Knowledge about the importance of sub-service encounters or touchpoints within the service process is a topic of interest to both researchers and businesses. However, existing research mainly analyses service encounter evaluations based on composite or overall measures. While these studies make a significant contribution to understanding the importance of specific attributes for evaluating the overall encounter, our study extends existing research by showing how evaluations might be built upon different configurations of touchpoints. Based on a qualitative comparative analysis, we identify the determinants that are ultimately necessary, as well as those that are sufficient, for creating positive customer experiences within airline services. We provide managers with guidance on how to design successful customer experiences and long-lasting customer satisfaction. This knowledge helps service firms invest in quality improvements that will pay off in the long run.We enrich service theory by providing an in-depth view of customer service encounters and by identifying how different configurations of touchpoint evaluations lead to satisfactory service experiences. We establish a complementary explanation of the creation of customers’ evaluations of multiple touchpoints.