Alaska Tops J.D. Power Satisfaction List … Again

Flyers have rated Alaska with high marks in nearly all key categories, including fares, fees and flight crew, according to the J.D. Power 2019 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. Categories include aircraft; check-in; cost and fees; boarding/deplaning/baggage; flight crew; and reservation. The scores are an improvement in every category compared to last year, with significant improvement in the inflight service category.

Delta Air Lines (788) ranks second and American Airlines (764) ranks third. For low-cost carriers, JetBlue  (817) and Southwest Airlines (817) rank highest in a tie. For Southwest, this is the third consecutive year at the top of the J.D. Power ranking.

Alaska won among traditional airlines with an overall score of 801, up 26 points from 2018. This is the first time Alaska has scored higher than 800 on the J.D. Power 1,000-point scale.

“Airlines continue to deliver on the operational side of air travel,” Michael Taylor, Travel Intelligence Lead at J.D. Power, said in a statement accompanying the study’s results, which were released Wednesday morning. “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.

“While low-cost carriers have historically had the highest levels of customer satisfaction in our study, due to a strong sense of value for money among customers, that line is starting to blur as traditional carriers improve their services and operations,” Taylor added.

The North America Airline Satisfaction Study, now in its 15th year, measures passenger satisfaction with airline carriers in North America based on performance in seven factors. The study measures passenger satisfaction among both business and leisure travelers and is based on responses from 5,966 passengers who flew on a major North American airline between March 2018 and March 2019. The study was fielded from April 2018 through March 2019.

Alaska continues to invest in improvements to its inflight products: Ongoing retrofitting of interior cabins including new seating, and the addition of foot rests in First Class; installation of high-speed satellite Wi-Fi on more and more aircraft; free text messaging and entertainment with Most Free Movies in the Sky; and new, fresh food options and craft beers with a West Coast vibe from local companies. Alaska is also unveiling renovated and refreshed lounges from Anchorage to Los Angeles.

JetBlue was gained the top spot for Customer Satisfaction Among Low Cost Carriers in the J.D. Power Study. This is the 13thth time JetBlue has been named as the top airline in this segment. JetBlue was also the highest scoring North American airline among Low Cost Carriers in four categories: aircraft, flight crew, in-flight services, and reservations.

This recognition comes as JetBlue comes in the wake of significant investments in its customer experience, most notably through the restyling of its Airbus A320 fleet as the airline introduces a new era of comfort and connectivity to travelers with the widest seats available for this aircraft and the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline as well as free movies and shows, and expanded coverage of free broadband connectivity.

Its premium Mint experience is available on cross-country routes and in the Caribbean and Latin America — more than 80 daily Mint flights in 15 JetBlue cities. On most of these routes, JetBlue is the only airline to offer regularly scheduled flights with a lie flat seat.