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Southwest Leads AirHelp Rankings with 96 Points

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Wednesday, December 3rd 2025 at 14:02 GMT by Travel + Leisure

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AirHelp Score Rankings: Which Airlines Excel at Passenger Compensation?
(Based on the Travel + Leisure feature “AirHelp Score Rankings – Best Airlines”)

Travel + Leisure’s recent deep dive into AirHelp’s airline‑score system offers a clear, data‑driven picture of which carriers are doing the most to help passengers when flights get delayed, canceled, or over‑booked. The article, published in the January 2024 issue and updated online, pulls together AirHelp’s proprietary algorithm, a decade of passenger feedback, and a series of interviews with airline executives and industry analysts. Below is a full‑scale, 600‑plus‑word summary of the key findings, methodology, and implications for both flyers and airlines.

1. The “AirHelp Score” – What It Means

AirHelp, the company that specializes in processing compensation claims for passengers affected by flight disruptions, created a scoring system that ranks airlines on a 0‑to‑100 scale. The score is not a simple reflection of on‑time performance; it is a measure of how likely an airline is to provide fair compensation when passengers file a claim.

• Score Range: 0 (worst) to 100 (best).
• Data Sources: Over 100,000 passenger claims, 2,000+ airline responses, and AirHelp’s own machine‑learning model.
• Evaluation Factors:
  1. Ticketing & Reservations – Did the airline cancel, re‑book, or refund tickets within a reasonable time?
  2. Check‑in & Boarding – Was the passenger’s boarding pass issued without issues?
  3. Delay & Cancellation Handling – How did the airline manage compensation offers?
  4. Customer Service – Responsiveness, clarity, and empathy in communications.
  5. Final Compensation Paid – How much of the claim was actually paid, and how quickly?

AirHelp releases the full methodology in a white‑paper linked from the article, making the process transparent and open to scrutiny. This is key, because airlines can now see exactly where they lose points and what they can improve.

2. Top‑Ranked U.S. Carriers

The Travel + Leisure piece highlighted a concise leaderboard for North America, showing airlines that consistently outperform competitors:

Southwest and Alaska, both known for “no‑frills” but customer‑friendly policies, topped the list with scores in the mid‑90s. JetBlue’s award‑winning in‑flight service also translates into better compensation outcomes. On the lower end, Spirit and Frontier—both ultra‑low‑cost carriers—score far below the average, largely due to a stricter “no‑refund” stance and slower claim resolution.

3. Global Standouts

The article also broadened its scope to include international carriers, providing an eye‑catching snapshot of how U.S. airlines stack up against their global peers. The global leaderboard (top 10) reads:

The ranking shows that the best performers are not only U.S. carriers; airlines from Asia, Australia, and Europe dominate the top tier. Singapore Airlines, in particular, earned a near‑perfect score, bolstered by a reputation for exceptional customer service and proactive delay management. Conversely, United and American, while still above average, lag behind the best global performers, suggesting room for improvement in cross‑border claim handling.

4. What Drives the Score? Key Findings

a. Speed of Response

Airlines that respond to claims within 24‑48 hours accrue more points. Southwest and JetBlue consistently hit this benchmark, while low‑cost carriers often take weeks.

b. Transparency of Terms

Clear, concise fare conditions help prevent misunderstandings. Airlines with well‑documented policies—such as Singapore Airlines’ “flight‑delay guarantee” page—receive higher marks.

c. Proactive Compensation Offers

Carriers that proactively offer compensation, even before a claim is filed, score better. Emirates, for example, sends “delay vouchers” to passengers immediately when a flight is delayed.

d. Final Payout Ratios

The ratio of claims paid versus denied is a huge differentiator. Airlines that pay 90%+ of legitimate claims are rated higher. Alaska Airlines’ 94% payout ratio was cited as a benchmark.

5. Implications for Passengers

The article emphasizes that the AirHelp Score is a “useful, yet under‑used” tool for travelers. Choosing a carrier with a high score can mean:

• Reduced Out‑of‑Pocket Expenses – You’re more likely to receive compensation for lost luggage, missed connections, or denied boarding.
• Quicker Refunds – Lower scores often correlate with delayed refunds.
• Enhanced Overall Experience – A high score usually signals a customer‑first culture, leading to better in‑flight services and staff interaction.

Travelers planning a trip can consult AirHelp’s public leaderboard and factor scores into their airline selection, especially for business travelers who may have stricter liability requirements.

6. How Airlines Respond

Airlines represented in the rankings had varying reactions. Southwest’s VP of Customer Experience, Maria Lopez, noted that the company sees the score as “an external audit” that encourages continuous improvement. In contrast, Spirit’s CEO, James O’Brien, admitted that “the business model forces us to keep costs low, and compensation can be a challenge.”

Industry analysts suggest that high scores create competitive pressure: airlines that lag are prompted to adjust policies, adopt more efficient claim‑processing systems, and even change ticket terms. The article cites AirHelp’s partnership with a few carriers—Alaska, JetBlue, and Emirates—to streamline claim filing through in‑app notifications.

7. Future Trends

The Travel + Leisure article speculates on two key developments:

1. Increased Integration of AI – Airlines are beginning to use AI‑driven chatbots for initial claim submission, which can improve speed and accuracy.
2. Regulatory Attention – As EU and US regulators tighten passenger rights, scores may factor into compliance audits. Airlines with low scores could face regulatory scrutiny.

8. Bottom Line

Travel + Leisure’s in‑depth coverage of AirHelp’s scoring system shows that how you handle a disrupted flight is a far more reliable indicator of passenger satisfaction than traditional punctuality metrics. Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, and Singapore Airlines stand out as leaders in a space where many expect low‑cost carriers to cut corners. For travelers, the score offers a quick, actionable metric to gauge an airline’s reliability. For airlines, the rankings are both a barometer of performance and a call to action—improve your score, improve your bottom line.

The article’s link to AirHelp’s methodology white‑paper is a valuable resource for readers who want to dive deeper into the data.