Consumer insights, data, and analytics company J.D. Power’s recent study claims “the power of people” – aka positive customer service – significantly affects North American passenger satisfaction.

The source’s 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study—released in early May—found that “the two biggest factors driving overall airline customer satisfaction are ease of travel and trust.”

Flyers’ interpersonal interactions while traveling, such as with airline staff, and an airline’s media coverage were both markers of their overall passenger satisfaction. The report added that airline carriers who invested in their staff and employee training ranked highly. Unsurprisingly, it was noted that flyers just want a “seamless flight.”

“There are many aspects to the overall air travel experience that airlines cannot control, but one area in which they can profoundly influence is the positive effect that airline staff has on passengers,” noted Michael Taylor, J.D. Power’s Senior Managing Director of Travel, Hospitality, Retail, and Customer Service. “The big takeaway from this year’s study is the power of people to positively influence the overall flight experience. 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.”

The Top-Performing North American Carriers For Passenger Satisfaction

Delta Air Lines ranked highest among first and business-class flyers. The airline also ranked best in the study’s premium economy segment for the second consecutive year.

Southwest Airlines ranked highest for a third consecutive year for flyers in economy or basic economy.

What Were The Study’s Specifics?

J.D. Power’s 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study based its findings on responses collected from 9,582 flyers who traveled within a month before submitting a survey. The insights company collected data from March 2023 through March 2024.

Passenger satisfaction was measured based on performance in seven core dimensions on a poor-to-perfect 6-point rating scale. The categories were airline staff, digital tools, ease of travel, level of trust, onboard experience, pre/post-flight experience, and value for the price.