J.D. Power Study Ranks Alaska Airlines Highest in Traditional Carrier Satisfaction for Eighth Straight Year

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan also receives top ranking in airline loyalty/rewards satisfaction report

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May 13, 2015, 07:00 ET

SEATTLE, May 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines ranked highest in airline customer satisfaction among traditional carriers for the eighth consecutive year in the J.D. Power 2015 North America Airline Satisfaction Study^sm. The organization also announced today that travelers ranked Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan highest in overall customer satisfaction for the second consecutive year in its Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report^sm.

"We're honored to receive recognition from an organization as prestigious as J.D. Power," said Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden. "This recognition is a credit to our amazing employees who provide our customers with outstanding service every day. To our 14,700 Alaska and Horizon employees – thank you."

The survey, which polled 11,354 customers who flew on a major North America carrier between March 2014 and March 2015, ranked Alaska Airlines highest of any traditional airline in six of seven categories, including cost and fees; boarding/deplaning/baggage; flight crew; aircraft; check-in; and reservations. Traditional carriers are defined as airlines that operate multi-cabin aircraft and use multiple airport hubs.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Ranks Highest in Overall Customer Satisfaction Again

J.D. Power also announced Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction for two straight years. The Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report ranking is based on six factors, including ease of redeeming points/miles; reward program terms; account maintenance/management; ease of earning points/miles; variety of benefits available; and customer service. The report, which measures customer satisfaction with airline reward and loyalty programs, is based on responses from more than 3,000 airline loyalty and reward program members surveyed in March 2015.

"We're thrilled our Mileage Plan has earned our industry's highest ranking for two consecutive years," said Sangita Woerner, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing. "Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is designed to be in a class of its own by offering customers generous rewards based on miles flown, access to 14 airline partners to earn and redeem miles on when they fly, and the ability to earn elite status faster than any other airline program."

Alaska Airlines continues to make enhancements to its Mileage Plan program that make it even easier to earn miles. Customers can now earn bonuses between 25-75 percent when they fly in first class, refundable coach and many business fares, while MVP Gold 75k members can earn 125 percent bonus miles when they fly. Additionally, members can earn elite-qualifying miles when they fly on any of Alaska's 12 international partners.

Woerner noted that since the airline launched one-way partner award shopping online in 2013, award travel on Alaska and its 14 partner airlines has increased by 60 percent. Mileage Plan members have the flexibility to mix and match award shopping in a variety of ways, including shopping for one-way or roundtrip award travel on any partner airline and combining airlines in one reservation using two types of awards.

Read the official J.D. Power releases at www.jdpower.com.

Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together with its partner regional airlines, serves more than 100 cities through an expansive network in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines