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The Best Airlines for Customer Service in 2017

May 11, 2016
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4 min read
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The Best Airlines for Customer Service in 2017
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Customer service is a vital part of the airline industry. And, as frequent travelers, we all know that there are some airlines that excel at customer service, and there are others that lag far, far behind to the point where many would avoid boarding their planes altogether. So it's no surprise that there are plenty of surveys that showcase what people think about airlines — which are the best for customer service on Twitter and much more.

According to the annual J.D. Power customer service satisfaction survey of North American carriers, customer satisfaction is, in general, better than in previous years. J.D. Power measures its passenger satisfaction based on seven factors, in order of importance: cost and fees, in-flight services, boarding/deplaning/baggage, flight crew, aircraft, check-in and reservation. The study is based on responses from 10,348 business and leisure passengers who flew on a major North American airline between March 2015 and March 2016.

Here are the best airlines for customer service in 2016:

Alaska was the best traditional carrier for customer satisfaction for the ninth consecutive year.

Traditional Carrier Ranking (based on a 1,000-point scale)

1. Alaska Airlines (751) — Highest in the traditional carrier segment for the ninth consecutive year.

2. Delta Air Lines (725) — Has improved in all seven factors.

Segment Average: 703

3. American Airlines (693)

4. Air Canada (681)

5. United Airlines (675)

Low-Cost Carrier Ranking (based on a 1,000-point scale)

1. JetBlue Airways (790) — Highest in low-cost segment for 11th consecutive year; although declined in six of the seven factors year over year.

2. Southwest Airlines (789) — Has improved in all seven factors year over year.

Segment Average: 775

3. WestJet (723)

4. Frontier Airlines (662)

The good news is that customer service in the airline industry has reached a 10-year high — it increased 9 points to 726. In addition, travelers are now more tolerant of costs and fees, which is most likely the result of lower airfares. Airlines have also continued to improve their in-flight entertainment options, which has caused the in-flight services segment to increase dramatically — however, it's the lowest-scoring factor. The major change this year's survey saw was that business travelers were generally more satisfied than leisure travelers for the first time in the study's history.

J.D. Power also released its 2016 report on the status of airline loyalty and rewards programs. The study is based on six factors, in order of importance: ease of redeeming points/miles, reward program terms, account maintenance/management, ease of earning points/miles, variety of benefits available and customer service. The report was based on 3,123 responses and rewards program members and was fielded in 2016.

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Southwest ranked second in 2016's best loyalty/rewards program.

Overall Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking for Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program (based on a 1,000-point scale)

1. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan (757) — Highest in overall member satisfaction for a third consecutive year.

2. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards (754)

3. JetBlue Airlines TrueBlue (743)

Report Average: 706

4. Delta Air Lines SkyMiles (690)

5. American Airlines AAdvantage (688)

6. United Airlines MileagePlus (673)

According to the report, the factor that separates the highest-performing from the lowest-performing is ease of redeeming points/miles and the reward program terms. The study noted that rewards programs are changing and noted the trend of moving rewards programs to revenue-based instead of mileage-based.

As North American airlines continue to improve their product — by bringing back complimentary snacks to economy on United and American, for example — it's possible that airline customer service satisfaction ratings will continue to rise. How the ever-changing rewards program scene will evolve over the next year has yet to be determined.

What do you think of J.D. Powers rankings for 2016? Do you agree with the resuts?

H/T: USA Today

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  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.