In 2024, the airlines with the most punctual flight schedules globally have been identified.
Amid sneaky stowaways and daring attempts at smuggling banned items, plus other thrilling aviation happenings this year, there's some positive news. Aviation analytics firm Cirium has published its annual rundown of the airlines and airports with the best on-time records.
Air travel can be tense for numerous reasons, and knowing which flight has the best odds of allowing you to make your connecting flight can help alleviate some pre-travel tension.
Cirium divides its data by region and airport/airline size (based on the average annual number of passengers served).
In their analysis, "on time" means a scheduled flight arrives or departs within 14 minutes and 59 seconds of its scheduled arrival time.
Overall Champions
Are you thinking about joining a loyalty program? Well, all three of this year's most punctual airlines are part of the SkyTeam alliance: Aeromexico, Saudia, and Delta Air Lines, in that order.
Aeromexico and Delta are SkyTeam founding members, having been part of the alliance since SkyTeam was established in 2000.
Saudia, the Saudi Arabian flag carrier, is still fairly new to the group. However, the airline is eager to grow significantly over the next decade as part of the country's broader tourism strategy. Earlier this year, Saudia placed an order for 105 Airbus planes, which will almost double the airline's capacity.
Regional recognition
Japan's two largest airlines grabbed the top two spots for promptness in the Asia-Pacific region: Japan Air Lines (JAL) in first place and All Nippon Airways (ANA) in second. The two were separated by merely 0.4 percentage points.
Singapore Airlines finished third for the region. It has been named the Best Airline in the World by Skytrax - thought of as the "Oscars of the aviation industry" - five times.
Safair, a South African low-cost carrier, was crowned the most punctual airline in the MENA (Middle East and Africa) region, followed by Oman Air and Royal Jordanian.
In Europe, Madrid-based Iberia landed in second place, with its low-cost subsidiary Iberia Express in first.
And for North America, Delta took top honors, followed by United and Alaska.
In Latin America, Colombia-based Copa won the punctuality honor for the second year in a row.
Top Airports
Besides analyzing individual airlines, Cirium scrutinizes airport data worldwide.
Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) took the top position in the large airport category as well as the overall title. Coming in second and third for the overall category were Lima Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) in Peru and Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX).
Riyadh and Mexico City were ranked first and third for large airports, respectively, while Honolulu International Airport (HNL) in Hawaii was second on the list.
For medium-sized airports, the top three were Panama Tocumen International Airport (PTY), Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM), and Brasilia International Airport (BSB). In the small airport category, the most punctual ones were Guayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo Intl Airport (GYE), Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), and El Salvador International Airport (SAL).
While these statistics are commendable, it's important to remember that many factors contributing to delays are beyond the control of individual airlines or airports. Weather plays a significant role, and climate change is expected to make it more challenging in the coming years.
The World's Most Punctual Airlines
1. Aeromexico
2. Saudia
3. Delta Air Lines
4. LATAM Airlines
5. Qatar Airways
6. Azul Airlines
7. Avianca
8. Iberia
9. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)
10. United Airlines
The World's Most Punctual Airports
1. Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH)
2. Lima Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM)
3. Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX)
4. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
5. Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL)
6. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
7. Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
8. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
9. Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL)
10. Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH)
Traveling with confidence can be achieved by choosing airlines with excellent on-time records. For instance, aviation analytics firm Cirium named Aeromexico, Saudia, and Delta Air Lines as the most punctual airlines this year, which could reduce pre-travel tension for travelers joining SkyTeam alliance's loyalty programs.
Saudia, the Saudi Arabian flag carrier, has shown consistent improvement and planned to grow significantly by ordering 105 Airbus planes, giving passengers a more reliable flying experience in the future.
