From rising airfare costs to long security lines, the past year has been full of travel surprises. So, it might be surprising to hear that airline customer satisfaction has risen, according to a new report from major consumer analytics firm JD Power.
Its annual ranking of the top North American airlines surveyed customers over the past year about their experiences in each of the key cabins: first- and business-class, premium economy and economy. JetBlue Airways, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines topped the lists, respectively.
JetBlue Mint Suite on an Airbus A321LR. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
In the first- and business-class cohort, JetBlue ranked highest in customer satisfaction for the second year in a row. JetBlue’s Mint cabin is widely regarded as one of the best domestic and transatlantic business-class products, thanks to its lie-flat suites, privacy doors on select aircraft and high-quality dining experience. In this category, JetBlue was followed by Delta and Alaska Airlines.
In the premium economy section, Delta took the gold for the fourth consecutive year. Its premium seats offer generous recline, extra legroom and much better food options than economy class. Alaska in second place with a score of 720 and JetBlue in third with a score of 701.
We should note, the study considered extra legroom seats to be premium economy on the domestic front (Neither Alaska nor JetBlue has a true international-style premium economy product).
And, in terms of economy class, Southwest’s finish kept it in the top spot for the fifth year in a row. The Texas-based airline remained on top by a slight margin, even after making many changes last year — most notably abandoning its open seating concept in favor of assigned seating. In this category, Delta Air Lines came in second and JetBlue sat in third place.
In recent years, consumers have increasingly been prioritizing premium seats and elevated onboard experiences, in hopes of maximizing the value of their cash or points.
Official ranking of the major North American airlines:
First and business class
JetBlue (759)
Delta (750)
Alaska Airlines (720)
United Airlines (700)
American Airlines (698)
Air Canada (694)
Average score: 717
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
JetBlue finish in the top spot in this category last year came as the airline complemented its on-board Mint experience with the lauch of its first BlueHouse lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The second outpost of this lounge is set to open at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) this summer, and the carrier is even teasing a third location in Florida.
As the list shows, Delta also offers a popular premium product, and recently announced a next-generation iteration of its Delta One cabin and badly-needed upgrades on some of its oldest jets. It will remain to be seen, however, whether customers will be satisfied with a more restrictive basic business-class cabin it’s been teasing.
Premium economy
Delta (736)
Alaska (720)
JetBlue (701)
United (665)
American (657)
WestJet (641)
Air Canada (633)
Average score: 682
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Delta’s Premium Select product is popular for its spacious seats and curated dining experience. Plus, premium flyers can enjoy Sky Priority service at the airport prior to their flight, which includes a more efficient check-in process in addition to other perks. On the domestic front, the carrier has noted it’s expanding the number of extra-legroom Comfort seats it offers.
Alaska, for its part, only offers a “premium” cabin on its domestic service, which is essentially an extra legroom product. Those seats come with early boarding as well as complimentary beer, wine and cocktails on most flights over 350 miles. Alaska has teased a full-scale global premium economy product customers should see, in the coming years, on its international service.
Though not fully a premium cabin, JetBlue’s Even More Space seats helped the airline remain in the top three in this category since last year.
Economy and basic economy
Southwest (670)
Delta (667)
JetBlue (655)
Alaska (648)
Allegiant (630)
American (624)
United (608)
Air Canada (576)
Spirit Airlines (560)
WestJet (553)
Frontier (533)
Average score: 627
On board a Southwest Airlines plane. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
In last year’s rankings, Southwest led this category by 31 points, but now, only three points separate it from runner-up Delta. This could be partly because Southwest has made major changes to its passenger experience, including introducing assigned seating and adding checked baggage fees.
Methodology
To compile its rankings, JD Power polled more than 10,000 customers between March 2025 and March 2026. To be eligible for the survey, customers had to have flown on a major North American carrier within the previous month.
JD Power surveyed customers on seven factors: airline staff, digital tools, ease of travel, level of trust, on-board experience, pre- and post-flight experience, and value for the price paid.
Looking ahead
TPG’s Best Airlines Report — our annual data-driven rankings of the top U.S. carriers — will be released later this spring.
Related reading:
The ultimate guide to Delta One Suites
JetBlue TrueBlue program: Earn and redeem points, transfer partners and more
Delta SkyMiles: Your complete guide to earning, redeeming and elite status
Best credit cards for airport lounge access
Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
