Customers rarely have a nice word to say about airlines, and those airlines are taking notice.
Theyre trying to win your business back with a number of perks to make your trip more enjoyable.
Heres how the major companies plan to set themselves apart.
And when one airline started, others followed suit to align ourselves with the rest of the industry.
But free snacks are back!
Unitedbrought them back earlier this month, andAmerican Airlines plans to returncomplimentary snacks to all flights by April.
To be fair, Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest never got rid of the service.
Free snacks are a start, and United is alsonow serving tasty Illy coffeein their lounges and in-flight.
The company plans to bring it to all routes later in the year.
Better Prices to Compete With Discount Airlines
On the other hand, forget the free nuts.
What wereallywant are better prices.
Recent reports say ticket prices have steadily declined over the past couple of years.
If the airlines stop reaping the rewards, theyll probably also stop throwing us a bone.
Long story short, this means it will take you longer to redeem your rewards travel.
Delta and United are already using this model.
To make up for this, both airlines are offering more flexibility with their rewards.
Youll probably do better to just pay cash and keep your miles for flights.
For example,JetBlue recently announceda complete overhaul to their seatback TVs.
Theyve also upgraded their Wi-Fi access to include free gate-to-gate connectivity.
Free Wi-Fi is definitely a plus.
Theyre Actually Paying Attention to Consumers
Ultimately,flying is a pretty incredible experience.
Still, paying several hundred bucks for something will bring out the complainer in just about anyone.
For one, United recently changed its boarding procedure.
Itll once again allow families with young children to board flights before first class and elite members.
Again, airline profits are soaring, so its not like customers are going anywhere.
Illustration by Sam Wooley.
