Research shows carriers will have to overcome economic headwinds

Passenger satisfaction with airlines is up 6 points (on a 1,000-point scale) this year over last, according to the J.D. Power 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. Michael Taylor, senior managing director of travel, hospitality, retail and customer service, said that throughout the organization’s one-year study period, there has been a slight decline in both ticket prices and passenger volume, which helped keep overall satisfaction levels high.

However, Taylor added, “it’s clear that market dynamics are changing and will likely affect passenger experience in the coming weeks and months.” Airlines, he said, “will likely have a tougher year this year economically, but the key to their longer-term success will be how well they manage economic headwinds without compromising on customer experience.”

Among the report’s findings were

• The improvement in passenger satisfaction was driven by an eight-point increase in satisfaction among passengers flying in economy/basic economy class, which represents most passengers. Passenger satisfaction declined seven points in premium economy class and just one point in first/business class.

•  Positive passenger experiences with airline staff were responsible for a nine-point increase in customer satisfaction in the economy/basic economy segment, underscoring the importance of frontline personnel to the overall passenger experience.
•  Fewer than 10% of North American airline passengers experienced problems in this year’s study. Of those who did experience problems, flight delays were the most common across all passenger segments.
•  Among passengers who describe their overall air travel experience as “perfect,” 81% say they “definitely will” fly that airline again. That level of brand loyalty falls to just 4% among passengers who describe their experience as “poor.”

• JetBlue Airways ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the first/business segment, with a score of 738. Delta Air Lines (724) ranks second, and Alaska Airlines (709) ranks third.

• Delta ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the premium economy segment for a third consecutive year, with a score of 717. JetBlue (699) ranks second, and Alaska (691) ranks third.

• Southwest Airlines ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the economy/basic economy segment for a fourth consecutive year, with a score of 694. JetBlue (663) ranks second, and Delta (662) ranks third.

The study measures passenger satisfaction with carriers in North America based on performance in seven core dimensions on a poor-to-perfect 6-point rating scale. Individual criteria measured are (in alphabetical order): airline staff; digital tools; ease of travel; level of trust; on-board experience; pre/post-flight experience; and value for price paid. The study measures passenger satisfaction in three segments — first/business, premium economy, and economy/basic economy.

The 2025 study is based on responses from 10,224 passengers. Passengers needed to have flown on a major North America airline within the month prior to completing a survey. The study was fielded from March 2024 through March 2025.