Airline satisfaction soars: Travelers are happier with fewer fellow passengers clogging up flights in 2025
One of the worst parts about flying might just be, well, fellow passengers. In fact, a 2023 Fast Company-Harris poll even found that 62% of airline customers are most dissatisfied with other travelers.
Now, that might just be backed up by the new 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Study from J.D. Power. The study noted that the volume of fliers has decreased in the first quarter of 2025. But surprisingly, customer satisfaction is slightly up compared to last year, which potentially means that people think overcrowding is one of the worst elements of air travel.
The study is based on feedback from 10,224 passengers, all of whom had flown on one of the major airlines within a month of completing the survey. Since the study was conducted from March 2024 through March 2025, it's worth noting that the responses were collected before President Trump announced sweeping tariffs that caused airline stocks to fall as the U.S. Consumer Expectations Index reached its lowest level in 12 years. Even still, they reflect a reduction in consumer travel that's likely a result of overall market uncertainty.
The study based satisfaction scores on seven different elements of travel, and broke down passenger responses into three segments by seating class, including first/business, premium economy, and economy/basic economy.
On the study's 1,000-point scale, consumers reported a six point overall uptick in satisfaction compared to the prior year—a number that was largely influenced by the 8-point increase in passengers flying in the economy and basic economy classes. (Satisfaction for customers in premium economy experienced a 7-point decline, and first class passengers reported a 1-point decline.)
All of the passengers were asked to rank their experiences across seven categories: airline staff; digital tools; ease of travel; level of trust; on-board experience; pre/post-flight experience; and value for price paid. While the bump in satisfaction could be partially due to the general decrease in ticket prices as airlines scramble to entice passengers, customers also reported positive experiences with airline staff.
Overall rankings show JetBlue Airways ranking the highest for first/business class satisfaction, followed by Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines. Delta won the customer satisfaction survey in the premium economy segment for the third year in a row, followed by JetBlue and Alaska. For the fourth year in a row, Southwest Airlines took home the win for the economy/basic economy segments, followed by JetBlue and Delta.
As airlines face a challenging year for the travel industry, it will be interesting to see if and how they manage to prioritize consumer satisfaction in the face of economic challenges.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The S&P 500 Is Nearly at an All-Time High After Falling 19%. Here's What History Says the Stock Market Could Do Next.
Rebounds after past S&P 500 sell-offs of 19% or more have sometimes led to strong bull markets -- but not always. The big wild card today for the stock market is the outcome of President Trump's trade policy. However, history is on the side of long-term investors. 10 stocks we like better than S&P 500 Index › Imagine you're a modern-day version of Rip Van Winkle, but instead of sleeping for 20 years, you fell asleep in early January 2025 and woke up in early June. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) would be a little higher than when you dozed off. You probably would think you didn't miss much, at least where the stock market is concerned. The reality, of course, is that a lot happened with stocks during the first five months of the year. The S&P 500 plunged roughly 19% below its high before rebounding strongly. The widely followed index is now near its all-time high. What does history say might be next for the stock market? The S&P 500 was introduced in its current form with 500 companies in March 1957. By my count, there have been a dozen times in the past when the index fell roughly as much as it did earlier this year. In three of those cases, the S&P 500 bounced back much more slowly than it has in recent months. For example, in late 1973 and early 1974, the index entered into a prolonged bear market, and the S&P didn't regain its previous high until 1980. Other extended downturns occurred in the early 2000s after the dot-com bubble burst, and the financial crisis of 2007 through 2009. The S&P 500 also fell sharply in 2022 and didn't fully recover until early 2024. The S&P 500 didn't immediately rebound several other times. The index's first steep sell-off in its current form provides a great case in point. The S&P briefly entered a bear market in 1957 and didn't fully claw its way back until September 1958. Similar trajectories occurred in 1962-1963 and 1966-1967. However, the S&P 500's resurgence was faster in other cases. For example, stocks plunged close to 25% in mid-1970, but by early 1971, the S&P regained its previous high. The index continued its momentum for a few months before becoming range-bound. The S&P 500 declined significantly in 1981 and 1982. Its rebound was especially strong, though, and led