It seems like delayed flights are par for the course when it comes to air travel after the COVID-19 pandemic — so much so, in fact, that the US Department of Transportation created first-of-their-kind regulations to ensure airlines refund passengers left stranded. It’s possible that additional rules could be introduced past that to compensate travelers for delays, even if their planes eventually take off.
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The Most On-Time Airline in Every Region of the World
However, with a Republican administration taking office in the US in early 2025, it’s likely that consumer protection won’t be as high of a priority as it has been during the Biden Administration. And that may mean that travelers in 2025 and beyond are again at the mercy of airlines to reschedule, reconnect, and redeliver them and their luggage when flights are delayed.
Fortunately, a new analysis of the Department of Transportation’s annual Air Travel Consumer Reports found each of the most on-time airlines in every region of the world. Sure, some delays are unavoidable — Denver, for example, is more likely to have delays due to de-icing planes than, say, Miami. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for delayed flight, and when it comes to airline on-time performance, some airlines are better than others at landing you in your destination on time.
Some airlines are less likely to leave you waiting at a crowded gate than others. Photo: Best Photo Plus/Shutterstock
The 2024 On-Time Performance Review by Cirium found that the following airlines achieved the highest punctuality in their respective regions. Cirium is an analytics company that provides insights and analytics for the aviation industry. Because it collects real-time flight data, it has a wealth of information related to airlines’ on-time performance, delays, cancellations, and routes. Many airlines use Cirium and its data to help forecast demand and make route-planning decisions.
What’s the difference between a global and regional airline?
In the Cirium report, only some airlines are considered global, and those are the airlines highlighted for each region of the world. In order for an airline to be considered global, it must regularly serve at least three geographic regions, and be in the top 10 percent of airlines by annual flight and seat volume. That means some smaller airlines within each region may actually have a higher on-time performance than the “winners.” In those cases, both are highlighted below.
The most on-time global airline in every global region
Latin America: Aeroméxico
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Aeroméxico achieved the highest global on time performance, or OTP, in 2024. Nearly 87 percent of its flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled time. The report credits that to the airline’s investment in new planes that are less likely to encounter maintenance issues. The average age of an AeroMexico plane is 7.1 years, compared to an industry average of around 11 years. It also credited the airline’s fleet expansion, as well as investments in high-tech programs that can predict and avoid potential weather disruptions before they happen.
Aeroméxico is Mexico’s flagship carrier and one of the leading airlines in Latin America. It’s based at Mexico City International Airport, flies to 23 countries, and is a member of the SkyTeam alliance.
However, in terms of carriers based in Latin America, Copa Airlines actually had the best on-time performance. In 2024, just over 88 percent of its flights arrived on time. It’s based in Panama and flies to several major cities in the US.
Africa: Fly Safair
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Though the report considers the Middle East and Africa one region, we think they’re worth highlighting separately. In Africa, Fly Safair took the top spot, with 93.82 percent of flights arriving with 15 minutes of their scheduled times. “FlySafair’s commitment to punctuality is no accident,” writes the report, “with FlySafair ranking as the most on-time regional carrier 11 out of 12-months in 2024 by Cirium.” Fly Safair doesn’t qualify as a global airline, but if it did, it would be the most on-time airline in the world.
Fly Safair is a low-cost airline based out of O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s not part of any global airline alliance, though it does have booking agreements with major airlines like Air France, KLM, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines to allow for easy booking. It flies throughout Africa, including to many destinations popular for safari vacations.
North America: Delta Air Lines
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Delta Air Lines led North American carriers with an on-time performance of just over 83 percent in 2024, securing the third position globally. Despite challenges, including a significant IT outage in July that disrupted operations, Delta held on to its title, having earned the same designation in 2023. The report credits an investment in new planes, as well as “comprehensive training programs, performance-aligned incentives, and a culture that prioritizes safety and punctuality” that allows employees to be as effective as possible. It’s actually an improvement from 2023, when 82.2 percent of Delta flights were considered on time.
Delta Air Lines is one of the largest airlines in the world, flying to 275 destinations in more than 50 countries. It’s a founding partner of the SkyTeam alliance and is based out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — the busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic.
United Airlines came in second with 81 percent of flights considered on time, and Alaska was third when it comes to airline on-time performance, at just over 79 percent.
Middle East: Saudia
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Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, recorded an OTP of just over 86 percent in 2024. That gives it the number two spot when it comes to global airlines, though it’s actually only third among carriers based in the Middle East (as the first two aren’t considered “global” airlines). The airline’s on-time performance is credited to investments in infrastructure, including additional aircraft and additional seating to accommodate more flyers, which makes it it easier to adjust to move planes around when delays happen. It also added more flights and planes to its subsidiary low-cost airlines, Flynas and Flyadeal.
Saudia operates from its hub at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and flies to five continents. It’s a member of the SkyTeam Alliance.
Though it doesn’t qualify for the global rankings, Oman Air actually had the highest on-time performance for airlines based in the Middle East, at 90.27 percent. It flies to about 40 destination, though none are in North America, Latin America, or South America.
Asia-Pacific: Japan Airlines
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Japan Airlines (JAL) was recognized as the leading carrier in the Asia-Pacific region for on-time performance in 2024, with 80.9 percent of flights arriving on time. That’s especially impressive given the massive cancellations and delays caused by two typhoons in August. Cirium credits the airline’s on-time performance to not just Japan’s culture — “the nation is globally renowned for its emphasis on timeliness, meticulous planning, and technological innovation,” the report writes— but also to the country’s overall investments in transportation and infrastructure, from trains to roads to airlines.
JAL is based at Tokyo Haneda Airport with a second large hub at Tokyo Narita Airport. It’s in the Oneworld Alliance and flies to 21 countries (or 66, if you count flights by airlines with whom it has a code-sharing agreement).
Europe: Iberia Express
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Iberia Express took the top global spot in Europe, with an on-time performance of just under 85 percent. It’s the second year the airline has taken the top spot, which is especially impressive as it added additional flights to destinations like Marrakech and Edinburgh in 2024. The report credits the airline’s central location (hubbed in Madrid, Spain) as well as its high-tech modeling software, as being responsible for the solid performance statistics.
Iberia Express is owned by Iberia Airlines. It’s the flagship carrier of Spain and serves more than 130 airpots in 50 countries, with a focus on Spanish-speaking regions. It’s part of the Oneworld Alliance with British Airways, American Airlines, Qantas, and more. 