News & Insights

TROY, Mich.: 7 May 2025 — Is this the end of the “revenge travel” era? With domestic air passenger volume down through the first quarter of 2025,[1] consumer confidence is sinking to its lowest level since the pandemic[2] and airlines introducing new fees on everything from baggage to seat selection, North American air travel is going through some changes. According to the JD Power 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Study,SM released today, airlines are heading into this new era from a position of relative strength, with overall passenger satisfaction up 6 points (on a 1,000-point scale) from 2024.

TROY, Mich.: 8 May 2024 — With domestic air passenger volume up 9.4% year over year and seemingly no end in sight to crowded gates, stuffed overhead bins and expensive fares, airlines have their hands full trying to maintain customer satisfaction. According to the JD Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study,SM released today, big investments by airlines in staff training and efforts to improve the overall flight experience with friendly, attentive service are helping some airlines deliver great customer experiences—despite the crowds.

TROY, Mich.: 10 May 2023 — A combination of soaring demand, limited supply and surging airfares have helped airlines book record revenues during the past two quarters, but this golden age of enhanced revenues is coming at the expense of customer satisfaction. According to the JD Power 2023 North America Airline Satisfaction Study,SM released today, customer satisfaction with major airlines is down significantly for a second consecutive year, introducing the risk of possible brand damage if the current pattern of price hikes, staffing shortages and reduced routes continues.

TROY, Mich.: 11 May 2022 — The crowds are back at the airport, those empty middle seats are occupied again and airlines in North America are raising ticket prices in response to soaring fuel costs and continued strong leisure travel demand—all at the expense of passenger satisfaction. While dramatically higher prices could harm airline brands in the long term, for now, load volume is continuing to climb and passengers are willing to be assigned a middle seat in exchange for getting out of their houses, according to the JD Power 2022 North America Airline Satisfaction Study,SM released today.

TROY, Mich.: 12 May 2021 (Updated 19 May 2021) — Despite the North America airline industry losing more than $40 billion in revenue as passenger volume dropped 60% in 2020, airline passengers say their level of satisfaction is higher. According to the JD Power 2021 North America Airline Satisfaction Study,SM the elimination of many charges and fees, increased attentiveness of flight crews and ticket flexibility help the industry achieve new heights as passenger satisfaction climbs 28 points to 820 (on a 1,000-point scale) year over year.

TROY, Mich.: 27 May 2020 — North American airlines were headed into 2020 with some of the highest customer satisfaction scores ever recorded, thanks to heavy investment in newer aircraft, better in-flight services and improved customer service. Then COVID-19 hit. According to the JD Power 2020 North America Airline Satisfaction Study,SM released today, many of the core values that drove standout passenger experiences in the pre-pandemic environment will be even more important as the industry plots its recovery. Specifically, the industry will need to focus on restoring confidence, while continuing to improve on the operational side.