It was an even more rocky year for air travel, sparking a series of catastrophic accidents and economic uncertainties beginning to affect travel demand. However, despite the challenges, the overall passenger satisfaction with North American airlines rose by six points (on a 1,000-point scale) compared to last year, according to JD Power’s 2025 North American Airline Satisfaction Survey.
“It helped keep the overall passenger satisfaction high,” said Michael Taylor, senior managing director of JD Power. “Both ticket prices and passenger volume drop slightly,” according to Michael Taylor, senior managing director of JD Power.
However, he said, “The dynamics of the market are changing and are likely to affect passenger experiences in the coming weeks and months. Airlines are likely to have a tough economic year this year.
The fact that overall passenger satisfaction is rising compared to the 2024 results of the survey was due to improved ratings behind the plane, with all locations (economy and basic economy receiving higher marks, especially in 2024, improving encounters between aviation staff and crew. Furthermore, a relatively small number of passengers (10%) said they had experienced serious problems on flights over the past year, including major delays and cancellations.
This study divides the airline into three categories: First and business class. Premium Economy; Economy and Basic Economy. So which airline was best for each class of service? This year, JetBlue Airways recently announced plans to bring top-notch cabins to domestic flights, which JetBlue calls Mint Class. The airline expelled Delta, which ranked number one in frontline offering last year. However, Delta stuck to the top spot for its premium economy offering (it happens to be one of the AFAR editor’s favorite premium economy services). And despite the numerous fundamental changes currently underway in Southwest, the airlines have stuck to the No. 1 spot in the economic and basic economy category.
The report is based on a survey conducted between March 2024 and March 2025, and collected responses from 10,224 passengers who flew with major North American airlines within the past month.
The 2025 North American Airlines Satisfaction Survey measured overall passenger satisfaction based on these seven factors.
- Airline staff
- Digital Tools
- Ease of travel
- Level of trust
- Onboard Experience
- Pre-flight and post-experience
- Value of the price you paid
The JD Power 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Survey shows points are based on a scale of 1,000 points. Here’s how the airlines stacked up:
North American Airlines Perfect for First and Business Class
- JetBlue Airways (738 points)
- Delta Airlines (724 points)
- Alaska Airlines (709 points)
- United Airlines (690 points)
- Air Canada (686 points)
- American Airlines (684 points)
Best North American Airlines for Premium Economy
- Delta Airlines (717 points)
- JetBlue Airways (699 points)
- Alaska Airlines (691 points)
- United Airlines (652 points)
- American Airlines (650 points)
- Air Canada (616 points)
- Westjet (614 points)
Best North American Airlines for the Economy and Basic Economy
- Southwest Airlines (694 points)
- JetBlue Airways (663 points)
- Delta Airlines (662 points)
- Alaska Airlines (645 points)
- Allegiant Air (636 points)
- United Airlines (603 points)
- American Airlines (597 points)
- Air Canada (561 points)
- Westjet (537 points)
- Spirit Airlines (526 points)
- Frontier Airlines (520 points)
This story was originally published in May 2023 and updated on May 7, 2025, and contains current information.