to a multiyear bull market. Likewise, the sell-off in 1990 set the stage for a quick comeback and roaring market throughout much of the next nine years. I think two historical precedents are especially noteworthy, and one occurred during the first Trump administration. The S&P 500 sank nearly 20% in 2018. President Trump's trade war with China was one of the key factors behind the decline. However, stocks soon rebounded and went on a tear in 2019 as trade worries subsided and the Federal Reserve cut interest rates. The stock market plunge resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 also looks similar in some ways to the S&P 500's performance this year. Stocks quickly sank but also quickly bounced back as investors saw opportunities to buy at a discount. There isn't a clear historical pattern for how the S&P 500 will perform after falling 19% or more. However, previous quick rebounds in the past, like the one we've seen in recent months, have often led to sustained momentum. The big wild card today is what will happen with President Trump's tariffs. If favorable trade deals are made with major trading partners, the S&P 500 should soar. I think a similar outcome is likely if the federal courts overturn the Trump administration's tariffs. On the other hand, should the president ultimately levy steep tariffs against China, the European Union, and other countries, the chances of another S&P 500 sell-off will be higher. The good news for investors, though, is that history looks very encouraging over the long term. The S&P 500 (and its predecessors) have delivered positive average annual returns in every rolling 20-year period since 1928. If you're a long-term investor, history is on your side. Before you buy stock in S&P 500 Index, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and S&P 500 Index wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $669,517!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $868,615!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 792% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 173% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Keith Speights has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The S&P 500 Is Nearly at an All-Time High After Falling 19%. Here's What History Says the Stock Market Could Do Next. was originally published by The Motley Fool
USA Today
37 minutes ago
- USA Today
Waymo cars get torched by LA protesters, burning Google – an immigration ally
Waymo cars get torched by LA protesters, burning Google – an immigration ally | Opinion Whether there by chance or by protester design, the driverless vehicles made easy marks for anti-government agitators. Show Caption Hide Caption Protesters set Waymo cars on fire in Los Angeles anti-ICE protests Footage showed flames and thick smoke as demonstrators set Waymo cars on fire during an anti-ICE protest in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. It isn't clear yet how so many Waymo vehicles went up in flames in Los Angeles over the weekend, but speculation abounds across the internet that protesters hailed them to downtown LA. Whether there by chance or by protester design, the driverless vehicles made easy marks for anti-government agitators, who first slashed their tires, busted out their windows, spray-painted them with graffiti and then put at least three to the torch. All of this has resonance in greater Phoenix, where Waymo test drives its cars in such high numbers that this has become the 'largest area for autonomous ride-hailing service in the nation,' according to the Phoenix Business Journal. Los Angeles rioters protesting federal immigration roundups attacked five Waymo vehicles, the Los Angeles Times reported. They badly damaged all and set fire to three. LA protesters set 3 Waymo cars on fire Waymo vehicles are not like yours or mine. They are generally Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs retrofitted with sophisticated LiDAR sensors that employ lasers to 3D map the area around them. The cars are also retrofitted with 29 cameras that produce a 360-degree view of the area surrounding the car, something protesting vandals may not have appreciated. Nor are these cars cheap. To produce and retrofit Waymo vehicles with their sophisticated equipment and software brings the price tag to roughly $150,000 to $200,000 each, The Wall Street Journal reports. If burning Waymos becomes a protest 'thing,' that could be a problem for Waymo and its parent corporation Alphabet, which also owns Google. It could also become a problem for more responsible protesters who march peacefully in support of immigrant rights. Because the militant activists among them are biting the hand that feeds them. Opinion: ICE is enforcing the law. Trump is right to send National Guard to protect them. Anti-ICE protesters forgot Google is not their enemy Google has been an enthusiastic and generous supporter of immigrant rights over the past decade. In 2017, Google created a $4 million crisis fund, at the time the company's largest crisis fund ever, to support immigration rights and organizations that advance the cause, USA TODAY reported. That meant money for the American Civil Liberties Union, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, International Rescue Committee and The United Nations Refugee Agency to defend the rights of Latin American immigrants, such as those protesting in Los Angeles this past weekend. