Airline Quality Ratings For 2018 Are The Highest Ever

2018 Airline Quality Rating Analysis

Each year, a statistical analysis of the major airlines operating in the United States is released based on customer complaints filed with the Department of Transportation. Four areas are included in the report: on-time arrivals, involuntary denied boardings, mishandled baggage, and customer complaints. The final airline quality ratings are based on these specific categories. As a result, we’ve ranked the best air carriers for 2018.

Data Shows the Best Airline Quality Ratings on Record

Regardless of what you might have heard about the reputation of a particular airline by word-of-mouth, these statistics allow you to compare across airlines and over time. The past year saw improvements for the airline industry as a whole. Overall quality rating scores improved to a level not seen in the 27 years that the Airline Quality Rating report has been published.

Airline Quality Statistics & Customer Experience

Statistics are one thing, but how does this pertain to you and your travel plans? One word: luggage. In 2017, the overall industry rate was 2.46 bags mishandled per 1,000 passengers. While this rate is lower than in 2016, it still represents a large number of mishandled bags. What does “mishandled” mean? Typically, this refers to when a bag was delayed, damaged or even lost permanently. For this reason, we recommend travel insurance for all your trips with flights.

Making Your Flying Experience Even Better

Airline customers may be reimbursed for items purchased as a result of a delayed bag with a comprehensive policy. However, reimbursement depends on whether the delay meets the terms of the policy. If a bag is lost entirely or damaged, a comprehensive travel insurance plan would provide coverage secondary to what the airline may provide for compensation. Having travel insurance can help you travel worry-free, even if your bag doesn’t appear on the carousel. The small expense of coverage is well worth the peace of mind for many airline travelers.

You can view the complete airline quality ratings report at: https://airlinequalityrating.com/

Busiest Airports Thanksgiving 2018 

In an effort to help empower travelers to make more informed decisions when it comes to Thanksgiving 2018 travel plans, Hopper and InsureMyTrip research teams reveal what airports and flights to avoid, the best time to buy, and how the latest data trends can aid travelers when comparing travel insurance benefits.

The busiest day to depart for the Thanksgiving holiday this year is Wednesday, November 21, while the busiest day to return is Sunday, November 25.

This is the list of the busiest airports for Thanksgiving, based on total departing passengers and volume of scheduled departures:

The busiest airports for Thanksgiving week, based on the volume of scheduled departures.

While the Thanksgiving travel period is a busy time of year,  airlines are improving their on-time performance track records. Last year, airlines reported the lowest percentage of canceled flights, since at least 2009.

Best Protection For Flight Delays

Based on these data results, travelers can make smarter choices about their travel plans and travel insurance purchases. For example, passengers with departing flights at busier airports are more likely to utilize a travel delay benefit and, therefore, may want to compare travel insurance policies with better delay protection.

Travel delay benefits vary with each travel insurance provider, generally between a 5 and 12-hour window. The benefit is designed to provide reimbursement for reasonable meals and accommodations while unable to travel.

Best Protection For Delayed Bags

Travelers may also want to ensure baggage delay coverage is included under a selected comprehensive travel insurance plan. Baggage delay coverage generally becomes active after belongings have been delayed for a specified period of time, typically 12 or 24 hours.