- Delta
- Pros: Most comfortable seats, great in-flight entertainment selection and free Wi-Fi on most flights, free carry-on and personal items on every flight, excellent customer service, offers an entertainment screen on most flights
- Cons: Pricier than other airlines, overhead bin space can run out, limited direct flight options (at least out of Columbus) with their main hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, LA, and New York
- Southwest
- Pros: Open seating, great value for the price, several direct flight options, two-free checked bags, some flights offer free Wi-Fi, and can cancel the reservation anytime without penalty for a flight credit
- Cons: Boarding in the C group always leaves you in the middle seat, entertainment options can be limited, there are no first or business-class seats, can’t book using the Venture X Credit Card platform
- United
- Pros: Offers several direct flights to nearby cities, in-flight beverage and snack service, free personal item
- Cons: No carry-on bag included in basic economy; most benefits typically come from being “Premier” status member
- Alaska Airlines
- Pros: Carry-on bag included for all travelers, in-flight snack and beverage service
- Con: Mostly based on the West Coast
- Allegiant Air
- Pros: Only offers direct flights; Allegiant cardholders received a complimentary in-flight beverage and priority boarding, usually fly out of smaller regional airports so less crowded, reasonable flight prices, free personal item
- Cons: Only flies on specific days at a particular time (no flexibility), limited destinations out of airports, must pay for any carry-on or checked bag, snacks and beverages available for purchase, limited destinations depending on location, pay extra to select seats, seats aren’t as comfortable
- Frontier
- Pros: Free personal item, offers several flight deals, more flexible booking selections than Breeze or Allegiant, provides international flights to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America
- Cons: Purchase carry-on and Checked-bags; checked bag weight limit is 40 pounds; Discount Den provides an annual membership fee for exclusive benefits
- Breeze Airways
- Pros: Many direct or “breeze” through flights with no plane change, decent territory covered with destinations increasing, reasonable flight prices
- Cons: Must pay for carry-on or checked bag, snacks and drinks available for purchase, pay extra to select seats, seats aren’t as comfortable, minimal flight selection flexibility
- American Airlines
- Pros: Free carry-on bags, many destinations, in-flight beverage and snack service
- Cons: Often delayed due to weather or plane maintenance issues, terrible customer service with lack of empathy, overhead bin space can run out
- Spirit
- Cons: Though I have never traveled with this airline, I probably never will. I have heard horror stories from canceled flights to unruly passengers aboard.
