What Consumer Reports' 3 Favorite First-Class Airline Experiences Have In Common

When you pay for first class, you expect high standards, and rightly so. But not all airlines deliver the same level of premium service, and at a time when many travelers feel the experience is slipping, insight into how major airlines measure up — and what top performers have in common — can be helpful. In 2026, Consumer Reports released survey findings based on feedback from 2,140 first-class passengers who flew on 3,782 flights across seven major U.S.-based airlines between January 2022 and February 2023. Respondents evaluated their experiences across several categories, including staff service, check-in processes, cabin cleanliness, pricing transparency, flight timeliness, seat selection, and flight updates. Three airlines scored highest for business and first-class cabin experiences: Hawaiian Airlines at number one, followed by Alaska Airlines, then Delta Air Lines.

All three airlines earned 5 out of 5 scores for staff service, flight updates, pricing transparency, and seat selection. Hawaiian scored 4 out of 5 for check-in ease, Alaska received a 4 out of 5 rating for on-time performance, while Delta scored 4 out of 5 in both cabin cleanliness and timeliness. (Notably, timeliness is not an exclusive experience to business or first-class passengers, but it remains one of the most important factors in overall airline satisfaction). Consumer Reports also stated that many of the categories surveyed among economy travelers showed similar results, with seat comfort standing out as the biggest difference compared to first class.

For 90 years, Consumer Reports has been an independent nonprofit dedicated to creating "a fair and just marketplace for all." Through research and testing, it helps consumers make informed decisions while influencing business practices and public policy. While the organization didn't cite an in-depth methodology for this study, a ranking system of 1 to 5 — with 5 being the best — was used.

Hawaiian Airlines — which until recently retained its separate brand identity despite a 2024 merger with Alaska Airlines — consistently earns high marks for consumer satisfaction and efficiency across categories and classes. In fact, Hawaiian Airlines outranks every other airline when it comes to economy check-ins, per Consumer Reports. Additionally, according to Newsweek, HubSpot ranked Hawaiian Airlines the best company for customer service in 2025 — a ranking not exclusive to airlines. In 2025, Hawaiian also tied (with JetBlue) for the most comfortable airline, which takes into account legroom and amenities like Wi-Fi and snacks. Although Hawaiian scored slightly lower for check-in ease in first and business class, that could soon be addressed by recent changes to its reservation system as it fully merges with Alaska. 

Alaska received a 4 out of 5 for timeliness, and earns consistently high marks across other consumer categories in first and business class. In 2026, the airline also launched lie-flat seats for long-haul trips in business class — a first for the airline — seen as a move to enhance premium-class experiences. Incidentally, lie-flat seats are becoming more popular, especially for long-haul business flights, a comfort even economy travelers have started to demand.

Flying experiences are subjective; thus, user data can be somewhat subjective. Of course, between business and first class, there are discrepancies: By combining the two classes in its surveys, Consumer Reports' findings don't quite cover all the nuances. Business class is the more premium option, but it is not offered on every flight. First-class layouts can also change depending on the size of the plane (and the route). By and large, however, Hawaiian and Alaska mostly deliver on their premium promises, according to passengers who fly them.

As of this writing, Delta is the overall most popular airline of 2026 according to YouGov, a data analytics organization that measures public opinion on various topics. Scoring lower for timeliness is certainly a caveat, and travelers on Reddit have also criticized Delta's domestic flight premium offerings (or lack thereof). "Severely disappointed," wrote one traveler, who cited out-of-date seats, rude service, poor snack quality, and a chaotic boarding process, and praised United Polaris as a preferable alternative. "I would never pay for Delta first class again." Another commented, "When Delta talks premium airline they are only referring to your ticket price." 

A frequent flyer who takes roughly 60 annual flights for work — 80% in first class — detailed their experiences between Delta and Alaska, declaring Alaska's first class "much more consistent," citing larger seats, more seat recline, higher award miles accrual, better customer service phone support, and its partnership with American Airlines. Ultimately, between the two, "Flight crew quality is about the same ... Food quality is the same. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's worse. Checking bags [and] getting on the plane, all that stuff is just air travel," the passenger noted. Another Reddit user also prefers Alaska for service, praising the first-class flight attendants who greet guests by name. "That may seem trivial ... But it makes a difference," they wrote.

Ultimately, as rising jet fuel costs continue to hike airfares, airlines will need to ensure premium pricing offers enough to keep customers happy. For some, the extra legroom and getting off the plane first are worth it, but others say it's only worth it for longer flights. "The only problem is that you will (as I found out) always want First Class henceforth," lamented a Reddit user.