This Low-Cost Airline Was Quietly Named The Best In America For 2025 (And It's Not Southwest)

Low-cost carriers have a reputation — and not a great one. Paying what is essentially pennies for flights often comes with never-ending baggage fees, cramped seats, and no snacks. Plus, you can't rely on the in-flight entertainment on a budget flight and are better off bringing a novel or pre-downloading a season of your favorite show. Sometimes, the bad press is deserved, but other times, the underdog wins. Case in point: In 2025, Spirit Airlines pulled off the unthinkable by being named the best airline in America. Yes, really.

While airlines like Southwest like to soak up the praise with its big seats, simple rules, and range of nonstop flights, it was Spirit, the very airline known for its blindingly yellow planes, that shot up to the top spot in WalletHub's 2025 Best Airlines ranking. The study evaluated nine major U.S. carriers and two regional carriers across 14 categories, including in-flight comfort and cancellation and delay rates. Against those odds, Spirit came out on top, edging out industry heavyweights like Delta, United, and American, winning "Best Airline Overall" and "Most Affordable." Even more surprisingly, it was crowned the "Safest Airline" in the country. Based on the study, the Florida-based carrier had zero passenger fatalities between 2019 to 2024, operates relatively new fleet, and has one of the lowest percentages of delayed flights, second only to Delta. In total, Spirit garnered a score of 69.12 out of 100. Utah's regional carrier Skywest landed second place, followed by Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest, which rounded out the top five.

And so, while Spirit often faces many skeptics questioning its reliability, it's clear that, based on overall performance (at least according to this study), it's flying higher than anyone expected. It might not offer free nuts or pretzels, but it's doing something right where it actually counts: getting you to where you want to be safely, cheaply, and on time. Who knew?

Spirit Airlines has come a very long way, and if WalletHub's ranking is any indication, the much-maligned carrier is no longer the punchline it used to be. Back in 2018, outlets like Consumer Reports named it one of the worst airlines in the U.S., citing complaints like nickel and diming, subpar customer service, and delayed flights. But as we all know now, it has pulled off a redemption arc. "Our recent transformation achieved significant wins for travelers seeking an elevated experience and reliable operation at an unmatched value, and this new award underscores that success," John Bendoraitis, the carrier's executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. "We are incredibly proud of our Team Members whose dedication and hard work across our operation made this achievement possible."

And what is this recent transformation he's referring to, you ask? In 2024, Spirit debuted a brand-spanking-new fare system to give travelers more flexibility without losing the budget appeal. In addition to the baseline fare called Go, there's Go Savvy (includes a carry-on bag and seat selection), Go Comfy, (a blocked middle seat, a carry-on bag, priority boarding, and complimentary snacks and drinks), and Go Big, which offers everything mentioned plus a comfier seat with more legroom and free Wi-Fi. Plus, in 2025, it added over 30 routes to its roster, particularly in cities like Nashville, Dallas, and Baltimore. It has even started offering nonstop flights to the Caribbean, flying you straight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from San Antonio, Texas.

At this rate, Spirit's biggest problem might just be shaking off its old rep. Soon enough, it may well become one of the few budget airlines people actually brag about flying.