Travelers in the U.S. are generally happy with major airlines, according to a new survey. There are a few notable exceptions, though.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index Travel Study 2026, airlines generally saw 3% gains in customer satisfaction, which surveyed 14,910 U.S. travelers between April 2025 and March 2026.
"The gains are encouraging, but they’re also fragile. Airlines have been benefiting from a more stable environment, but sustaining higher satisfaction will depend on whether they can keep delivering consistent service while managing costs and changing customer expectations," Forrest Morgeson, associate professor of marketing at Michigan State University and director of research emeritus at the ACSI, told USA TODAY in an email.
Categories evaluated across the industry include seat comfort, mobile app reliability, baggage handling, crew courtesy, timeliness and others.
▶ Travelers were most satisfied with Delta Air Lines, which earned a score of 77 out of 100.
