Flying tends to spark opinions on everything from pricing to comfort.
Over the past few years, the airline industry has gone through some pretty significant changes, including new technology and shifting customer expectations.
While some concerns have stayed the same, others have shifted quite a bit. Join us as we dive into the key differences between these two sets of findings, highlighting the trends in customer priorities and how airlines are (or aren’t) keeping up.
Flyers Are Still Frustrated
According to our most recent survey, things haven't improved much — 94% of respondents think there are areas airlines need to improve, up 4% since 2017.
94% of respondents think there are areas airlines need to improve.
Seat Comfort Is the New Leading Concern
Seat comfort has become the new leading concern in 2025, with 76% saying it needs improvement. In 2017, flight pricing was the leading concern at 61%. Today, 57% of passengers miss having more legroom, pointing out that airlines no longer seem to provide the spacious seating they once did.
76% of respondents think seat comfort needs improvement in 2025.
On a brighter note, overbooked flights appear to be less of an issue, with 59% of passengers in 2017 saying airlines needed to improve in this area, compared to 42% in 2025.
Not Making It On the Plane? Travelers Consider Alternate Travel Options
In 2017, more than 8 in 10 Americans (81%) said an airline would need to offer them at least $1,000 to give up their seat on an overbooked flight, with 78% agreeing in 2025. Our latest survey found that 5% would not give up their seat voluntarily on an overbooked flight unless they were offered no less than $10,000.
Some travelers wouldn’t give up their seat on a plane unless they were offered no less than $10,000.
58% of Americans say that, given the recent issues in the airline industry, they would be more likely to choose an alternate form of transportation over flying — a statistic that has barely changed from 2017 to 2025. Today, 75% would choose a car/driving as a second option. 46% would choose to take a train.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Airlines
What can airlines do to improve customer satisfaction in 2025? According to passengers, the top two priorities are being more transparent about pricing, fees and overbooking policies (68%) and clearly communicating delays, cancellations and rebooking options in real time (64%).
The top two priorities in 2025 are being more transparent about pricing, fees and overbooking policies and clearly communicating delays, cancellations and rebooking options.
But as airlines look to embrace new technologies, trust remains a major concern. When it comes to using AI or automation for tasks like ticketing, customer service or flight operations, 43% of passengers somewhat trust this approach, and 34% don't trust it at all. This suggests that while there’s some willingness to embrace tech, many passengers still have reservations about its impact on their travel experience.
Survey Method
These surveys were conducted on behalf of CouponCabin in 2017 and 2025 among 3,068 U.S. adults.
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