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DLDelta Air LinesagainstWNSouthwest Airlines

Delta Air Lines scores 3.4 points higher on the Touchdown Quality Index. Ratings are passenger reports and the two carriers fly different routes and aircraft, so the gap describes the ratings, not the pilots.

Overall

MeasureDelta Air LinesSouthwest Airlines
Landing rating75.277 ratings71.8181 ratings
Mean stars3.763.58
Smooth share53%45%
Rough share8%8%
Applause reported10%10%
Turbulence reported17%16%

Smooth 41 (53%) · Firm 30 (39%) · Rough 6 (8%)

Smooth 82 (45%) · Firm 85 (47%) · Rough 14 (8%)

By distance

DistanceDelta Air LinesSouthwest Airlines
Short haul (under 1,500 km)76.627 ratingsprovisional71.8181 ratings
Medium haul (1,500 to 4,000 km)72.327 ratingsprovisionalNo ratings
Long haul (over 4,000 km)77.123 ratingsprovisionalNo ratings

Comparing within a distance band removes most of the mix difference between a short-haul and a long-haul network.

Routes both fly

RouteDelta Air Lines mean starsSouthwest Airlines mean stars
ATL-MCO Atlanta to Orlando3.0 Firm 2 ratings3.1 Firm 7 ratings
MCO-ATL Orlando to Atlanta4.5 Smooth 2 ratings3.4 Firm 4 ratings

Route means from a few ratings move a lot. Read them with the rating counts beside them.

Delta Air Lines · Southwest Airlines · Compare other carriers