Delta, Southwest get top marks for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power airline survey

Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines received top marks in J.D. Power’s North American airlines customer satisfaction survey for 2024. The firm’s results, announced Wednesday, noted that airlines investing in their staff are seeing more satisfied customers despite higher airfares compared to a year ago. “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,” Michael Taylor, J.D. Power’s senior managing director of travel, hospitality, retail and customer service, said in a statement. “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.” According to the survey, passengers’ main priorities are getting to their destinations easily and safely. That outweighs even ticket price in determining a traveler’s satisfaction with their chosen carrier. J.D. Power conducted its survey between March 2023 and March 2024, polling 9,582 passengers who traveled on a major North American airline during that period. Story has details. <br/>