The most reliable airlines for your vacation this Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is one of the year’s busiest travel periods, with millions of Americans taking to the skies for a well-deserved break. This increased flight demand can lead to delays and cancellations, but which airlines and airports are the most notorious for these setbacks?

JW Surety Bonds analysed data from the US Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report to identify the best and worst airlines to rely on.

They found that Hawaiian Airlines, Alaskan Airlines, and Delta Air Lines are the best airlines to fly during Memorial Day weekend, while Virgin Atlantic, Frontier Airlines, and JetBlue Airways are the worst airlines to fly. This accounted for delays and other issues encountered by airlines when ferrying passengers.

Lots of vacations means busy airports. Salt Lake City International (SLC), Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International (MSP) have the most on-time departures during Memorial Day weekend. On the opposite end of the scale, San Francisco International (SFO), Newark Liberty International (EWR), and Boston Logan International (BOS) have the most delayed departures during Memorial Day weekend

Increasing baggage costs putting the squeeze on your wallet

On top of the delays, major airlines, including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Jet Blue, have implemented significant increases in baggage fees. JW Surety Bonds also explored the revenue airlines have generated from baggage fees since 2020 to gather insights from American travelers on their booking habits and strategies for offsetting baggage costs.

On average, Americans spent $175 on check-in baggage in the last year. Gen Z spent the most on check-in baggage in the last year ($228) compared to other age groups.

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans (18%) plan to cut back on travel in response to increased baggage fees; Gen Z (27%) is the most likely to do so