9 Worst Airlines: Domestic, International, and Budget Airlines to Avoid

Is there an airline worse than Spirit? Yes, yes there is. Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock

If you are researching the worst airlines, you are really comparing reliability, customer care, and whether cheap fares are worth the tradeoffs.

Not all airlines fail in the same way. Budget airlines frustrate passengers through fees and rigidity, legacy carriers struggle with scale and consistency, and some international airlines face deeper issues tied to safety, finances, or operations.

Breaking the list into categories makes those differences clearer.

3 Worst Budget Airlines

These airlines focus on rock bottom fares, often at the expense of comfort and flexibility.

1. Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines ranked last in U.S. airline customer satisfaction for 2025 (ACSI score 65) and had the highest rate of customer complaints among U.S. carriers in 2023.

Passengers report hidden fees, strict baggage rules, paid assigned seating, and inconsistent service quality. Flying Frontier can only be cheap at the bottom line if everything goes perfectly.

2. Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines consistently generates among the highest customer complaint rates of any U.S. carrier. In 2023 it had roughly 15 complaints per 100,000 passengers, the second-worst after Frontier.

The ultra-low-cost model relies on add-on fees for nearly everything, from carry-ons to seat selection. While expectations are low, customer care and passenger experience remain common pain points.

3. Ryanair

Ryanair is Europe’s largest low-cost airline, carrying nearly 182 million passengers in 2023.

Cheap fares come with rigid policies, limited customer service, and frequent complaints. Many travelers tolerate the experience for short flights but avoid it for anything longer.

2 Worst Legacy U.S. Airlines

Legacy carriers offer full service in theory, but execution often falls short.

1. United Airlines

United Airlines’ customer satisfaction score dropped from 75 to 73 in 2025, with operational disruptions and poor customer service cited as key factors in the decline. Experiences vary widely by airport and aircraft.

2. American Airlines

American Airlines was rated the worst airline for customer service in a 2025 global study (Dissatisfaction Index score 56), reflecting low passenger ratings and multiple operational incidents hurting its performance.

4 Worst International Airlines

These carriers face recurring problems beyond basic comfort.

1. Lion Air

Lion Air was ranked the world’s worst airline in 2022 (Bounce Airline Index), scoring only 0.72 out of 10 overall due to its low on-time arrival rate (~42 percent) and very high cancellation rate (~34 percent).

2. Hong Kong Airlines

Hong Kong Airlines nearly collapsed in 2019—it delayed paying staff and had to slash routes (e.g., halting its Vancouver service) amid a cash crisis—resulting in severe disruptions and a loss of consumer confidence.

3. British Airways

British Airways has faced criticism for its economy class in recent years. The airline’s economy seats and amenities were described as “old fashioned” after cost-cutting measures, and it suffered frequent delays and cancellations that dented customer satisfaction.

4. Gulf Air

Gulf Air has upgraded its product in recent years (earning a 4-Star rating for quality of service), yet it continues to draw frequent customer complaints over lengthy delays and poor service experiences.

How to Use This List

Even the worst airlines can be workable with the right expectations.

For short trips, cheap fares may be worth the inconvenience. For longer or time-sensitive travel, reliability and customer care matter more than price.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.