As global tourism approached pre-pandemic levels in 2024, airports and airlines experienced a surge in passenger traffic, facing significant challenges in maintaining punctuality. Cirium’s annual rankings shed light on the most on-time airlines and airports.
Aeromexico topped the list as the most punctual global airline in 2024, with 86.7% of its flights arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled times. Saudia closely followed with 86.35%, and Delta Air Lines took third place with 83.46%.
Delta was also honoured by Cirium as the “best global airline for operational excellence” for the fourth consecutive year, a recognition of its punctuality and operational scale. Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen expressed surprise at Delta’s performance, noting a 9% improvement in punctuality.
Top Airports for On-Time Performance
King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia ranked highest globally, with over 86% of flights departing on time. Tocumen International in Panama led among medium-sized airports, and Ecuador’s Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International was the leader in the small airport category.
The top 10 most punctual airlines and airports for 2024:
| Rank | Most Punctual Airlines | Most Punctual Airports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aeromexico | Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) |
| 2 | Saudia | Lima Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) |
| 3 | Delta Air Lines | Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) |
| 4 | LATAM Airlines | Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) |
| 5 | Qatar Airways | Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) |
| 6 | Azul Airlines | Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) |
| 7 | Avianca | Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) |
| 8 | Iberia | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) |
| 9 | Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) | Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL) |
| 10 | United Airlines | Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) |
