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While the headlines and social media are often full of stories about airlines misbehaving — from overbooked flights to exorbitant hidden fees — a few carriers still left a good impression on their customers.
Just in time for the summer travel season, J.D. Power recently released its 2024 North American Airlines Satisfaction Study, revealing which airlines have the happiest passengers.
For the third year running, Southwest Airlines has emerged as the leader, earning the highest score for customer satisfaction in economy and basic economy service. This consistent performance is a testament to Southwest’s unwavering commitment to customer service.
Passengers traveling in premium economy, first class, or business have preferred Delta Air Lines, ranking it number one in customer satisfaction.
Delta’s dedication to enhancing its ‘Delta One’ business class product, with features like lie-flat seats, larger entertainment systems, privacy doors, and more, has paid off.
Delta’s high rating comes as no surprise as the company has worked on improving its “Delta One” business class product in recent years, with lie-flat seats, larger entertainment systems, privacy doors, and more. JetBlue comes in second for the first class or business category with its “Mint” product, which has also seen dramatic improvements over the years.
Behind those two carriers come United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Air Canada, taking the other top spots for first or business-class service.
“The big takeaway from this year’s study is the power of people to influence the overall flight experience positively,” J.D. Power’s Senior Managing Director of Travel, Hospitality, Retail, and Customer Service, Michael Taylor, said in the study.
“Airlines that are investing in staff training and recruitment are finding ways to overcome the negative effects of crowded gates and planes simply by being nice to their customers,” he added.
Regarding premium economy, the most well-liked airlines were Delta, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, WestJet, United Airlines, and Air Canada.
Southwest came first for economy passengers, followed by Delta and Allegiant Airlines. Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines were ranked last, respectively.
A total of 9,582 passengers were meticulously surveyed for this study. These passengers had recently flown on a major airline between March 2023 and March 2024, ensuring the data was up-to-date and reflected current customer experiences.
The participants were asked to rate their airline experience on a comprehensive six-point scale, covering aspects such as airline staff, level of trust, and value for money. This thorough approach instills confidence in the validity of the rankings.
Jessica is a freelance journalist on a quest to see and experience everything our gorgeous planet offers and share her experiences with her fellow travelers. Jessica has written for several world-class Travel Magazines.
