JetBlue's TrueBlue loyalty program was the favorite among
travelers for the third year in a row in J.D. Power's 2019 Airline Loyalty
Program Satisfaction Study.
The survey, based on responses from 3,188 rewards program
members fielded in August and September, asks respondents to rank satisfaction
with programs based on the ability to earn points and redeem for awards,
program benefits, account management and member communication. Overall industry
satisfaction scored 789 points on a 1,000-point scale, up from 776 in 2018.
JetBlue's TrueBlue program had the highest score with 821
points, followed by Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards with a score of 812 and
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan with a score of 810. Delta's SkyMiles program
scored 791, just above the overall industry average of 789. American Airlines'
AAdvantage program and United's MileagePlus program each scored 764.
.png "Source: J.D. Power 2019 Airline Loyalty Program Satisfaction Study")
Source: J.D. Power 2019 Airline Loyalty Program Satisfaction Study
The study showed that the most desired perks from loyalty
programs were discount on airport and limousine services, same-day change fee
waivers and lowest rate guarantees. Additionally, the survey showed that
loyalty programs are confusing to a large number of travelers, with 45 percent
of respondents saying they are not fully clear on how to redeem awards and 43
percent saying they are confused by how to earn points.