Major Canadian airlines rank bottom of the pack for being on time, data shows
In 2024, Mexican airline Aeromexico emerged as the global leader in on-time arrivals, surpassing all other carriers worldwide. According to the latest rankings released by aviation-data provider Cirium, nearly 87% of Aeromexico flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, demonstrating exceptional punctuality and reliability.
Following closely behind Aeromexico was Saudia, the flagship carrier of Saudi Arabia, which achieved an impressive on-time performance rate of just over 86%. Cirium’s CEO, Jeremy Bowen, noted that 2024 presented significant challenges for airlines, including severe weather conditions and a major technology outage during the summer. Despite these obstacles, the top-performing airlines, such as Aeromexico and Saudia, were able to ensure that the majority of passengers reached their destinations on time.
Among U.S. carriers, Delta Air Lines stood out as the top performer, with an on-time rate of more than 83%, securing the third spot globally. Despite facing a computer outage that led to thousands of flight cancellations in July, Delta’s commitment to operational excellence and efficiency shone through.
Other notable U.S. carriers included United Airlines, with an on-time rate of nearly 81%, and Alaska Airlines, which achieved just over 79% on-time performance, according to Cirium. On the other hand, Canadian airlines like WestJet, Air Canada, and Frontier Airlines based in Denver, ranked lower on the list with on-time ratings below 72%.
In addition to individual airline performances, Cirium also highlighted the best airports for on-time departures in 2024. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, emerged as the leader in this category, with nearly 87% of flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled time. Following closely behind were Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru, and Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport, both boasting over 84% on-time departure records.
Despite the challenges faced by Delta Air Lines due to the technology outage in July, the airline managed to maintain its position as the top U.S. carrier for on-time arrivals. The outage, caused by a faulty upgrade from cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike to Microsoft computers worldwide, resulted in significant disruptions for Delta. The airline later filed a lawsuit against CrowdStrike, claiming damages of $500 million. CrowdStrike, however, defended itself by pointing out that other airlines were able to recover more swiftly from the outage.
Overall, the rankings provided by Cirium offer valuable insights into the performance of airlines and airports in terms of punctuality and reliability. The top performers, such as Aeromexico, Saudia, and Delta Air Lines, have set a high standard for the industry, ensuring that passengers reach their destinations on time and with minimal disruptions.
