More Than 30% of Flights Were Delayed on These Two Airlines in 2023

Spirit Airlines saw the third highest number of flight complications in 2023, with 28.59 percent of its flights being delayed and 1.7 percent of its flights being canceled.

In order from most to least delays, Hawaiian, American, Southwest, and United saw between 25 and 20 percent of their flight times pushed back, while Alaska, SkyWest, Delta experienced the least number of delays, falling between 20 and 15 percent of flights.

According to the data, there’s no direct correlation between airlines that are likely to experience delays and airlines that are likely to cancel flights. Despite ranking seventh on the list of most delayed flights at 20.27 percent, United ranked fourth for flight cancellations at 1.4 percent. Hawaiian, by comparison, had the fourth highest number of delayed flights (23.41 percent) but canceled fewer flights than United (1.3 percent). Of the airlines analyzed, Alaska canceled the fewest flights in 2023 at 0.81 percent.

Overall, Delta had the highest percentage of on-time flights (82.61 percent) and one of the lowest percentages of canceled flights (1.02 percent).

Several factors can impact flight delays. According to the BTS, in 2023, late aircraft were the most common cause, followed by air carrier delays and National Aviation System (NAS) delays. Weather accounted for less than one percent of flight delays.

While flight disruptions are unpredictable, and perhaps inevitable, knowing which airlines are most likely to experience delays and cancellations can help you book smarter. The Department of Transportation (DOT) also has a few other tips for avoiding delays: prioritize early departure times and nonstop flights, fly out of less congested airports whenever possible, and call your airline before you leave for the airport to see if your flight is on time.

Of course, the DOT also recommends that air travelers know when they’re eligible for compensation in the event of an issue — whether that’s a delay, cancellation, baggage delay, or case of involuntary denied boarding.