In the latest J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study released on May 8, 2024, their focus has shifted towards the airlines excelling in customer satisfaction amidst rising air passenger volumes and ongoing challenges in the U.S. airline industry. We’ll look further into how major airlines serving Hawaii perform according to the J.D. Power ratings, offering another perspective for travelers interested in good travels to Hawaii.
Notice we said “major airlines.” That’s because Hawaiian Airlines is considered was considered a regional carrier and is not included in the study.
The recent J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, released on May 8, 2024, provides valuable insights into the performance of major airlines serving Hawaii routes.
Airline personnel play a significant role in rankings.
According to the study, the quality of interaction between airline staff and passengers significantly influences the travel experience. We also find this to be true on Hawaii flights with longer durations than most. Investments in staff training are linked to higher customer satisfaction, an important factor for flights to Hawaii where both the service element quality significantly impact the longer travel experience.
Ease of travel and trust remain paramount.
According to J.D. Power, despite higher airfares, including to Hawaii, the primary factors driving customer satisfaction are ease of travel and trust in the airline. These factors are particularly critical for travel to Hawaii, where flight options and routes are somewhat limited.
As pointed out in the study, the level of passenger trust and satisfaction is significantly influenced by media coverage. Airlines serving Hawaii must manage their reputations carefully, as negative news can significantly impact customer perceptions, and airline success.
Detailed analysis by class of service.
First/Business Class: Delta Air Lines led the survey in customer satisfaction in this segment, with Alaska Airlines also being high-performing. According to the study, these carriers are preferred by travelers looking for comfort during their flights, as would be important on long-haul Hawaii flights.
Premium Economy: In this important and still up-and-coming segment, Delta Air Lines topped other airlines and was recognized for providing a good balance of comfort and value. Alaska and American Airlines were also mentioned as offering competitive services that appeal to travelers looking for a bit more than standard economy. True premium economy, however, is only available on widebody flights, which leads us to believe J.D. Power has confused premium economy with extra legroom products. True premium economy is a separate cabin of service with different seats than economy.
Economy/Basic Economy: Southwest Airlines is the top performer in J.D. Power’s assessment of this segment, favored for its budget-friendly yet high-quality service. Delta and Allegiant also ranked well, offering solid options for economical travel to Hawaii.
Implications for Hawaii Flights.
For airlines flying to Hawaii, there are a couple of significant takeaways. First, the findings suggest that improving service quality and travel efficiency is crucial. Delta and Southwest’s strong performance across various segments indicates they are succeeding with their respective customer strategies, which could serve as benchmarks for other carriers.
At the same time, the absence of Hawaiian Airlines from the study is a significant loss for Hawaii travelers, given that Hawaiian is a very important carrier in the market. It has among the most traffic in the industry to and from the islands and is neck and neck with United Airlines.
The J.D. Power 2024 study provides some valuable benchmarks for airlines with flights to Hawaii. As travel to the islands remains popular, maintaining high service standards and operational efficiency will be vital to attracting and retaining passengers. That, together with the price. Their analysis also helps airlines identify areas for improvement and ways to align services with Hawaii traveler expectations.
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The studies are interesting. Hotel prices although stabilized, do not provide the assumed value. “Resort fees” and taxes are absurdly high and are driving customers to condo rentals which have no resort fees and provide much more value.
Hawaiian Air should have been included in study. They do a great job except for food. They are a big player and always our choice.
We usually fly only Hawaiian but have flown Alaska first class and it was wonderful- pre Covid. My Delta Reserve card just upgraded my FC companion fare to include Hawaii so perhaps we will try Delta to Hawaii in 2025. Delta is stellar in my opinion, for domestic flights.
You need to consider that many premium cabin passengers are paying with frequent flier miles if they are on DL, UA or AA. So that may positively bias their views. Or they are high in the pecking order for free upgrades and are very happy they got free upgrades. They accumulate miles flying from Atlanta to Little Rock in coach on company business and cash them in on vacation with their families.
In my experience Business on AA from DFW is miles better than Delta even from Atlanta. However as AA are cutting direct dfw to Hawaii flights during the winter maybe Delta is a better bet. I must onserve though, as I fly via Japan from UK as it is cheaper and better quality, Delta seem very prone to cancelations from Tokyo to both Hawaii and the mainland
Hi Rich.
Thanks for that input on the airline rankings, and for more than 300 other comments!
Aloha.