Did you know that on-time departure and arrival are among the most important factors affecting customer satisfaction with an airline? In fact, on-time performance is so important that it can have a massive impact on passenger perceptions of the rest of the airline.
An airline that spends money on expensive inflight entertainment systems, complimentary food and drink, fast and reliable Wi-Fi, and shiny new cabins in an attempt to woo passengers can see their investments go up in smoke if their operational performance fails to deliver.
| On-time ranking | Airline | On-time arrival | Completion factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aeromexico | 86.70% | 99.32% |
| 2 | Saudia | 86.35% | 99.82% |
| 3 | Delta Air Lines | 83.46% | 98.95% |
| 4 | LATAM Airlines | 82.89% | 98.52% |
| 5 | Qatar Airways | 82.83% | 99.72% |
| 6 | Azul | 82.43% | 96.70% |
| 7 | Avianca | 81.80% | 98.14% |
| 8 | Iberia | 81.58% | 98.83% |
| 9 | SAS | 81.40% | 99.09% |
| 10 | United Airlines | 80.93% | 98.35% |
An airline that manages to run a reliable, on-time operation will not only save a lot of money but stands to gain highly satisfied customers who might even be willing to spend more money to benefit from their operational excellence.
While Delta Air Lines made headlines for all the wrong reasons last summer when it suffered a spectacular operational meltdown in the aftermath of the global Crowdstrike computer outage, the airline continues to run a more reliable operation that any other US-based airline.
According to new data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, passengers had a better chance of arriving on time when they flew with Delta with the Atlanta-based carrier boasting an on-time arrival rate of 83.46% for 2024.
In comparison, United’s on-time arrival rate landed at 80.93%, and Alaska Airlines took third place with 79.25% of flights arriving on time. American Airlines took fourth place with an on-time arrival rate of 77.78%, while Southwest Airlines rounded out the top five with 77.77% of its flights arriving on time.
As impressive as Delta’s performance in 2024 was, it only took bronze in the global race for operational excellence. Gold was won by Aeromexico with an on-time arrival rate of 86.70%, while Silver was snatched by Saudia with 86.35% of its flights arriving on time.
Interestingly, all three airlines belong to the Star Alliance. Frequent flyers who prefer the Oneworld alliance can, however, take solace in the news that Latin America’s LATAM Airlines and Doha-based Qatar Airways took fourth and fifth place, respectively, in the global list of top-performing airlines.
Unlike how many airlines measure on-time performance, Cirium bases its figures on on-time arrival performance rather than on-time departure – That’s to say when a plane arrives at the gate within 14:59 minutes of the scheduled arrival time.
Unfortunately, far too many carriers focus on on-time departure as a metric, rushing to get the last aircraft door closed and the breaks set to off, only for the plane to then be delayed on the ground. In the end, passengers still end up frustrated because the plane arrives at its destination late, but the airline thinks its performing well.
“2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage, and unseasonable and severe weather patterns,” commented Cirium chief executive Jeremy Bowen on Thursday.
“Despite these challenges, these airlines and airports have worked tirelessly to ensure their customers have a smooth journey and reach their destination on-time,” Bowen continued.
“A special recognition goes to Delta Air Lines for continuing their outstanding winning streak with Cirium’s Platinum Award for airlines.”
Elsewhere, Japan Airlines won the award for the most on-time airline in the Asia Pacific region, while Iberia Express took the prize for the most on-time airline in Europe and the most on-time low-cost airline globally.
Panama-based Copa Airlines achieved an incredibly impressive on-time arrival rate of 88.22%, snatching the title as the most on-time airline in Latin America, while Aeromexico had to settle for second place at the regional level.
In the Middle East and Africa, the South African low-cost carrier FlySafair took the top spot, followed by Oman Air, Royal Jordanian, and Saudia. Regional behemoth Emirates came in ninth place, followed by low-cost sister airline Flydubai.
