Delta, United, Alaska tops in North America for on-time performance

Many travelers have experienced flight delays at one point or another.

A recent Cirium report revealed the top performers for 2024 among airlines globally and regionally when it came to on-time flight operations.

For North American airlines, Delta Airlines and nine other carriers appeared on the aviation analytics firm’s 2024 list of “Top 10 Winners” for punctuality, with flights that arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled gate arrival time considered “on time.”

to the company The 2024 Timely Performance Review report It comes just one day after JetBlue Airways agreed to pay a $2 million fine to settle claims by the Department of Transportation that it “operated four chronically delayed flights at least 145 times between June 2022 and November 2023.”

JETBLUE Received $2 Million Fine for Chronic Flight Delays

The carrier told FOX Business that it has “invested tens of millions of dollars to reduce flight delays, particularly related to ongoing air traffic control challenges in the Northeast and Florida in recent years.”

“Thanks to these efforts, we saw significant operational improvements in 2024, including better on-time performance during this year’s peak summer travel season,” JetBlue said.

The airline also said it believes “responsibility for reliable air travel rests equally with the U.S. government that operates our nation’s air traffic control system,” urging the government to “prioritize the modernization of aging ATC technology” and address the “chronic shortage of air traffic controllers.” “, FOX Business reported earlier.

It ranked 7th on Cirium’s North American list for on-time flights.

The five North American airlines that Cirium found to be the most timely are:

1. Delta

A Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 passenger jet from Dublin arrives at New York’s JFK International Airport as the Manhattan skyline is seen in the background on February 7, 2024. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)

It Atlanta-based carrier In 2024, its flight arrival rate was 83.46%, ranking first among North American airlines, according to the report.Globally, it was No. 3. Cirium was hit hard by July’s Crowdstrike , also awarded a platinum award, and Delta Chief Operating Officer John Latter said: and the operational excellence of Delta’s people.”

2. United Airlines

NEWARK, NJ – JANUARY 27: United Airlines planes take to the runway at Newark Liberty International Airport in front of midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building skyline in New York on January 27, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images/Getty Images)

United flights were on time 80.93% of the time, Cirium found. Its No. 2 ranking among North American carriers for 2024 marked a two-place jump from 2023, when it was ranked No. 10 in 2024 In the world ranking of Cirium.

3. Alaska Airlines

An Alaska SkyWest Embraer E175LR departs from Los Angeles International Airport to San Francisco on May 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

The report said Alaska Airlines operated on-time flights 79.25% of the time in 2024. The carrier had a fleet of more than 320 planes as of the end of October, according to its website.

4. American Airlines

An American Eagle Embraer ERJ 170-200 takes off at Los Angeles International Airport on July 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Aaron P/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images)

American Airlines took fourth place in 2024. It operated more than 2.17 million flights with an on-time arrival rate of 77.78%, according to Cirium. American is headquartered in Texas.

5. Southwest Airlines

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 takes off from Los Angeles International Airport on May 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images/Getty Images)

Cirium said Southwest operated flights 77.77% of the time last year, with more than 1.45 million Southwest flights in 2024. The carrier also booked 5th place in 2023

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Aeromexico is #1 in the world

Aeromexico, based in Mexico City, was ranked No. 1 in Cirium’s global airline punctuality rankings, with flights on time 86.70% of the time, according to the report.

It has been operating for nine decades. In September, the company announced that more than 500 million people have flown during that time.

THESE DOMESTIC AIRLINES ARE THE MOST PASSENGER ROUTES IN 2024.

2025 is expected to be a busy year for air travel

Airlines around the world will see 5.2 billion passengers According to the forecast of the International Air Transport Association, there will be about 40 million flights by 2025.

Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.