Best Airlines For Wheelchair Users, New Study Suggests
Congested airports and narrow airplane aisles are just some of the challenges faced by airline passengers traveling in wheelchairs. A new study says JetBlue Airways ranks No. 1 in wheelchair accessibility for airline passengers, and Delta Air Lines is No. 2.
The study by travel insurance company InsureMyTrip analyzed wheelchair accessibility at 10 U.S. airlines during 2024. The company established a 0-to-10-point scale, using Department of Transportation data that shows reviews by passengers using wheelchairs and the number of mishandled wheelchairs and scooters.
JetBlue was given the highest score—7.4. Of 29,147 wheelchairs and mobility scooters JetBlue boarded in 2024, only 464, or 1.6%, were recorded as mishandled, InsureMyTrip says. JetBlue also had the highest percentage of positive reviews from wheelchair users.
Delta Airlines ranked second with a score of 6.9. The airline had the lowest percentage of wheelchairs and mobility scooters mishandled—0.6%.
With a score of 6.7, Alaska Airlines finished No. 3. The airline transported more than 35,000 wheelchairs and mobility scooters in 2024, and only 547, or 1.5%, were reported as mishandled.
'Air travel should be accessible for everyone, but that's far from the reality,' says Sara Boisvert, Insure My Trip's marketing director. 'We hope this study shines a light on which airlines are getting it right and which have room for improvement, so wheelchair users can make an informed decision when booking a flight.'
Frontier Airlines had the lowest score—2.2—and American Airlines' 3.3 score was second lowest. Frontier did not respond to a request for comment.
American responded with a written statement.
'American has a long-standing commitment to serving passengers using wheelchairs,' the airline wrote. 'Just last year, American invested over $175 million in service, infrastructure and training to improve the travel experience for customers traveling with wheelchairs or other mobility devices. These investments are improving the experience for our customers. Since 2022, American's mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate has reduced by more than 30%. And our rate of wheelchair delays improved more than 50% year over year.'
More than 5 million people in the U.S. use wheelchairs while traveling, and they face 'unique challenges,' Boisvert says. The challenges include inaccessible restrooms and aisles and risk of damage to, or loss of, mobility devices, 'which can cost thousands of dollars and significantly impact quality of life.'
In 2024, new federal rules were implemented to strengthen protections for wheelchair users while flying. The rules also mandated that airlines would be responsible for reimbursing passengers for wheelchairs damaged while flying. Major airlines are challenging the rules in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
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