NPS Benchmarks 2026

Airlines NPS Benchmarks

Airline NPS varies dramatically between budget and premium carriers. The flying experience, including legroom, on-time performance, staff friendliness, and disruption handling, drives scores. Premium carriers differentiate through service quality rather than price.

Industry Average

30

Good

Top Quartile

55

Top 25% score

Bottom Quartile

2

Bottom 25% score

How Airlines Compares to Other Industries

Consulting
51
E-commerce
45
Financial Services
44
SaaS
41
Automotive
39
Airlines
30

Showing average NPS scores. Higher is better. Scale: -100 to 100.

Top Airlines Companies by NPS

CompanyNPS ScoreRating
Southwest Airlines60Excellent
Delta Air Lines52Excellent
JetBlue48Good
United Airlines35Good
American Airlines30Good

Key Airlines NPS Insights

1

On-time performance is the strongest NPS driver for airlines, with a 5% improvement in on-time arrivals correlating with a 3-4 point NPS increase.

2

How airlines handle disruptions (cancellations, delays) matters more than avoiding them entirely. Proactive rebooking and transparent communication during disruptions can actually create promoters.

3

Loyalty program elite members score 30-40 points higher NPS than general travelers, highlighting the value of recognition and perks in driving advocacy.

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Related Industry Benchmarks

Hospitality NPS

Average: 39

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Logistics NPS

Average: 32

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Retail NPS

Average: 44

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Telecom NPS

Average: 24

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What Is a Good NPS Score for Airlines?

A good NPS score for airlines is anything above the industry average of 30. This puts you ahead of most competitors and indicates a healthy level of customer satisfaction. Scores in the top quartile (55+) are considered excellent and suggest strong customer loyalty that drives organic growth through referrals.

Keep in mind that NPS varies significantly within airlines depending on company size, market segment, and geography. The most meaningful benchmark is your own trend over time. A company consistently improving its NPS is in a stronger position than one with a high but declining score.

How to Improve Your Airlines NPS

Improving NPS in the airlines industry starts with understanding what drives satisfaction for your specific customers. Here are actionable strategies:

  • Close the feedback loop. Follow up with detractors within 24-48 hours. Understanding their specific complaints and showing you care can recover 25-40% of detractors.
  • Identify your key drivers. Analyze open-ended NPS comments to find the themes that correlate most strongly with promoter and detractor scores. Focus improvement efforts on these high-impact areas.
  • Empower frontline staff. Give customer-facing teams the authority and tools to resolve issues on the spot. Escalation and wait times are among the top detractor drivers across all industries.
  • Measure consistently. Send NPS surveys at regular intervals using the same methodology. Quarterly relationship NPS supplemented by transactional NPS after key moments gives you both trend data and actionable insights.
  • Turn promoters into advocates. Make it easy for promoters to share their experience. Referral programs, testimonial collection, and review requests channeled to promoters can amplify their positive sentiment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good NPS score for airlines?

A good NPS for airlines is above 30, the industry average. Southwest Airlines leads US carriers at around 60, followed by Delta at 52. Budget airlines typically score 10-25, while full-service carriers range from 30-55. Premium international carriers can score 60-80.

What matters most to airline passengers for NPS?

The top factors are on-time performance, how disruptions are handled, seat comfort and legroom, staff friendliness, and value for money. Wi-Fi availability and entertainment options are growing in importance, especially for business travelers.

How can airlines improve their NPS?

Improve on-time performance, train staff in empathetic communication during disruptions, invest in comfortable seating, simplify fare structures, enhance loyalty program value, and proactively communicate during delays. Empowering gate agents to make real-time decisions significantly improves disruption handling.

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