Customers who fly economy or basic economy are the most satisfied with Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, according to the J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study.
Results of the study were released last week. Southwest was ranked at the top of the list for the third year in a row. Atlanta, Georgia-based Delta Airlines came in second.
Delta also topped the rankings for the premium economy for a second year in a row. It made it to the top of the first/business class list this year as well.
In addition to Southwest and Delta, Allegiant Air ranked third in the economy category for customer satisfaction. Alaska Airlines ranked second for premium economy and American Airlines ranked third. JetBlue Airways ranks second in first/business class.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. airlines carried 70.4 million systemwide domestic and international passengers in February of this year alone. More of those passengers have the option of flying first or business class in recent years, according to a May 2023 report from The New York Times.
J.D. Power said domestic air passenger volume is up 9.4% year over year and that there is “seemingly no end in sight to crowded gates, stuffed overhead bins and expensive fares,” leaving airlines with “their hands full trying to maintain customer satisfaction.”
However, it also said that investments from airlines have helped them keep customers satisfied.
“There are many aspects to the overall air travel experience that airlines cannot control, but one area in which they can profoundly influence is the positive effect that airline staff has on passengers,” said Michael Taylor, senior managing director of travel, hospitality, retail and customer service for J.D. Power. “The big takeaway from this year’s study is the power of people to positively influence the overall flight experience. 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.”
Through the study, J.D. Power found that passengers are more concerned about travel being easy than they are about it being expensive and that media coverage has a major influence on customer trust. This year, the study design was updated and it included responses from 9,582 passengers who flew on a major North America airline within the past month. It was fielded from March 2023 through March 2024.
Earlier this month, Southwest also announced that it was ranked in the No. 1 spot on Newsweek's 2024 America's Best Customer Service List in the Airlines and Low-Cost Airlines subcategories.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok