There are quite a few excellent 1/700 American carrier kits out there. I can recommend two on the basis of personal experience.
The Dragon Hancock is a superbly detailed, complex kit, with all sorts of unusual bonuses: aircraft molded in clear plastic, photo-etched brass details, and an optional clear plastic flight deck to show off the reasonably detailed hangar deck below. A really amazing kit. I think the same comments apply to all the other Dragon Essex-class kits. Some of the more recent ones may be even better - and some represent the ships in interesting post-WWII configurations.
The Trumpeter Saratoga is also a beautiful kit. I personally am particularly attracted to this one because it represents the ship in her pre-war, spit-and-polish configuration, with brightly-colored biplanes and early monoplanes on the flight deck and 8" gun turrets fore and aft of the island. The quality of detail is first-rate (the sort few people would have dreamed was possible just a few years ago), and so far as I can tell it's quite accurate. Those who prefer the WWII configuration of this class can opt for the Trumpeter Lexington. (These kits don't have photo-etched metal parts, but Gold Metal Models offers a super set of aftermarket details for them.)
As long as you pick a relatively new kit, I don't think you can go wrong in this category. These are great times to be a warship modeler.
Youth, talent, hard work, and enthusiasm are no match for old age and treachery.