Aeromexico was The most punctual global airline in 2024, That’s according to a report released by aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Approximately 86.7% of tracked flights arrive “on time”, meaning they arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time.
This result is “absolutely” Cirium chief executive Jeremy Bowen said it was a surprise “Squawk Box Asia” Friday.
“They’ve had a phenomenal year,” he said. “Their on-time performance improved… by as much as 9 percent. Going from outside the top 10 to No. 1 is unprecedented.”
Bowen said Aeromexico’s rise can be attributed to the company’s culture, investments in new equipment and relationships with its Mexico City international airport hub. When an airline and its hubs both score well, “it’s because they work effectively as a team,” he said.
Saudi Arabian Airlines (formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines) ranks 2nd among global airlines — 9th in 2019 Cirium 2023 Ranking — 86.35% of flights arrived on time, according to a report released Thursday.
Delta Air Lines (83.46%) ranked third, followed by LATAM Airlines (82.89%) and Qatar Airways (82.83%), according to Cirium.On-time performance reviews in 2024For the fourth year in a row, Cirium named Delta Air Lines the “World’s Best Airline for Operational Excellence” in recognition of its on-time performance and scale. It is one of the largest airlines in the world.
Bowen said that overall, on-time flight arrivals in 2024 were down 0.5% from the previous year.
He said the Crowd Strike software update inadvertently grounded thousands of flights, particularly those operated by Delta Air Lines, hurting the industry’s overall punctuality.
“There are also a lot of abnormal weather conditions happening around the world,” he said.
On-time performance is a key factor in passenger satisfaction and a key indicator of the health check of the aviation industry. Delays often increase costs for airlines while reducing morale among crew members, especially those who interact directly with travelers seeking answers to delays.
Regional Airline Winners
The report also analyzes the on-time performance of regional airlines, with several regional airlines achieving better on-time performance than global airlines.
The report stated that approximately 93.82% of scheduled flights of South African Saffir Airways landed on time. Oman Air also did the same on 90.27% of its flights, as did Panamanian flag carrier Copa Air (88.22%) and Royal Jordanian Airlines (87.02%).
In Europe, Iberia Express (84.69%) and Iberia (81.58%) rank first and second, as they do in Cirium 2023 On-Time Rankings.
Japan’s two largest airlines – Japan Airlines (80.90%) and All Nippon Airways (80.62%) – once again topped the list in the Asia-Pacific region, but both companies’ on-time performance fell last year compared with 2023, Cirium’s data showed.
Delta Air Lines ranks first in North America, followed by United Airlines (80.93%) and Alaska Airlines (79.25%).
Best airport for punctuality
Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport ranks first among airports globally, with more than 86% of flights departing on time in 2024, according to Cirium’s annual report.
An on-time airport flight refers to a flight that takes off within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time.
The report showed that Tocumen International Airport in Panama (90.34%) topped the ranking of medium-sized airports, and José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador (91.38%) was named the most punctual small airport in the world.
Checklist
Here are Cirium’s top five rankings for 2024:
global airlines
- Aeromexico — 86.7%
- Saudi Arabia — 86.35%
- Delta Air Lines — 83.46%
- LATAM Airlines — 82.89%
- Qatar Airways — 82.83%
Europe
- Iberia Express (Spain) – 84.69% (#1 in 2023)
- Iberia (Spain) – 81.58%
- Scandinavian Airlines — 81.4%
- Vueling (Spain) – 81.2%
- Norwegian — 79.23%
Middle East and Africa
- Saffir (South Africa) – 93.82%
- Oman Air — 90.27% (No. 1 in 2023)
- Royal Jordanian Airlines — 87.02%
- Saudi Arabia — 86.35%
- Kuwait Airways — 84.63%
Asia Pacific
- Japan Airlines — 80.9%
- ANA — 80.62% (No. 1 in 2023)
- Singapore Airlines — 78.67%
- Air New Zealand — 77.58%
- Thai AirAsia — 77.46%
North America
- Delta Air Lines — 83.46% (No. 1 in 2023)
- United Airlines — 80.93%
- Alaska Airlines — 79.25%
- American Airlines — 77.78%
- Southwest Airlines — 77.77%
latin america
- Copa Airlines (Panama) – 88.22% (#1 in 2023)
- Aeromexico—86.7%
- Caribbean Airlines — 85.47%
- Gol Linhas Aereas (Brazil) – 84.09%
- Aerolineas Argentinas — 83.06%
low cost airline
- Iberia Express (Spain) – 84.69%
- Gore (Brazil)-84.09%
- Blue Airlines (Brazil) – 82.42%
- Peach Airlines (Japan)-82.32%
- Vueling (Spain) – 81.2%
