The Top Airline in North America, According to Travelers

This year has been tumultuous for airlines, marked by troubling headlines from Boeing aircraft issues to cancellation and delay concerns, as we approach what could be a record summer for air travel. It’s no surprise that travelers have mixed feelings about airlines these days.

Despite the negative headlines and ongoing challenges in air travel, when it comes to overall passenger satisfaction, “airlines that are prioritizing staff training and recruitment are finding ways to mitigate the negative impacts,” said Michael Taylor, senior managing director of travel, hospitality, retail, and customer service for J.D. Power, which released its 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study on Wednesday.

Focusing on customer service, the study revealed that the airline currently rated highest by North American travelers for first, business, and premium economy service is Delta Air Lines. In the economy and basic economy categories, Southwest Airlines took the lead.

The report is based on a survey conducted from March 2023 to March 2024, gathering responses from 9,582 passengers who had flown with a major North American airline within the previous month. It found that overall satisfaction scores regarding trust in airlines were 400 points lower (on a 1,000-point scale) among passengers exposed to negative news coverage about an airline’s performance over the past year—highlighting the significant impact of the headlines.

Overall, airlines received significantly lower scores this year compared to last. Last year, the lowest score for any airline was 705 points (Frontier in the economy and basic economy category), while the highest was 893 points for JetBlue in first and business class. This year, scores fell between a low of 472 points and a high of only 743 points. This decline may be attributed in part to changes in the factors being evaluated. Last year, travelers ranked their experiences based on eight factors: aircraft quality, baggage handling, boarding process, check-in experience, costs and fees, flight crew performance, in-flight services, and reservations and booking.

For the 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, overall passenger satisfaction was assessed based on these seven criteria:

Airline personnel
Digital services
Travel convenience
Trust level
Onboard experience
Pre-/post-flight experience
Value for money

The study categorizes passenger satisfaction ratings into three segments: first and business class; premium economy; and economy and basic economy. In all segments, the top priority for travelers this past year was ensuring safe travel with minimal concerns.

“The two primary factors influencing overall airline customer satisfaction are travel ease and trust,” the study revealed. “While factors like value for money are important, passengers prioritize having a smooth flying experience above all else.”

Service is essential. The J.D. Power study revealed that the airlines that ranked highest in this year’s assessment have made significant investments in their workforce.

In the J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, scores are calculated on a 1,000-point scale. Here’s how the airlines ranked.