The J.D. Power 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Study shows a slight improvement in overall passenger satisfaction, despite the airline industry facing economic challenges. This is largely attributed to the decline in ticket prices and passenger volume. JetBlue Airways, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines were ranked highest in customer satisfaction in their respective segments.
Passenger Satisfaction on the Rise
Despite a dip in domestic air passenger volume and consumer confidence, North American airlines have seen a slight increase in passenger satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. The study, which was released recently, shows a 6-point increase (on a 1,000-point scale) from 2024. This rise in satisfaction levels is attributed to a minor decline in ticket prices and passenger volume.
Key Findings of the Study
The study highlighted several key findings:
– Satisfaction among passengers flying in economy/basic economy, which comprises the majority of airline passengers, increased by 8-points. However, passenger satisfaction declined by 7 points in the premium economy class and just by 1 point in the first/business class.
– Positive passenger experiences with airline staff contributed to a 9-point increase in customer satisfaction in the economy/basic economy segment, emphasizing the significance of frontline personnel in the overall passenger experience.
– Fewer than 10% of North American airline passengers experienced problems in this year’s study. Among those who did, flight delays were the most common issue across all passenger segments.
– The passenger experience is directly linked to brand loyalty. 81% of passengers who described their overall air travel experience as “perfect” said they would “definitely” fly with that airline again. This contrasted sharply with only 4% of passengers who described their experience as “poor” showing the same level of brand loyalty.
Study Rankings
The study ranked JetBlue Airways highest in customer satisfaction in the first/business segment, followed by Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines. Delta Air Lines was ranked highest in the premium economy segment for the third consecutive year, with JetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines taking the second and third spots. Southwest Airlines was ranked highest in the economy/basic economy segment for the fourth consecutive year, followed by JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines.
The North America Airline Satisfaction Study measures passenger satisfaction with airline carriers in North America across seven core dimensions. The 2025 study was based on responses from 10,224 passengers who had flown on a major North America airline within the past month of completing a survey. The survey was conducted from March 2024 through March 2025.
