In this article, we reveal the top 10 airlines that offered the best on-time performance in February 2024, according to CIRIUM.
*Note that for a flight to be on time, it must arrive at the gate within 15 minutes.
Top 10 Global Airlines for On-Time Performance
Aeromexico emerged as the most punctual and the most improved airline for February, boasting an impressive on-time performance (OTP) of 90.66%. This marked a significant 12.5-point increase compared to January’s performance of 78.13%, making it the standout achiever for the month.
Delta Air Lines secured the second-place position globally, achieving an OTP of 89.27%, whereas Iberia claimed the third-place spot in the global rankings with an OTP of 88.08%. United Airlines and Azul secured the fourth and fifth position globally with an OTP of 84.91% and 84.83% respectively.
| On-Time Ranking | Airlines | On-Time Arrival | Total Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aeromexico (AM) | 90.66% | 15,206 |
| 2 | Delta Air Lines (DL) | 89.27% | 123,748 |
| 3 | Iberia (IB) | 88.08% | 13,740 |
| 4 | United Airlines (UA) | 84.91% | 118,062 |
| 5 | Azul (AD) | 84.83% | 24,889 |
| 6 | American Airlines (AA) | 84.43% | 163,119 |
| 7 | Avianca (AV) | 83.88% | 20,618 |
| 8 | Qatar Airways (QR) | 83.27% | 16,292 |
| 9 | ANA (NH) | 82.85% | 23,052 |
| 10 | Lufthansa (LH) | 82.48% | 31,210 |
Note that for the Global airlines category, Cirium considers the Top 10% of all passenger airlines by Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs), flights and seats. Moreover, the airline must also serve at least three regions.
Top 10 Airlines for On-Time Performance in North America
In February, North America witnessed a remarkable improvement in on-time performance (OTP) as a result of a significant 77% reduction in cancelled flights.
Delta Air Lines maintained its dominance in the region, achieving an OTP of 89.27%, marking nearly a 10-point surge from the previous month. United Airlines followed closely in second place, boasting an OTP of 84.91%.
Notably, American Airlines made a noteworthy leap from fifth to third place, securing an OTP of 84.43%. Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines also demonstrated substantial improvements, securing the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
| On-Time Ranking | Airlines | On-Time Arrival | Total Flights |
| 1 | Delta Air Lines (DL) | 89.27% | 123,748 |
| 2 | United Airlines (UA) | 84.91% | 118,062 |
| 3 | American Airlines (AA) | 84.43% | 163,119 |
| 4 | Alaska Airlines (AS) | 81.91% | 30,297 |
| 5 | Southwest Airlines (WN) | 81.88% | 107,735 |
| 6 | Frontier Airlines (F9) | 80.30% | 15,247 |
| 7 | Spirit Airlines (NK) | 78.33% | 22,833 |
| 8 | Air Canada (AC) | 75.28% | 29,179 |
| 9 | JetBlue (B6) | 75.24% | 25,510 |
| 10 | WestJet (WS) | 68.84% | 14,592 |
Top 10 Airlines for On-Time Performance in Asia Pacific
Singapore Airlines led the APAC region with an OTP of 84.12%, followed closely by ANA and Cathay Pacific.
Japan Airlines and Garuda Indonesia rounded out the top five, each demonstrating an OTP performance of over 80%. Additionally, the APAC region observed a significant 21% decrease in cancelled flights compared to January 2024.
