Mental Floss

Planning a Trip? These Are the 10 U.S. Airlines Most Likely to Bump You

Michele Debczak|
shironosov/iStock via Getty Images
shironosov/iStock via Getty Images | shironosov/iStock via Getty Images

Booking your trip home for the holidays in advance is no guarantee you'll make it on the plane. Even after driving to the airport, making it through security, and getting to your gate on time, there's still a chance you'll be bumped from the flight you originally paid for. Overbooking is part of most airlines' business models, so there's no way to completely safeguard yourself against this inconvenient scenario. But in addition to paying extra for a higher-class ticket and checking in early as possible, you can reduce your risk of getting bumped by knowing which airlines are most likely to do it.

Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines are by far the most notorious when it comes to bumping passengers, reports. They were the stand-out airlines in a recent analysis by Upgraded Points that looked at which U.S. commercial aviation companies are most likely to involuntarily deny boarding to customers.

According to the report, Frontier bumped 6.28 people per every 100,000 passengers in 2018. In that same year, Spirit bumped 5.57 out of every 100,000 passengers. Those airlines were twice as likely as any other name on the list to stop people from boarding their flights. The closest behind them was Alaska Airlines with 2.3 bumps per every 100,000 customers.

The good news is that your overall chances of getting bumped from a flight are smaller than they were a few years ago. Upgraded Points found that the phenomena reached its peak in the second half of 2016, and rates had dropped significantly by the end of 2018.

If you'd still like to do everything in your power to make sure you make it onto your flight, check out the list below of the airlines that bump the most passengers before booking your holiday travel. And if you have been bumped in the past, here's how to collect the compensation you may be owed.


  1. Frontier Airlines


  1. Spirit Airlines


  1. Alaska Airlines


  1. PSA Airlines


  1. American Airlines


  1. Mesa Airlines


  1. Skywest Airlines


  1. Southwest Airlines


  1. Allegiant Air


  1. Republic Airlines

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