louisville, etc.) Neither Blade nor (defunct) OneJet are applicable to most of the country.
The Real Winner
Hawaiian Airlines (soon Alaska) benefits from an unmatched on-time capability due to the incredible weather from Hawaii, and it’s easy to please passengers headed to paradise. Its service and cabin comfort are below the level of much of their competition.
Breeze is probably the closest to the real winner on this list. It has a route network, while limited, that still touches both coasts. Its approach akin to JetBlue-of-yore with simple pricing, both coach and first class fares (and economy +), and new, comfortable, fuel-efficient aircraft in its growing A220 fleet.
Breeze is competing with some of the largest carriers head-to-head on some routes, though its point-to-point service in other areas serves markets opportunistically.
Alaska is also limited on the east coast but beloved for its service and as it integrates Hawaiian’s current fleet and future long haul aircraft deliveries into its network with stops in Seoul, and Rome first among the list, its presence as a more complete global carrier will grow its influence and allow it to compete against any other network carrier on this list.
Conclusion
Travel + Leisure’s Best Airlines In The World list needs more than a few caveats in selection criteria to be a competent list. A minimum number of routes, destinations, and scheduled flights should reduce the number of eligible carriers. That said, for JSX to rise to the top given its limited footprint, it’s clear that travelers are passionate about the product in a way that supersedes the airline’s reach. While I find it flawed to include such a niche airline, perhaps if I was based in a city where the network was convenient for me, I’d be as passionate as the T+L readership.
What do you think? Is JSX the best domestic US carrier? Should it be a part of the consideration or not?
I’m sure dogs voted it number one. Does it serve any other purpose?
No .
I think you’re thinking of BarkAir, which offers limited service from VNY and caters to dog and their owners.
Haters gonna hate. It’s says best, not biggest. They win hands down.
A whole variety of publications, and now websites, have loved to publish rankings. They invent some arbitrary criteria, hash the numbers, and provide you a nearly always useless list for the PR.
You forgot a closing “)”
JSX (92.29)
Hawaiian Airlines (79.92)
Breeze Airways (78.63)
Alaska Airlines (77.77 <—————!!!!!!!
Delta (77.34)
JSX aircraft and lounges are CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. Their seats recline and the tray tables don’t rock. The security screening is efficient, quick, and without an attitude. Their FBOs’ promity to the runways beats a 10-15 minute taxi that the Part-121 carriers deal with by departing from main terminal gates. They are able to climb faster, descend faster, and due to having shorter flights and shorter turnarounds they are literally faster boarding to “deplaning.”
That’s the hard product. It beats everyone constrained by main terminal limitations, cabin crew staffing (think “garbage cleanup”), and equipment. I’ll take a ride in a Ferarri over a school bus any day.
The FAs are warm, genuinely bring snacks and drinks without having to be called, and don’t “resent” passengers who make “extra” requests. For example I like a “scotch and a cup of ice” and most FAs just mix half a Scotch with a couple of cubes and almost shove it at me. The JSX crew provides the two cups, the ice cup brimming with cold ice, and hand it over with a smile. Only Signapore Airlines has the same level of service.
Need help putting your bag up? JSX says yes. Delta, American, United, JetBlue, Spirit, etc. all say “not part of my job, SIR.” It’s the same kind of “SIR” as a police officer says when asking any question: “SIR, do you know why I pulled you over, SIR?” Want a pillow? JSX says yes. Do you want your window up or down or whatever? JSX FAs don’t tell you “for convenience of other passengers please put your window [the other way].”
The soft product is great. The hard product is great. What’s left are the downsides.
– Pricing is higher than regional commercial flights. So if that last $50-$100 is important to you, Southwest and Spirit, and Frontier will happily take less to provide you less.
– Valet parking. Most FBOs don’t have space to accomodate an extra 30-50 cars sitting in their lot for that weekend vacation or that four-day convention trip (let alone if you bookend one with the other). They have valets and those aren’t free so plan on $20-$30/day for that. HOWEVER that’s still less expensive than major airports’ self-park ($33/day at KPHX, $43/day valet at KPHX). On the other hand, they know when you’re coming back so your car will be ready within 1-3 minutes after landing.
– Stairs. If you’re mobility challenged, the lack of a jetway will be a challenge. Last time I flew JSX I was learning to walk again but that was the only challenge. Now I’m more cognizant of other people with challenges.
In a nutshell, having flown full-fare first and 1K and Ambassidor and Platinum and all that on every major US airline, Frontier, SW, and various international carriers including SA and BA, the best non-private-jet flight we had were JSX PHXLAS a couple of times.
Private Jets have less service, cost more, but oh what a thrill. Thanks, Ken Adelman, and Craig Jackson!