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Saudia, Qatar Airways among 2024's most punctual airlines

Aeromexico tops 2024 punctuality rankings while Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport tops global airports

News Desk January 03, 2025

PHOTO: AFP

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With global tourism returning to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, airports and airlines faced surging passenger traffic and punctuality challenges, as highlighted by Cirium's annual rankings of the most on-time airlines and airports.

Mexico’s flag carrier, Aeromexico, emerged as the most punctual global airline in 2024, with 86.7% of its tracked flights arriving within 15 minutes of their scheduled times.

Saudia (formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines) ranked second with 86.35%, a significant leap from ninth place in 2023. Delta Air Lines followed in third place (83.46%), trailed by LATAM Airlines (82.89%) and Qatar Airways (82.83%).

Cirium also recognised Delta as the “best global airline for operational excellence” for the fourth consecutive year, citing its punctuality and scale. “This result was absolutely a surprise,” Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen told Squawk Box Asia. “Delta improved its on-time performance by 9%, a remarkable feat.”

Global on-time flight arrivals, however, dropped by 0.5% in 2024 compared to 2023. Regional airlines outperformed their global counterparts in punctuality, with South Africa’s Safair leading with 93.82%, followed by Oman Air (90.27%), Copa Airlines of Panama (88.22%), and Royal Jordanian Airlines (87.02%).

In Europe, Spain’s Iberia Express (84.69%) and Iberia (81.58%) retained the top spots. In Asia-Pacific, Japan Airlines (80.90%) and All Nippon Airways (80.62%) maintained their lead despite a dip in performance.

Delta Air Lines led North America, followed by United Airlines (80.93%) and Alaska Airlines (79.25%).

Top Airports for On-Time Performance

Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport topped the global list, with over 86% of flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled times.

Among medium-sized airports, Panama’s Tocumen International (90.34%) ranked first, while Ecuador’s Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International (91.38%) led the small airports category.

On-time performance remains crucial for passenger satisfaction and operational efficiency, with delays driving up costs and straining airline crews who interact with affected travelers.

Top 10 Most Punctual Airlines (2024)