Customer satisfaction in the travel industry has improved notably, with airlines, lodging, car rentals, rideshare, and online travel agencies all posting gains, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Travel Study 2026. The study highlights increased use of technology and evolving customer expectations as key factors in these improvements.
Overview of ACSI 2026 Travel Study Results
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Travel Study 2026 reports that customer satisfaction has increased across major travel sectors. Airlines, lodging, car rentals, rideshare, and online travel agencies all recorded higher satisfaction scores compared to previous years. The study attributes these gains to a more stable travel environment, declining inflation, and ongoing consumer demand. The research is based on 14,910 completed surveys collected from randomly selected customers between April 2025 and March 2026.
Airlines: Improved Satisfaction Driven by Technology
Airlines saw a 3% increase in satisfaction, reaching an ACSI score of 76 out of 100, nearly matching the sector’s all-time high. The improvement is attributed to better technology-enabled services, such as in-flight internet access, which saw a 20% year-over-year increase in satisfaction, and improved flight information, up 15%. Delta led the sector with a score of 79, overtaking last year’s leader Southwest, which dropped to 77. JetBlue and American Airlines tied for second at 78, with American showing significant improvement due to its loyalty program, especially among business travelers. Lower-cost carriers had mixed results: Frontier improved to 69, while Spirit dropped to 66, the lowest score among airlines.
Lodging: Mixed Results Among Brands
The lodging sector improved by 1% to a score of 77. Airbnb and Hilton shared the top position with scores of 79. Marriott followed at 78, while IHG saw the largest decline, dropping to 76, mainly due to decreases in satisfaction with its Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands. Wyndham ranked lowest at 70. Business travelers reported faster growth in satisfaction, with their overall score up 3%. The study notes that customer perceptions of value are changing as lodging operating models evolve.
Car Rentals: Leaders and Laggards
Car rental satisfaction rose by 1% to 76. Alamo and Avis led with scores of 79, with Avis showing a 7% increase. National also improved to 76, and Hertz reached 77. Budget and Dollar were at the lower end, with scores of 73 and 71, respectively. Budget experienced more customer complaints and lower ratings for its website and call centers. Dollar had the highest complaint rate among all brands.
Rideshare: Tied Leaders
Lyft and Uber both scored 76, with Uber improving among female riders after addressing safety concerns, and Lyft showing progress with AI-enabled customer service recovery.
Online Travel Agencies: Shifting Models and Younger Customers
Tripadvisor increased its score by 4% to tie with Booking.com at 77. Orbitz improved slightly but remained lowest at 68. Priceline dropped to 71 due to more complaints, and Expedia fell to 75. The sector is seeing success with AI-enabled services and loyalty programs. Satisfaction increased among customers under 42, indicating improved appeal to younger travelers.
Conclusion
The ACSI Travel Study 2026 indicates that customer satisfaction is rising across the travel industry, with technological innovation and changing customer expectations playing significant roles. The report suggests that continued focus on technology and core customer service will be important for further gains.
