The Best First Class Airline in the U.S.

Airlines like Emirates are known for their luxurious first class sections. But passengers within the U.S. can also have a top-notch flying experience on U.S.-based airlines.

Which is the best first class airline in the U.S.? According to our analysis, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines offer the best first class airline experience to travelers.

U.S. airlines with first class

The U.S. has several major airlines, but we included just three for our analysis: United, Delta and American Airlines.

Of course Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier and Southwest all operate in the U.S. However, each of these excluded airlines have limitations when it comes to first class:

• Southwest doesn’t operate a business class or first class cabin.

• JetBlue has a very limited route network.

• Alaska doesn’t offer lie-flat seating.

• Frontier is a budget airline with few amenities.

This leaves the “Big Three” as the major contenders when it comes to luxury airlines in the U.S.

Factors we considered when picking the best first class domestic airline

We evaluated five factors to determine the best first class airline in the U.S. They are:

• Amenities: Often called the soft product, amenities include bedding, food, service and drinks on your flight.

• Seats: Each airline uses a different configuration for its seating, with top contenders featuring lie-flat beds and suites with closing doors.

• Ability to earn and use points: Unless you’ve got money to spare, the ability to redeem your points for first class seats makes a huge impact on your airline choice.

• Route network: This is how many destinations each airline serves.

• Lounges: Not all airline lounges are equal; each airline uses these differently to woo and delight its highest-paying customers.

Airline amenities

Winner: Delta

Airlines have upped their game in recent years in the fight for your loyalty.

The experience varies depending on whether you’re traveling domestically or internationally, but each airline offers its own premium option. Delta features Delta One, American Airlines has Flagship First Class and United boasts the Polaris experience.

Each airline offers chef-curated food, premium drinks and luxurious bedding.

When it comes to customer service, however, Delta is a clear winner. According to the semiannual Air Travel Consumer Report issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Delta had a total of 829 customer complaints across all categories during the first half of 2025. Compare this to United’s 973 complaints and American’s 1,996 complaints, and Delta comes out miles ahead.

Each airline has a competitive soft product with high-end touches, but Delta performs much better than the rest when it comes to customer service, netting it a win for amenities.

First class airplane seats

Winner: Delta

Airlines often offer passengers different types of first class seats depending on the destination. Most domestic routes will feature wide seats that recline. These are comfortable, but nowhere near as nice as the seats on premium transcontinental routes and long-haul international flights. On these routes, you’ll find American Airlines, Delta and United have installed beds that lay flat so you can arrive to your destination well-rested.

Delta has eliminated its first and business class distinctions on long-haul international flights in favor of its Delta One product. While not all of its planes feature these, all A350 and A339 planes operate Delta One suites. These suites have full-height walls and sliding doors for complete privacy.

United has eliminated its distinction between first and business class on long-haul international flights and premium domestic routes, and has instead launched its Polaris-branded product. Updated Polaris seats feature a 1 x 2 x 1 configuration, which offer excellent privacy in a pod formation. Be aware, however, that United also operates an older Polaris product in a 2 x 2 x 2 configuration. You’ll be able to see this on United’s seat map when you’re booking your flights.

American Airlines offers both Flagship First Class seats as well as Flagship Business Class seats. Its business class product is similar to United’s updated Polaris product, with a 1 x 2 x1 formation that offers excellent privacy. Its Flagship First Class seats, meanwhile, have a much smaller cabin with as few as eight seats, but they lack high wall dividers, which leaves you pretty open to other passengers.

Although American Airlines and United offer excellent seats in their premium cabins, Delta’s suites outclass the others with the most privacy.

Ability to earn and use points

Winner: United

Nearly all airlines offer a loyalty program, and the Big Three are no exception. Depending on your airline, you can choose from Delta SkyMiles, American Airlines AAdvantage and United MileagePlus if you’re looking to redeem rewards for a first class seat.

Each airline rewards you with miles when you fly, though the number of reward miles you earn for any given ticket is based on the cost of the fare rather than how far you fly. However, this isn’t the only way to earn miles.

United credit cards

United’s MileagePlus program offers a handful of co-branded credit cards for different types of travelers. United is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards® at a 1:1 ratio, and the United MileagePlusX app offers an easy way to earn miles at hundreds of retailers.

United, like American and Delta, offers no fixed award chart. However, its redemption rates are pretty reasonable, and it's part of the largest airline alliance — Star Alliance — giving you the most options for redeeming your miles.

More ways to earn miles, reasonable redemption rates and more airline partners means United is the winner here.

Delta credit cards

Delta makes it easy to earn SkyMiles with several co-branded credit cards. It’s also a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Combined, these methods make it very easy to earn SkyMiles for award flights.

Redeeming them, however, is another story. Delta has no fixed award chart and tends to charge a lot when using miles for premium cabin rewards.

» Learn more: Which Delta Air Lines credit card should you get?

American Airlines credit cards

American Airlines has co-branded credit cards with which you can earn AAdvantage miles. American is also a transfer partner of Citi ThankYou points with certain cards. For domestic first class seats, American tends to inflate its prices, and there are no discounts or special perks for elite members or credit cardholders redeeming miles. By contrast, United provides extra options for those members.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Route network

Winner: American Airlines

For most passengers, the destination is a major factor in which airline to choose. The “best” airline might be the one that goes where you want to go or has a hub in your city with the most nonstop options.

Delta and United are close in the number of destinations: Delta serves up to 275 destinations worldwide, while United provides flights to more than 350 different cities. American Airlines has them beat with 365 destinations across 60 countries.

Serving a few more cities than its competitors, American Airlines edges out Delta and United.

Lounges

Winner: United

If you have a travel credit card, you may have experience with airport lounges. These spaces can offer a reprieve within the airport and tend to offer complimentary food and drink. Certain business and first class passengers also have access to these lounges, depending on where they’re flying.

Each airline has its standard lounge products: the United Club, Delta Sky Club, and American Airlines Admirals Club all offer a dedicated space for customers. But each of the Big Three now also runs a higher-end lounge reserved for premium-cabin flyers — United's Polaris lounges, American's Flagship lounges and Delta's Delta One Lounges.

Delta has closed the gap fast. It now operates four Delta One Lounges — at New York-JFK, Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle — and they consistently rank among the best airport lounges in the country, with full-service dining, wellness areas with shower suites and massage options, and outdoor terraces. The JFK flagship runs about 40,000 square feet, Delta's largest lounge to date.

These lounges also fix the complaint that has long dogged the Delta Sky Club: access is restricted to same-day Delta One passengers and Delta 360° members, so American Express Platinum Card® members and Sky Club members can't crowd in regardless of cabin. Terms apply. Delta has said it plans to bring Delta One Lounges to more hubs, including a second one in Los Angeles expected to open in 2028.

Still, United keeps the edge here. It runs six Polaris lounges — in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington-Dulles — giving premium flyers more places to land. And its Polaris Club in Houston is the only five-star airport lounge in the U.S., according to Skytrax, earning high marks for service, food and drink, and seating. Delta's lounges may be newer and flashier, but United's deeper network and lone five-star rating give it the win.

» Learn more: Credit cards that come with airport lounge access

Which airline has the best first class in America?

We’ve got two wins for Delta, two wins for United and one win for American Airlines.

» Learn more: Delta vs. United, which is best for you?

Do you like pleasant flight attendants and tons of privacy? Then Delta is your best first class airline. Do you want an easy way to redeem your points and a fabulous airport lounge? United might be more your speed. No matter which you choose, you’ll have excellent seats, premium food offerings and airport lounges for your journey at the pointy end of the plane.