Travel + Leisure Names JSX Best Airline In US, But Should It Be?

World’s Best Airlines survey from Travel + Leisure awards JSX best US domestic carrier, but it shouldn’t really be eligible. 

JSX Wins The Hearts Of Travel + Leisure Readers

Travel magazine, Travel + Leisure issued a survey for the best airlines in the world and 2025 (though it’s hardly halfway through the year) has been tabulated.

“The 2025 World’s Best Awards survey asked Travel + Leisure readers to call out the domestic airlines they have come to trust and love, and these carriers rose to the top.” – Travel + Leisure

More than 180,000 respondents with 657,000 selections were made in this year’s survey.

Criteria was based solely on the onboard experience.

• Cabin comfort
• In-flight service
• Customer service
• Value

There’s no question that travelers with JSX service in their market would elevate the carrier to the top of the ranks based on this criteria. The airline offers 1-1 seating configuration in first class-style leather seats with an impossibly large center section. The fewer seats on the aircraft creates a more intimate experience, included wifi doesn’t hurt either. JSX frequently flies to smaller airports, some of them FBOs which gives a private jet-like experience with departures from airports like Miami Opa-Lacka or Fort Lauderdale Executive rather than the discounter mega hub. The airline has also been famous for allowing dogs in the cabin and most of its flights are relatively short due to the limitations of its CJR equipment.

Here’s the whole list with scores:

1. JSX (92.29)
2. Hawaiian Airlines (79.92)
3. Breeze Airways (78.63)
4. Alaska Airlines (77.77
5. Delta (77.34)
6. JetBlue (75.91)
7. Southwest (74.63)
8. United (70.76)
9. American (67.86)
10. Sun Country (66.81)

Smaller Than A Regional Carrier

With fewer than 20 destinations operated regularly, and just 24 total with seasonal service added in, JSX is incredibly limited in its reach. Cape Air, a feeder to the smallest markets in the country, operates 35 destinations with Caribbean service based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Montana service from Billings, and routes throughout the Northeast, it’s possibly a more complete network within its markets.

How could a carrier that runs such limited routes possibly beat out carriers that competently fly beyond niche markets and limited frequencies? The survey criteria only asked readers to rank their experience on various carriers but didn’t ask questions to touched on the ability to use the carrier more widely.

For most of the country, JSX is not even a consideration. The majority of the flying public that hail from cities like New York (not Westchester), Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, Seattle and other major points throughout the US don’t even have the opportunity to try the product. JSX offers four year-round routes from Westchester, New York to points along the lower east coast of Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton with seasonal service to Naples) but outside of that the only regular service east of Houston is a single flight from Dallas to Miami.

The real question is whether a tiny boutique carrier should be considered among the likes of Delta, United, Southwest, and American. And if so, would carriers like the former OneJet or Blade (helicopter service) excel too? With Blade, the experience includes the shortest possible transit time from Manhattan to New York area airports, includes a lounge, personal luggage handling, and undoubtedly the best views into and out of the city. OneJet was a fleet of Citation aircraft with included wifi giving a private jet experience on short hop service originating in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis for hour-long flight distances but airports that would otherwise be a long drive (Milwaukee, Louisville, etc.) Neither Blade nor (defunct) OneJet are applicable to most of the country.

The Real Winner

Hawaiian Airlines (soon Alaska) benefits from an unmatched on-time capability due to the incredible weather from Hawaii, and it’s easy to please passengers headed to paradise. Its service and cabin comfort are below the level of much of their competition.

Breeze is probably the closest to the real winner on this list. It has a route network, while limited, that still touches both coasts. Its approach akin to JetBlue-of-yore with simple pricing, both coach and first class fares (and economy +), and new, comfortable, fuel-efficient aircraft in its growing A220 fleet.

Breeze is competing with some of the largest carriers head-to-head on some routes, though its point-to-point service in other areas serves markets opportunistically.

Alaska is also limited on the east coast but beloved for its service and as it integrates Hawaiian’s current fleet and future long haul aircraft deliveries into its network with stops in Seoul, and Rome first among the list, its presence as a more complete global carrier will grow its influence and allow it to compete against any other network carrier on this list.

Conclusion

Travel + Leisure’s Best Airlines In The World list needs more than a few caveats in selection criteria to be a competent list. A minimum number of routes, destinations, and scheduled flights should reduce the number of eligible carriers. That said, for JSX to rise to the top given its limited footprint, it’s clear that travelers are passionate about the product in a way that supersedes the airline’s reach. While I find it flawed to include such a niche airline, perhaps if I was based in a city where the network was convenient for me, I’d be as passionate as the T+L readership.

What do you think? Is JSX the best domestic US carrier? Should it be a part of the consideration or not?