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Google proposed these financial grants only days after Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed strong objections to President Donald Trump – then in his first term – and Trump's executive order to suspend entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days. In 2021, Google announced that it would support then-President Joe Biden's proposal to pass humane and comprehensive immigration reform by paying the application fees for about 500 young migrants seeking jobs under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Reuters reported. Google's proposal would send $250,000 to United We Dream, described by Reuters as assisting immigrants 'unlawfully living in the United States after arriving as children (to) secure work permits and avoid deportation using DACA.' The internet laughs at Waymo, for now By their actions, Los Angeles protesters not only torched Waymos. They also set the internet on fire with colorful snark. One post blazing across the internet uses a familiar movie still from Martin Scorsese's 1990 gangster film 'Goodfellas.' It depicts the face of mafia enforcer Tommy DeVito (played by Joe Pesci) as he walks into an empty room and realizes he's been double-crossed. College professor Keith Oregel captioned the image, 'A Waymo arriving to pick up a passenger in downtown Los Angeles.' Opinion: Trump lied about LA protests to deploy the National Guard. He wants violence. Another internet meme shows Democratic California Rep. Nancy Pelosi – who gained notoriety for making Wall Street millions – as she walks briskly and talks on the telephone. The image is captioned, 'Sell Waymo.' Today, the joke is on Waymo. Tomorrow, when those five cars yield the digital imagery of their combined 145 cameras, it might be on the protesters caught with their pants down. Phil Boas is an editorial columnist with The Arizona Republic, where this column originally published. Email him at
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures tread water ahead of next round of US-China talks
US stock futures were in a holding pattern on Tuesday ahead of the second day of renewed trade talks between the US and China after an upbeat initial meeting. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F), the S&P 500 (ES=F), and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) hovered just below the flat line. Stocks edged higher on Monday after Trump officials suggested that trade talks with China in London had been productive. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it was a "good meeting," while President Trump cautioned that while "China's not easy," he received "good reports." Representatives for the countries are set to reconvene Tuesday morning in London and are expected to focus negotiations on rare earths and tech. Investors are eager for tensions between the two trading partners to resolve as the risks to economies worldwide remain high. Read more: The latest on Trump's tariffs Meanwhile, investors are counting down to the release of the May Consumer Price Index (CPI) report on Wednesday. The report will offer fresh insight into the state of inflation amid Trump's evolving trade policy. Analysts expect to see price pressures accelerated last month. Apple (AAPL) is holding its highly anticipated annual developers' conference. Yahoo Finance's Daniel Howley reports from Silicon Valley: Apple on Monday announced sweeping changes to its product ecosystems, including a wide-ranging revamp of its iOS operating system for its iPhones, as well as the software that powers its iPads and Macs. The updates, which the company debuted as part of its WWDC developer event held at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., mark the biggest shift in Apple's software design in years. Still, the improvements were light on new AI capabilities at a time when Wall Street is looking for Apple to prove it can compete in the space. ... While Apple showed off a handful of new features for its Apple Intelligence platform, it's unlikely to quell fears that the company is falling behind the likes of Microsoft and Google in the rapidly evolving space. Read more on Apple's announcements here. Apple (AAPL) is holding its highly anticipated annual developers' conference. Yahoo Finance's Daniel Howley reports from Silicon Valley: Apple on Monday announced sweeping changes to its product ecosystems, including a wide-ranging revamp of its iOS operating system for its iPhones, as well as the software that powers its iPads and Macs. The updates, which the company debuted as part of its WWDC developer event held at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., mark the biggest shift in Apple's software design in years. Still, the improvements were light on new AI capabilities at a time when Wall Street is looking for Apple to prove it can compete in the space. ... While Apple showed off a handful of new features for its Apple Intelligence platform, it's unlikely to quell fears that the company is falling behind the likes of Microsoft and Google in the rapidly evolving space. Read more on Apple's announcements here.
