Southwest Airlines has achieved the highest level of customer satisfaction in the economy class category among North American airlines, according to J.D. Power’s 2024 North America Airlines Satisfaction Study. Meanwhile, Delta Airlines has taken the top spot in both the first/business class and premium economy categories. This year’s study highlights the impact of staff behavior on the overall flight experience, with airlines investing in staff training and recruitment to enhance customer satisfaction.
The study, conducted between March 2023 and March 2024, assessed customer satisfaction based on seven key categories: airline staff, digital tools, ease of travel, on-board experience, level of trust, pre/post-flight experience, and value for price paid. The results were based on feedback from 9,582 passengers who had flown within a month of being surveyed.
In the economy cabin category, Southwest led with a score of 685 out of 1,000 points, followed by Delta with 651 points and Allegiant in third with 633 points. Frontier and Spirit ranked at the bottom of the list. In the first/business class category, Delta outperformed JetBlue and American, while in the premium economy category, Delta surpassed Alaska and United.
According to J.D. Power, the key drivers of airline customer satisfaction are ease of travel and trust, with a seamless flight experience being more important to passengers than value for price paid. This study underscores the importance of airlines focusing on enhancing the overall customer experience by investing in staff training and providing reliable service.