For the third year in a row, Southwest Airlines is ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction for economy or basic economy category, according to J.D. Power’s 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study released on Wednesday. However, Delta Air Lines earned the top spot in first or business class and in the premium economy category.
The study surveyed more than 9,500 travelers who flew on a major airline within the past month between March 2023 and March 2024 and questioned them about their experience, airline staff, level of trust and value paid for the flight.
Delta has recently invested in upgrading its business class product, known as “Delta One.” Coming in second for first or business class was JetBlue Airways, which has also been improving its “Mint” product, followed by United Airlines and Alaska Airlines. In the economy category, Delta ranked number two, followed by Allegiant Airlines.
“The big takeaway from this year’s study is the power of people to positively influence the overall flight experience,” wrote Michael Taylor, J.D. Power’s Senior Managing Director of Travel, Hospitality, Retail, and Customer Service, 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.”
