Aeromexico was probably the most punctual global airline in 2024, in response to a report published by aviation analytics company Cirium.
Some 86.7% of its tracked flights arrived “on-time,” defined as arriving inside quarter-hour of scheduled arrival times.
This result was “absolutely” a surprise, Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen told “Squawk Box Asia” Friday.
“They’ve had a remarkable yr,” he said. “They’ve increased their on-time performance … by a whopping 9%. To go from from outside the highest 10 to No. 1 is kind of unprecedented.”
Bowen attributed Aeromexico’s ascent to the corporate culture, investment in latest equipment, and relationship with its hub at Mexico City International Airport, which ranked fourth for on-time flights amongst global airports in Cirium’s report. When each an airline and its hub rating well, “that is because they’re working effectively as a team,” he said.
Saudia (formerly often known as Saudi Arabian Airlines) ranked second amongst global airlines — up from ninth place in Cirium’s 2023 rankings — with 86.35% of flights arriving on time, in response to the report published Thursday.
Delta Air Lines (83.46%) placed third, followed by Latam Airlines (82.89%) and Qatar Airways (82.83%), in response to Cirium’s “2024 On-Time Performance Review.” For the fourth yr in a row, Cirium named Delta the “best global airline for operational excellence,” in recognition of its punctuality and size. It’s considered one of the biggest airlines on this planet.
Overall, on-time flight arrivals dropped by 0.5% in 2024 from the previous yr, Bowen said.
He said the CrowdStrike software update, which inadvertently grounded hundreds of flights, especially those operated by Delta Air Lines, hurt the general punctuality of the industry.
“We have also had numerous abnormal weather conditions globally,” he said.
On-time performance is a critical factor for passenger satisfaction and a key health-check metric for the airline industry. Delays often increase costs for airlines, while decreasing crew morale, especially amongst those that directly interact with travelers in search of answers for delays.
Regional airline winners
The report also analyzed on-time performance for regional airlines, with several delivering higher on-time percentages than the worldwide airlines list.
South Africa’s Safair airline landed some 93.82% of its scheduled flights on time, in response to the report. Oman Air did the identical for 90.27% of its flights, as did Copa Airlines, Panama’s flag carrier (88.22%), and Royal Jordanian Airlines (87.02%).
In Europe, Iberia Express (84.69%) and Iberia (81.58%) ranked No. 1 and a pair of, as they did in Cirium’s 2023 on-time rankings.
Japan’s two largest airlines — Japan Airlines (80.90%) and All Nippon Airways (80.62%) — again topped Asia-Pacific’s list, but on-time percentages for each fell last yr from 2023, in response to Cirium.
Delta Air Lines ranked No. 1 in North America, followed by United Airlines (80.93%) and Alaska Airlines (79.25%).
Best airports for on-time performance
Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport ranked No. 1 amongst global airports, with greater than 86% of its flights in 2024 departing on-time, in response to Cirium’s annual report.
On-time flights at airports are defined as people who leave inside quarter-hour of scheduled departure times.
Panama’s Tocumen International Airport (90.34%) topped the rating for medium-sized airports, while Ecuador’s Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport (91.38%) was named probably the most punctual small airport on this planet, the report showed.
The lists
Listed below are Cirium’s top five rankings in 2024:
Global airlines
- Aeromexico — 86.7%
- Saudia — 86.35%
- Delta Air Lines — 83.46%
- Latam Airlines — 82.89%
- Qatar Airways — 82.83%
Europe
- Iberia Express (Spain) — 84.69% (No. 1 in 2023)
- Iberia (Spain) — 81.58%
- Scandinavian Airlines — 81.4%
- Vueling Airlines (Spain) — 81.2%
- Norwegian — 79.23%
Middle East and Africa
- Safair (South Africa) — 93.82%
- Oman Air — 90.27% (No. 1 in 2023)
- Royal Jordanian Airlines — 87.02%
- Saudia — 86.35%
- Kuwait Airways — 84.63%
Asia-Pacific
- Japan Airlines — 80.9%
- All Nippon Airways — 80.62% (No. 1 in 2023)
- Singapore Airlines — 78.67%
- Air Recent Zealand — 77.58%
- Thai AirAsia — 77.46%
North America
- Delta Air Lines — 83.46% (No. 1 in 2023)
- United Airlines — 80.93%
- Alaska Airlines — 79.25%
- American Airlines — 77.78%
- Southwest Airlines — 77.77%
Latin America
- Copa Airlines (Panama) — 88.22% (No. 1 in 2023)
- Aeromexico —86.7%
- Caribbean Airlines — 85.47%
- Gol Linhas Aereas (Brazil) — 84.09%
- Aerolineas Argentinas — 83.06%
Low-cost carriers
- Iberia Express (Spain) — 84.69%
- Gol (Brazil) — 84.09%
- Azul Airlines (Brazil) — 82.42%
- Peach Aviation (Japan) — 82.32%
- Vueling Airlines (Spain) — 81.2%
