Aeromexico was the most punctual airline worldwide in 2024 with 86.7 per cent of its flights arriving on time, according to aviation analytics specialist Cirium. Saudia was runner-up, with 86.35 per cent of flights on time, and Delta Air Lines was third with 83.46 per cent.
LATAM Airlines (82.89 per cent) was fourth and Qatar Airways (82.83 per cent) fifth, with Azul Airlines, Avianca, Iberia, Scandinavian Airlines and United Airlines completing the top ten globally.
Among European airlines, Iberia Express and Iberia were the top performers, followed by Scandinavian Airlines, Vueling Airlines, Norwegian, Air Europa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines and Norwegian Air Sweden.
Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, was recognised by Cirium for its operational excellence, which considers the complexity of carriers’ networks, the volume of flights and the ability to limit the impact of flight disruptions.
Riyadh King Khalid International Airport was named the best ‘global’ airport for on-time departures, followed by Lima’s Jorge Chavez airport and Mexico City Benito Juarez International Airport.
Only two European airports were named among the best-performing airports worldwide, with Oslo Gardermoen Airport ninth in the global airport category and Stavanger Airport sixth in the small airport category.
“2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage, and unseasonable and severe weather patterns. Despite these challenges, these airlines and airports have worked tirelessly to ensure their customers have a smooth journey and reach their destination on-time,” said Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO.
Cirium defines an on-time flight as one that arrives within 15 minutes of its scheduled gate arrival time and measures airport punctuality on the proportion of flights that depart within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure time.