Customer experiences in travel are uniquely challenging due to their high-stakes and high-friction nature. Airlines have been slowly but surely scaling back the benefits that once made flying feel convenient and comfortable, leaving many customers to wonder if air travel is still worth paying exorbitant amounts for.
According to Airlines for America, among households making $50,000 or less, 70% have flown in their lifetimes, but only 37% said they took to the skies sometime between 2021 and 2025. This illustrates the rising cost of air travel as it becomes increasingly inaccessible. As flying becomes more expensive, customers are not only evaluating the price, they're also evaluating if the experience is still worthwhile for the cost.
The air travel industry is an expensive industry to operate. Due to the high-cost. Between fuel costs, aircraft maintenance, airport fees, and the sheer number of qualified employees it takes to get a customer to 35,000 feet, airlines face real cost pressures. Those costs give airlines room to justify higher fares, much like airports have normalized $8 bottles of water as a part of the travel experience. According to Airlines for America's 2025 research, air travel customers' top priority when choosing a flight was the price. The runner-up was convenient scheduling.
Airlines have been in the spotlight recently, with several making big experiential changes. Delta and Southwest have made changes in order to compete with other airlines, and Spirit Airlines is no more. What can this tell us about what experiences customers are—and aren't—willing to pay for?
Changes in Airline Policy
Delta Air Lines, a more premium carrier, is cutting costs, no longer offering free snacks and beverages for every flight—only routes longer than 350 miles get the full menu. This change affects over 450 flights daily. First-class service remains unchanged, but that does little for economy customers who may already feel they're paying premium prices for a stripped-down experience.
Southwest Airlines is also doing away with the perks that once differentiated it from other carriers. Open seating, free checked bags, and more tiered perks once set them apart, but, in favor of cost-cutting, they've lost what makes them different. Now, customers pay for a choice of seats, and checked bags are also paid. Southwest is moving toward looking like every other airline, though they used to have pride in being simpler, easier, and less "nickel-and-dime-y" than other carriers.
Spirit Airlines, a long-standing staple in the budget airline category, attempted to make flying more financially accessible by breaking down the ticket price from add-ons like luggage, seat-selection, and in-flight food. Spirit's business model ultimately proved unsustainable. The airline began winding down operations on May 2nd, 2026. Operating on already thin margins, it didn't take much pressure for the thrifty carrier to go under.
What Makes a Good Air Travel Experience?
If airlines are cutting perks, charging for formerly free differentiators, and losing budget carriers altogether, the question becomes: what does a good air travel experience actually look like now? Many different touchpoints factor into a good travel experience. Booking, airport logistics, boarding, baggage, and in-flight service all have to work together seamlessly in order for a customer to feel that the experience is worthwhile. In this high-stakes environment, there is so much riding on several different experiential settings. Once an industry customers dressed up for, air travel has become a dreaded necessity for many. Between rising fuel prices, post-pandemic travel demand, and aggressive cost-cutting, the flying experience has gotten away from the customer.