The 8 US airlines people like and hate the most
- J.D. Power released its 2019 North America Airline Satisfaction Study on Wednesday. The 15th edition of the study found consumer satisfaction to be at an all-time high.
- However, airlines continue to struggle with in-flight entertainment, connectivity, and dining.
- Southwest and JetBlue tied with the highest score overall and among low-cost airlines.
- Alaska Airlines once again finished with the highest score for a traditional airline.
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J.D. Power released its 2019 North America Airline Satisfaction Study on Wednesday. The 15th edition of the study found consumer satisfaction to be at an all-time high.
Over the past year, airlines in the US and Canada scored an average of 773 points on a 1,000-point scale, beating last year's record-setting score by 11 points.
According to J.D. Power, the increase in customer satisfaction has been driven by airlines' investments in reservation and check-in technology along with an infusion of new aircraft.
"Airlines continue to deliver on the operational side of air travel," Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power, said in a statement. "New technology investments have dramatically improved the reservation and check-in process. Fleets are newer and travelers generally feel that they are getting great value for their money."
Read more: The 20 biggest airlines in the world, ranked.
However, seatback entertainment, food service, and wi-fi remain to the lowest ranked part of the flying experience.
"The one area where both traditional and low-cost carriers can still improve, however, is in in-flight services," Taylor said. "It continues to be the lowest-ranked factor in the study, as many airlines still struggle with in-flight entertainment, connectivity, in-seat power, and food service."
For the third consecutive year, Southwest is the highest scoring airline in the study and among low-cost airlines. This year, it tied with fellow low-cost carrier JetBlue with 817 points.
Alaska Airlines, once again, earned the highest score for a traditional airline with 801 points.
Airlines in the study are judged on performance in seven categories. In order of importance, they are cost and fees; in-flight services; aircraft; boarding, deplaning, and baggage; flight crew; check-in; and reservations.
The JD Power study is based on data gathered from 5,966 business and leisure passengers who flew on major US and Canadian airlines between April 2018 and March 2019. Several notable airlines such as Hawaiian, Allegiant, and Air Transat were not included in the study.
Here is a closer look at how the US airlines performed on the J.D. Power 2019 North America Airlines Satisfaction Study.