Users are less satisfied with travel apps and websites compared with those in other industries, and apps generate more satisfaction than supplier websites, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Travel App Satisfaction and Web Satisfaction studies.
The two studies, each based on about 5,600 responses fielded in June and July 2023, showed that hotel and rental car mobile apps have the highest overall satisfaction scores in the industry, scoring 682 and 681 on a 1,000-point scale, respectively. Airline apps lagged with a score of 672.
Among websites, rental car suppliers had the highest satisfaction score of 662, followed by hotels at 646 and airlines at 640.
The studies base satisfaction on six factors: account management, day of travel/duration of stay (which applies only to apps), navigation, reservation, speed and visual appeal.
Those scores are below the averages J.D. Power tracks for websites and apps in other industries—insurance websites, for example, earned a score of 719 on average. That could correspond to the higher stakes often involved when using travel sites and apps.
“Travel apps and websites are unique because they are most frequently used when travelers are experiencing some level of stress, like when they are in travel mode, juggling bags, watching the clock or trying to navigate an unfamiliar place,” J.D. Power managing director of travel, hospitality and retail Michael Taylor said in a statement.
In individual brand scores, Alaska Airlines had the highest satisfaction scores both for airline apps (688) and websites. Southwest Airlines was close behind in terms of apps with a score of 687, while JetBlue’s website had the second-highest satisfaction score in its category at 654.
Hyatt had both the top-rated app (722) and website (676) for hotels. Choice and Hilton both tied for the second-highest rated hotel app with scores of 691, and Hilton’s website score of 661 made it second in that category as well.
National had the top app (738) and website (709) satisfaction scores for car rental companies, and its sister brand Alamo had the second-highest score in each category.
