Latest news with #NorthAmericaAirlineSatisfactionStudy
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The airline that just ranked No. 1 for customer satisfaction is already losing loyal fans
If you've flown in the last few years, you probably don't need any data to show you that air travel has been… a lot. But evidently it's not quite as bad as the vibes sometimes suggest: For the first time in years, U.S. flyers are actually feeling better about flying. According to the newly released 2025 J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study, customer satisfaction is up — thanks to improvements in onboard service, aircraft quality, and digital tools that help travelers feel more in control. And the airline that came out on top in the economy category is Southwest Airlines — a budget-friendly carrier known for open seating, free checked bags, and a loyal fan base that's long appreciated its no-nonsense policies. It's the fourth year in a row Southwest has nabbed the honor. (JetBlue ranked second and Delta third.) But there's a big caveat: The data behind Southwest's No. 1 ranking reflects customer experiences before the airline announced a series of major policy changes — including new baggage fees, restrictions on same-day standby, and adjustments to its boarding procedure (beloved by some). In other words, the very things that helped Southwest win over customers are going away. Related story: What's the 333 rule? The genius packing hack that TikTok loves In the low-cost carrier category, Southwest outperformed competitors like Frontier and Spirit by a wide margin. According to J.D. Power, passengers gave Southwest high scores for cost and fees, booking experience, onboard service, and flight crew friendliness. What set the airline apart — even in the budget space — is what it didn't charge for: two free checked bags, no change fees, and the ability to cancel or rebook with minimal friction. Even the lack of assigned seating worked in Southwest's favor, thanks to its streamlined boarding process and transparency. In recent months, however, Southwest has rolled out changes that could make it harder for the airline to hold onto its reputation for value and flexibility. Southwest has long stood out from the pack thanks to its famously generous policies: no change fees, no cancellation penalties, and perhaps most famously, two free checked bags for every passenger — a perk that's practically unheard of among major U.S. airlines. But that's changing for tickets booked after May 27, along with a host of other Southwest Airlines policy changes sure to be unpopular among travelers, including: Checked baggage fees: Southwest is now charging for checked bags for most customers, with exceptions for Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members, Business Select customers, A-List members, and some other select customers. Assigned seating: Southwest is moving away from its long-standing open seating policy and introducing assigned seating, similar to other major airlines. This will be effective in early 2026. New basic economy fare: A new basic fare tier has been introduced, offering the lowest price point but with less flexibility than other fare options. Flight credit expiration: Flight credits issued for tickets purchased on or after May 28, 2025, will expire one year from the date of ticketing, with some exceptions for basic economy fares. None of these updates were reflected in the 2025 J.D. Power rankings, which measured customer satisfaction based on travel experiences before these changes were announced. That means Southwest's top score may reflect a version of the airline that's about to be a relic. Related story: The Google Flights trick every summer traveler should know to save money (plus make booking easier)
Fast Company
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
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.
