J.D. Power released its 2015 North American Airline Satisfaction Study earlier this week, with results continuing to establish the trend set over the last several years. Alaska Airlines is still atop the traditional carrier rankings, scoring better than Delta, U.S. Airways, American, and United. JetBlue finished first in the low-cost carrier rankings for the 10th straight year, although Southwest was not far behind.

An interesting note is that many flyers today are starting to pick airlines based on what each one offers, not necessarily which flight is the cheapest or non-stop. In-flight offerings vary from airline to airline when it comes to entertainment, food options, and the check-in process.

From personal experience, I have flown with the following airlines over the last two years: United, Southwest, U.S. Airways, and Allegiant (and Air Canada as well), with all four having their positives and negatives. I can only compare it with Air Canada, but United did have the best in-flight entertainment options (music, movies, etc.), although the Chicago-based airline could make many improvements when it comes to customer service at the check-in gate. Southwest is popular because of its open seating policy (meaning you pick a seat when you board, not ahead of time) and the ability to check two bags free, but does not have in-flight movies or music to offer. That’s not a big deal on a short flight, but for one traveling from Baltimore to Los Angeles (a nonstop flight as of May 15), it may add to the flyer’s experience. U.S. Airways as a traditional carrier may draw some critics because of the prices, but more often than not provides a stress-free flight. Allegiant is a unique airline; it has very cheap rates partially because it flies out of lesser-used airports (Orlando Sanford, for example, as opposed to Orlando International). However, those who fly Allegiant pay an extra fee to bring carry-on luggage aboard, and flights to and from destinations are not on a daily basis.

Do you have any advice for fellow travelers looking for an airline to go with? What is your favorite or worst airline to fly? Leave a comment below!