
Delta tops North American list for most punctual flights
By Craig Nigrelli (Reporter ), Jack Henry (Video Editor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer)
The busy holiday travel season has ended, with AAA predicting nearly 8 million people chose to fly to get where they needed to go. Now, a new report shows which airlines were the most on-time.
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The airline analytics company Cirium has released its rankings for 2024, with Delta Air Lines finishing first.
Researchers found that Delta had an 84% on-time departure rate and an 83% on-time arrival rate.
United Airlines came in at No. 2 with an 82% on-time departure rate and an 81% on-time arrival average.
Alaska Airlines was No. 3, with 82% of its departures and 79% of arrivals being on time.

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American Airlines took fourth, with 79% of flights departing on time and 78% arriving on time.
Southwest came in at No. 5. Its flights were on time 77% of the time and its arrivals were 78% on time.
Top 10 on-time airlines in North America
- Delta Air Lines.
- United Airlines.
- Alaska Airlines.
- American Airlines.
- Southwest Airlines.
- Spirit Airlines.
- JetBlue Airways.
- Frontier Airlines.
- Air Canada.
- WestJet Airlines.
According to the report, Delta came in third place when compared to all the airlines around the world. Aeromexico and Saudia Airlines topped the list, respectively.
Top on-time airlines around the world
- Aeromexico.
- Saudia Airlines.
- Delta Air Lines.
Air travel was up in 2024 due to an increase in international trips. According to the International Air Transport Association, from January to October, revenue-passenger miles increased by 11% compared to 2023.
The association predicts that by 2025, departures will increase by 4.6% to a level of 40 million. As a result, the airlines are adding flights and increasing premium seating.
[Craig]
PERHAPS YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER GOT STUCK AT THE AIRPORT OVER THE HOLIDAYS AND NOW YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHICH AIRLINES ARE THE BEST IN NORTH AMERICA WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION , OR GETTING YOU HOME, ON-TIME, AS YOUR RESERVATION STIPULATES.
THE AIRLINE ANALYTICS COMPANY CIRIUM IS OUT WITH ITS RANKINGS FOR 2024.
FINISHING FIRST : DELTA AIRLINES. RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT DELTA HAD AN 84% ON-TIME DEPARTURE RATE AND AN 83 % ON-TIME ARRIVAL RATE.
UNITED AIRLINES CAME IN AT NUMBER TWO WITH AN 82% ON-TIME DEPARTURE RATE AND AN 81% ON-TIME ARRIVAL AVERAGE.
ALASKA AIRLINES WAS NUMBER THREE : 82% ON-TIME DEPARTURES; 79% ON-TIME ARRIVALS.
AMERICAN AIRLINES TOOK FOURTH WITH 79% OF FLIGHTS DEPARTING ON-TIME AND 78% ARRIVING ON-TIME.
SOUTHWEST CAME IN AT NUMBER 5. ITS FLIGHTS WERE ON-TIME 77 % OF THE TIME AND ITS ARRIVALS 78 %.
ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 10 IN ORDER : SPIRIT, JetBlue, FRONTIER, AIR CANADA AND WEST JET.
THE TOP THREE WORLD CARRIERS WERE : AEROMEXICO, SAUDIA AIRLINES AND DELTA.
AIR TRAVEL WAS UP IN 2024 DUE TO AN INCREASE IN INTERNATIONAL TRIPS.
ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION, FROM JANUARY TO OCTOBER, WHAT IS CALLED REVENUE-PASSENGER MILES INCREASED BY 11% COMPARED TO 2023.
THE ASSOCIATION PREDICTS THAT FOR 2025, DEPARTURES WILL INCREASE BY 4.6% TO A LEVEL OF 40 MILLION. AS A RESULT, THE AIRLINES ARE NOW ADDING FLIGHTS AND INCREASING PREMIUM SEATING. I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT NEWS APP
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