The Budget Airline That Has Better Staff Service Than Many Major Brands

Imagine the friendliest flight attendants, the nicest beverage service, and prompt assistance at the touch of a call button — these are just a few of the hallmarks of a great in-flight airline crew. According to a new survey, the airline that scored some of the top marks for staff service isn't Delta, United, Southwest, or American. It's Breeze Airways, a popular budget airline that got FAA approval to start offering affordable international flights in 2025. 

The Salt Lake City-based carrier has only been in business since 2021. But in Consumer Reports' Airline Travel Ratings, Breeze ranked higher than many major brands in the "service from airline staff" category for Coach/Economy Class. The publication surveyed more than 15,000 travelers who offered feedback on their experiences flying on 29,000 economy-class domestic flights between January 2022 and February 2023. 

So how did Breeze Airways, which operates more than 170 routes between 60-plus cities across 30 states, perform better than many of its competitors? First of all, being "nice" is among the company's primary objectives. "Nice, new, and nonstop" is one of the airline's mottos. "Seriously nice" is another. The standards for pleasant behavior from staff are high, and frequent flyers have taken notice.

Breeze Airways appears to be specifically recruiting for staff members who behave kindly to customers. "Help us take the simplicity of just being nice to new heights," says the airline's online hiring platform. The website also spells out the company's five core values of safety, integrity, ingenuity, excellence, and yes, kindness. "We expect [staff] to welcome and accommodate guests, mitigate high-stress situations, collaborate and problem solve with other team members, use good judgment, and just be...nice," reads the flight attendant job description. 

Mission accomplished, it seems. Evidence of friendly in-flight service is, of course, largely anecdotal. One travel blogger who flew Breeze, Johnny Jet, wrote that the captain personally greeted passengers from outside the cockpit, while a flight attendant turned on the plane's mood lighting "to give the flight a fun feeling." Elisabeth McKnight, another blogger with multiple experiences flying Breeze, called the airline staff "phenomenal" and "incredibly pleasant and kind," mentioning that many employees were youthful and energetic. 

It takes a lot of positive personal experiences to add up to a high score with Consumer Reports, and based on the survey's results, Breeze Airways' staff is delivering on the brand's "nice" ethos. The crew might even be compared with that of Singapore Airlines, which is regarded as having the best flight attendants around. Regardless of which airline you're flying, learn the trick to a simple behavior that "goes a long way" in getting great service, according to a flight attendant.