Southwest Airlines Tops Customer Service Study, Overtaking Delta

Southwest Airlines has been named the U.S. airline with the best customer service, according to a new study by market research firm Sogolytics. The Dallas-based carrier outperformed Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Allegiant Air across 21 factors, including booking, airport experience, cabin comfort, flight disruptions, and customer loyalty. The study surveyed 1,014 travelers, finding that 89 percent were satisfied with Southwest, a rate that narrowly beat Delta's customer satisfaction score.

Southwest was the only airline to achieve top performance marks both before passengers boarded and during the flight. It received high ratings for its booking process, check-in, boarding procedures, and travel communications, as well as for cabin comfort and in-flight service. This consistent performance across multiple stages of the travel journey contributed to its overall success, according to the report. In contrast, many rivals excelled in only one aspect of the customer experience. Frontier and Allegiant performed well pre-departure but less so onboard, while Delta, American, and United were stronger in their in-flight offerings than in the pre-flight customer journey.

Southwest also edged out Delta in a key measure of customer loyalty, with 50 percent of surveyed travelers indicating they would likely recommend Southwest to others, a one-percentage-point lead over Delta. The study noted that while Delta performed well in onboard experience and disruption management, Southwest's consistent excellence across more customer touchpoints secured its highest overall score. The report suggests that airlines that make the entire travel journey feel easier, rather than solely focusing on low fares, are likely to win customer preference.

This recognition for Southwest comes despite recent challenges, including a public backlash earlier this year over a proposed seating policy that was eventually abandoned. Delta also faced operational difficulties in early May, experiencing over 500 flight cancellations within a three-day period due to scheduling issues, which led to an increase in its domestic cancellation rate. Despite these recent events, the Sogolytics study indicates that Southwest's overall customer experience remains highly regarded.