| On-Time Ranking | Airlines | On-Time Arrival | Total Flights |
| 1 | Singapore Airlines (SQ) | 84.12% | 9,098 |
| 2 | ANA (NH) | 82.85% | 23,052 |
| 3 | Cathay Pacific (CX) | 82.03% | 7,499 |
| 4 | JAL (JL) | 81.41% | 24,632 |
| 5 | Garuda Indonesia (GA) | 81.09% | 5,586 |
| 6 | AirAsia (AK) | 80.90% | 13,774 |
| 7 | Peach Aviation (MM) | 78.75% | 4,447 |
| 8 | Philippine Airline (PR) | 78.23% | 8,918 |
| 9 | Air New Zealand (NZ) | 76.70% | 14,535 |
| 10 | Jetstar (JQ) | 75.85% | 9,343 |
Top 10 Airlines for On-Time Performance in Europe
In Europe, Austrian Airlines retained its top position with a remarkable OTP of 92.96%, showcasing improvement over the previous month. Iberia Express, Aegean Airlines, ITA Airways, and Vueling also secured top spots in the region with an average OTP of over 90% among the top five.
February witnessed considerable OTP enhancements across most airlines in Europe, accompanied by a 7% decrease in cancelled flights.
| On-Time Ranking | Airlines | On-Time Arrival | Total Flights |
| 1 | Austrian (OS) | 92.96% | 7,105 |
| 2 | Iberia Express (12) | 90.15% | 3,278 |
| 3 | Aegean Airlines (A3) | 89.67% | 6,426 |
| 4 | ITA Airways (AZ) | 89.32% | 9,838 |
| 5 | Vueling (VY) | 89.11% | 14,639 |
| 6 | Iberia (IB) | 88.08% | 13,740 |
| 7 | Eurowings (EW) | 87.16% | 8,185 |
| 8 | LOT Polish Airlines (LO) | 86.68% | 7,077 |
| 9 | Air Europa (UX) | 85.70% | 5,168 |
| 10 | Wizz Air Malta (W4) | 85.30% | 9,351 |
Top 10 Airlines for On-Time Performance in Latin America
Latin America experienced a notable 35% reduction in flight cancellations in February, with Copa Airlines emerging as the region’s frontrunner with an impressive OTP of 91.66%.
Aeromexico displayed commendable improvement, climbing from seventh to second place with an OTP of 90.66%. Caribbean Airlines, Azul, and Avianca made it into the top five most punctual airlines in the region.
| On-Time Ranking | Airlines | On-Time Arrival | Total Flights |
| 1 | Copa Airlines (CM) | 91.66% | 9,777 |
| 2 | Aeromexico (AM) | 90.66% | 15,206 |
| 3 | Caribbean Airlines (BW) | 87.94% | 2,419 |
| 4 | Azul (AD) | 84.83% | 24,889 |
| 5 | Avianca (AV) | 83.88% | 20,618 |
| 6 | Aerolineas Argentinas (AR) | 82.92% | 9,887 |
| 7 | Gol (G3) | 82.43% | 15,876 |
| 8 | LATAM Airlines (LA) | 82.12% | 43,699 |
| 9 | Sky Airline (H2) | 71,77% | 5,064 |
Top 10 Airlines for On-Time Performance in Middle East & Africa
Despite a marginal decrease in OTP for most airlines, the Middle East & Africa region witnessed a notable 35% reduction in cancelled flights in February.
Safair emerged as the leader with an impressive OTP of 93.96%, followed by Oman Air, and Gulf Air in the top three. Safair led both the Middle East & Africa region and the Low-Cost Carrier category last month.
| On-Time Ranking | Airlines | On-Time Arrival | Total Flights |
| 1 | Safair (FA) | 93.96% | 4,262 |
| 2 | Oman Air (WY) | 88.11% | 3,731 |
| 3 | Gulf Air (GF) | 84.08% | 3,908 |
| 4 | Qatar Airways (QR) | 83.27% | 16,292 |
| 5 | Saudia (SV) | 81.56% | 15,042 |
| 6 | Kuwait Airways (KU) | 79.43% | 2,839 |
| 7 | Royal Jordanian (RJ) | 76.14% | 2,189 |
| 8 | Etihad Airways (EY) | 75.64% | 6,223 |
| 9 | Middle East Airlines (ME) | 75.09% | 1,320 |
| 10 | Royal Air Maroc (AT) | 71,71% | 4,563 |
Source: CIRIUM