Most Punctual Airlines and Airports in 2023
In 2023, Cirium, an aviation analytics company, revealed that two Spanish airlines emerged as the most punctual operators for flights. Iberia Express (I2) and Iberia (IB), both Spanish carriers, secured the first and second positions for on-time ranking in Europe, with on-time arrival rates of 84.58% and 84.38%, respectively. These airlines operated a total of 40,985 and 170,750 flights, ensuring timely arrivals within 15 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival.
Top Airlines in Europe:
| Airline | On-Time Ranking | On-Time Arrival | Total Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iberia Express (I2) | 1 | 84.58% | 40,985 |
| Iberia (IB) | 2 | 84.38% | 170,750 |
| Austrian Airlines (OS) | 3 | 82.99% | 113,587 |
| LOT Polish Airlines (LO) | 4 | 82.83% | 96,112 |
| Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY) | 5 | 82.75% | 82,791 |
Top Airlines in North America:
Delta Air Lines (DL) ranked first in North America with an impressive on-time arrival rate of 84.72%, followed by Alaska Airlines (AS) with 82.25%, American Airlines (AA) with 80.61%, United Airlines (UA) with 80.04%, and Southwest Airlines (WN) with 76.26%.
Top Airlines in Latin America:
In Latin America, Copa Airlines (CM) secured the top position with an on-time arrival rate of 89.46%, followed by Avianca Airlines (AV) with 85.73%, Azul Airlines (AD) with 85.51%, LATAM Airlines (LA) with 84.00%, and Caribbean Airlines (BW) with 81.73%.
Top Airlines in Asia Pacific:
The Asia Pacific region saw All Nippon Airways (NH) leading with an on-time arrival rate of 82.75%, followed by Japan Airlines (JL) with 82.58%, Thai AirAsia (FD) with 82.52%, IndiGo (6E) with 82.12%, and Air New Zealand (NZ) with 79.68%.
Top Airlines in Middle East & Africa:
Oman Air (WY) achieved the highest punctuality rate globally and in the Middle East & Africa region with a remarkable on-time arrival rate of 92.53%. Safair (FA) followed closely with 92.36%, Royal Air Jordanian (RJ) with 87.51%, Qatar Airways (QR) with 85.11%, and Etihad Airways (EY) with 82.90%.
Additionally, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) in the United States was recognized as the top-performing global airport of 2023 with an 84.44% on-time departure rate.
It’s noteworthy that Delta Air Lines won its third consecutive Platinum Award in North America, underscoring the industry’s commitment to efficiency and punctuality despite operational challenges. Jeremy Bowen, CEO of Cirium, expressed optimism for the aviation sector in 2024, citing the remarkable performance of airlines and airports in 2023.
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