Delta, Southwest lead way in 2024 J.D. Power airline rankings
Which airlines get the highest ratings from passengers? A major consumer analytics firm's latest report offers some answers.
Delta Air Lines received leading scores among passengers who recently flew in first-class, business-class or premium economy cabins, according to results unveiled Wednesday from J.D. Power's 2024 North American Airline Satisfaction Study.
Southwest Airlines led the way among economy travelers, and Delta came in second place.
J.D. Power's annual airline rankings incorporate survey results from recent travelers on a slew of factors that contribute to the air travel experience. Factors include ease of travel, interactions with staff, on-board experience and value for price paid.
This year's rankings focused on airline performance between March 2023 and March 2024, as determined by surveys taken by passengers who flew the previous month.
Like recent years, the rankings are separated into three categories: first and business class, premium economy, and economy/basic economy.
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Here's how major North American carriers fared.
Business/first class
- Delta (score of 743)
- JetBlue (736)
- United Airlines (698)
- Alaska Airlines (695)
- American Airlines (676)
- Air Canada (629)
Average score: 701
This year's business/first class results saw Delta leapfrog JetBlue for the top spot after the Long Island City-based carrier's Mint product landed the airline the top spot in this category a year ago.
Delta continues to place a heavy focus on its premium offerings, noting in numerous recent quarterly reports that revenue growth in its premium cabins has outpaced economy.
Premium economy
Delta also led the way in premium economy satisfaction. Here are the results:
- Delta (716)
- Alaska (687)
- American (684)
- JetBlue (667)
- WestJet (664)
- United (641)
- Air Canada (628)
Average score: 675
Economy
The rankings for economy include a far longer (and different-looking) list. It encompasses both the network carriers and budget airlines — the latter of which don't have premium cabins.
- Southwest (685)
- Delta (651)
- Allegiant Air (633)
- Alaska (630)
- JetBlue (630)
- American (611)
- WestJet (591)
- United (585)
- Air Canada (542)
- Spirit Airlines (507)
- Frontier Airlines (472)
Average score: 613
Southwest rebounds
That Southwest took the top spot in the pivotal economy class rankings is noteworthy, considering the evaluation period started just months after its holiday 2022 meltdown.
Southwest poured more than a billion dollars into improving its operational reliability in the wake of that December 2022 chaos. It bolstered winter weather ground equipment and overhauled its technology and internal processes.
Between March 1, 2023, and Feb. 29, 2024, Southwest canceled a mere 0.8% of flights, though close to a quarter were delayed, according to data from FlightAware analyzed by TPG.
The airline also fared far better this past holiday season. Although the airline has hinted at possible future changes to its product offerings, it continues to offer consumer-friendly options like two free checked bags, open seating and no change fees.
Operations, customer service key factors
J.D. Power's report specifically noted significant investments in staff training and the overall flight experience as major contributing factors for airlines that saw top scores; this is particularly true in the face of record-setting crowds at airports in 2023.
"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," Michael Taylor, J.D. Power senior managing director of travel, hospitality, retail and customer service, said in a statement.
Leaders at Delta, for one, have touted its operational reliability of late; this is owed, in part, to the airline's extensive hiring efforts following the peak of the coronavirus pandemic and staffing challenges two years ago.
"One in three employees at Delta are new just within the last three years," CEO Ed Bastian noted in March at a Wall Street event.
The Atlanta-based carrier, which was runner-up for the economy rankings and leader in the other two categories, canceled just 0.9% of flights over the past year. It delayed just under 17%, FlightAware data showed.
Frontier occupied the last spot among North American carriers in J.D. Power's survey. Between March 2023 and 2024, the Denver-based, ultra-low-cost carrier canceled 1.4% of flights and delayed nearly 30%, per FlightAware.
For perspective, U.S. airlines collectively canceled 1.3% of flights during that time, per FlightAware; 20.6% of flights were delayed.
Like other budget carriers, Frontier also charges for just about everything beyond the ticket itself, from seat selection to any bags beyond a personal item that fits under the seat — often a tradeoff for low base fares.
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- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
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- What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations
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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.Pros
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- 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.