North America Airline Satisfaction Study
Measure Passenger Satisfaction From the Top
The JD Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study measures passenger satisfaction among business and leisure travelers of major airline carriers in North America with the entire air travel experience, from reservation to baggage retrieval, based on a recent flight experience.
A Complete View of Airline Passenger Satisfaction
The study measures eight key passenger experience dimensions:
• Reservation experience
• Check-in process
• Boarding experience
• Baggage handling
• Aircraft condition
• Flight crew service
• In-flight services
• Costs and fees
Includes:
• Cabin class segmentation
• Airline lounge insights
• Amenities and connectivity tracking
• Competitive benchmarking
How the Airline Satisfaction Study Works
• Surveys recent business and leisure airline passengers across North America
• Measures satisfaction across key journey touchpoints from booking to arrival
• Segments performance by cabin class and traveler type
• Applies KPI analysis to identify highest-impact improvement drivers
• Delivers benchmarking and insights via JD Power reporting tools
Benchmark Performance, Improve Experience
• Provides competitive benchmarks across airlines, segments, and top-performing industry leaders
• Identifies key drivers of satisfaction across the entire passenger journey
• Delivers detailed data portals for deep analysis and performance tracking
• Includes executive insights with strategic recommendations and proven best practices
• Enables targeted improvements based on real passenger feedback and behaviors
Benchmark Performance, Improve Experience
• Provides competitive benchmarks across airlines, segments, and top-performing industry leaders
• Identifies key drivers of satisfaction across the entire passenger journey
• Delivers detailed data portals for deep analysis and performance tracking
• Includes executive insights with strategic recommendations and proven best practices
• Enables targeted improvements based on real passenger feedback and behaviors
Key Dates
2026
Fielding Begins: March 2026
First Data Publish: August 19, 2026
Second Data Publish: November 5, 2026
Third Data Publish: February 10, 2027
Final Data Publish: May 5, 2027
*Subject to change; updated August 2026
Press Release & Award Information
JD Power issues a national press release highlighting key findings and top-to-bottom rankings from the study. The brand(s) that rank highest in each award-eligible segment and meet predetermined award criteria will have the opportunity to enter into a licensing agreement through the JD Power Awards Program, which requires subscribing to the study as a prerequisite. Entering into a licensing agreement provides top-ranked brands with the valuable opportunity to market their award-winning performance. As the trusted symbol of excellence, JD Power Awards enhance brand perceptions, drive consumer preference, and differentiate awarded brands in competitive marketplaces.
Profiled Brands
First/Business
2026 Profiled Brands by Segment
Air Canada
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
Premium Economy
Air Canada
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
WestJet
Premium Economy
2026 Profiled Brands by Segment
Delta Airlines
Alaska Airlines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
American Airlines
WestJet
Air Canada
First/Business
2027 Profiled Brands by Segment
Air Canada
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
Premium Economy
Air Canada
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
WestJet
Premium Economy
2027 Profiled Brands by Segment
Delta Airlines
Alaska Airlines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
American Airlines
WestJet
Air Canada
Economy/Basic Economy
2027 Profiled Brands by Segment
Southwest Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
Alaska Airlines
Allegiant Air
Segment Average
American Airlines
United Airline
Air Canada
WestJet
Frontier Airlines
Who should use it
Designed for Airline Experience Leaders
• Airline executive and operations leadership
• Customer experience and loyalty teams
• Network planning and inflight services teams
• Marketing and brand strategy teams
• Travel industry stakeholders and partners
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