Passengers are faced with numerous options to choose from, but price, routes and schedules are still the most important factors in picking an airline, according to a survey.

When booking an airline trip, passengers face a dizzying number of decisions: Economy or business-class seat? Pay extra to board early or get in line? Buy a refundable or non-refundable ticket? Book a seat with a personal entertainment system or just read a magazine?

Travelers have so many choices that, according to new survey, some passengers spend more time shopping for a flight than they do actually flying.

Almost 20% of travelers spent five or more hours shopping and booking flights, according to a survey by a division of technology giant IBM Corp. of more than 2,000 business and leisure travelers. Business travelers were generally more efficient in booking a flight than leisure travelers, but almost 40% of business travelers spent at least two hours shopping and booking.

“There is now so much content and big data that people have to shop and shop and shop,” said Brian O’Rourke, global airline leader for IBM’s Global Business Services, which produces software and hardware for reservation systems and other airline services.

But the bad news for airlines, according to the survey, is that price, routes and schedules are still the most important factors travelers cite when choosing an airline — not brand preference or in-flight amenities.

In fact, the survey found 57% of passengers surveyed can perceive a difference in services among airlines, but only 41% are willing to pay extra to fly on their favorite carrier.

Although the airline industry has collected billions of dollars in fees to check bags and change flight reservations, among other charges, it is crying foul over a government proposal to increase a passenger charge by $2.50 a ticket.

Facing a massive federal deficit, President Obama’s latest budget proposes giving airports the authority to raise a passenger facility charge to pay for airport construction projects. The current fee is $4.50 per ticket and could go as high as $7 to offset $1.1 billion in cuts to airport grants. Congress must approve the proposed increase for it to take effect.

But airline representatives say such an increase would be a burden to passengers and hurt the industry’s recovery.

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