‘Unprecedented’: The most punctual global airline last year was ‘absolutely’ a surprise, analytics firm CEO says

Aeromexico was the most punctual global airline in 2024, according to a report published by aviation analytics company Cirium.

Some 86.7% of its tracked flights arrived “on-time,” defined as arriving within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival times.

This result was “absolutely” a surprise, Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen told “Squawk Box Asia” Friday.

“They’ve had a remarkable year,” he said. “They’ve increased their on-time performance … by a whopping 9%. To go from from outside the top 10 to No. 1 is quite unprecedented.”

Bowen said Aeromexico’s ascent is owing to the company culture, investment in new equipment, and relationship with its hub at Mexico City International Airport, which ranked fourth for on-time flights among global airports in Cirium’s report. When both an airline and its hub score well, “that’s because they are working effectively as a team,” he said.

Saudia (formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines) ranked second among global airlines — up from 9th place in Cirium’s 2023 rankings — with 86.35% of flights arriving on time, according to the report published Thursday.

Delta Air Lines (83.46%) placed third, followed by Latam Airlines (82.89%) and Qatar Airways (82.83%), according to Cirium’s “2024 On-Time Performance Review.” For the fourth year in a row, Cirium named Delta the “best global airline for operational excellence,” in recognition of its punctuality and size. It’s one of the largest airlines in the world.

Overall, on-time flight arrivals dropped by 0.5% in 2024 from the previous year, Bowen said.

He said the Crowd Strike software update, which inadvertently grounded thousands of flights, especially those operated by Delta Air Lines, hurt the overall punctuality of the industry.

“We’ve also had a lot of 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 among those who directly interact with travelers seeking answers for delays.

The report also analyzed on-time performance for regional airlines, with several delivering higher on-time percentages than the global airlines list.

South Africa’s Safair airline landed some 93.82% of its scheduled flights on time, according to the report. Oman Air did the same 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 2, 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 both fell last year from 2023, according to Cirium.

Delta Air Lines ranked No. 1 in North America, followed by United Airlines (80.93%) and Alaska Airlines (79.25%).

Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport ranked No. 1 among global airports, with more than 86% of its flights in 2024 departing on-time, according to Cirium’s annual report.

On-time flights at airports are defined as those that leave within 15 minutes of scheduled departure times.

Panama’s Tocumen International Airport (90.34%) topped the ranking for medium-sized airports, while Ecuador’s Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport (91.38%) was named the most punctual small airport in the world, the report showed.

Here are Cirium’s top five rankings in 2024:  

Global airlines

1. Aeromexico — 86.7%
2. Saudi — 86.35%
3. Delta Air Lines — 83.46%
4. Latam Airlines — 82.89%
5. Qatar Airways — 82.83%

Europe

1. Iberia Express (Spain) — 84.69% (No. 1 in 2023)
2. Iberia (Spain) — 81.58%
3. Scandinavian Airlines — 81.4%
4. Vueling Airlines (Spain) — 81.2%
5. Norwegian — 79.23%

Middle East and Africa

1. Safair (South Africa) — 93.82%
2. Oman Air — 90.27% (No. 1 in 2023)
3. Royal Jordanian Airlines — 87.02%
4. Saudia — 86.35%
5. Kuwait Airways — 84.63%

Asia-Pacific

1. Japan Airlines — 80.9%
2. All Nippon Airways — 80.62% (No. 1 in 2023)
3. Singapore Airlines — 78.67%
4. Air New Zealand — 77.58%
5. Thai AirAsia — 77.46%

North America

1. Delta Air Lines — 83.46% (No. 1 in 2023)
2. United Airlines — 80.93%
3. Alaska Airlines — 79.25%
4. American Airlines — 77.78%
5. Southwest Airlines — 77.77%

Latin America

1. Copa Airlines (Panama) — 88.22% (No. 1 in 2023)
2. Aeromexico —86.7%
3. Caribbean Airlines — 85.47%
4. Gol Linhas Aereas (Brazil) — 84.09%
5. Aerolineas Argentinas — 83.06%

Low-cost carriers

1. Iberia Express (Spain) — 84.69%
2. Gol (Brazil) — 84.09%
3. Azul Airlines (Brazil) — 82.42%
4. Peach Aviation (Japan) — 82.32%
5. Vueling Airlines (Spain) — 81.2%