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 |
Flight Delay – Know Your Rights
Did you have a delayed or cancelled flight? You may be entitled to compensation with SkyCop. Don’t pass up this opportunity!
The European Regulation EC261 rule is an extensive bit of legislation that requires airlines to compensate passengers in the event of:
- Denied boarding
- Flight cancellation
- Long delay of flights (three or more hours)
Under EC261 you may be eligible for compensation reaching up to EUR 600 if your flight is delayed by more than 3 hours or gets canceled.
SkyCop can help you if you have a flight disruption within the EU (on any airline), leaving the EU (on any airline), or arriving in the EU (on an EU airline).
Source: CIRIUM