The World’s Best and Worst On-Time Airlines

According to the most recent statistics from air travel consulting firm FlightStats, Iberia Airlines has the best on-time performance among global airlines in October of this year.

Out of 15,635 scheduled Iberia flights, the airline had an on-time performance of 90.05%. The 9.95% of delays were 33.70 minutes, on average.

Aeroflot is in the number two position, with 22,870 flights, at an 89.62% on-time performance. The 10.38% delays, however, averaged 52.02 minutes.

SAS takes the number three slot with 28,820 flights at an on-time performance of 89.56%. The 10.44% of flights delayed were delayed by 37.27 minutes, on average.

The most on-time airline in North America was Alaska Airlines, with 88.85% of 26,736 flights on-time, and the 11.15% delayed averaging 43.72 minutes.

The best way to avoid delays in Latin America was to fly with Copa Airlines. The carrier was on-time for 90.62% of its flights. The 9.38% delayed, ran an average of 41.28 minutes.

IndiGo was the best on-time performer in the Asia-Pacific region. On-time: 90.14%, Delayed 9.86%, Average Delay: 33.96 minutes.

Saudia has the best performance in the Middle East & Africa region. On-time 88.21% of flights. The 11.79% delays lasted 40.91 minutes, on average.

If you want low fares and great on-time performance, then the global top five Low-Cost Carrier on-time performers are:

1. airBaltic 95.26% on time, delays of 32.18 minutes on average.
2. Germanwings 93.32% on time, delays of 32.79 minutes on average.
3. Tigerair 91.73% on time, delays 37.15 minutes on average.
4. Azul 90.23% on time, delays 43.58 minutes on average.
5. Flybe 90.19% on time, delays 39.07 on average.air b

If you prefer spending quality time at the Terminal, then, as the worst on-time performers globally in October, these airlines are most likely to please:

1. Pakistan International Airlines, only 37.08% on-time and delays of 86.20 minutes
2. Air India, only 50.38% on time and delays of 67.05 minutes.
3. EL AL, only 55.78% on time, delays of 39.43 minutes
4. Etihad Airways only 56.80% on time, delays 38.03 minutes.
5. EVA Air, 57.96% on time, delays 36.99 minutes

With Europe having three of the top three global on-time performers, it’s no surprise that European passengers are pretty satisfied with their air travel experience.

However, Europe has pride of place at the bottom with one airline which, though less often late, holds the world’s record for longest delays in October.

If you want plenty of Terminal shopping quality time, choose Austrian. They were only late 11.67% of the time, but passengers got a whole 87.10 minutes, on average, when it did happen.

American Airlines was the worst on-time performer among the majors in North America, only 74.34% of its flights were on time, and there was an average delay of 58.31 minutes. Though that was spread over 103,344 flights in the world’s busiest passenger market.

By comparison, Delta, which has the most scheduled flights of any airline in the world (156,865) maintained a respectable on-time performance of 85.21%, but average delays stretched to 54.41 minutes.

Spirit Airlines‘ ultra-low fares also come with extra charges to your clock. It was the worst performing low-cost carrier in the US in October, with only 86.75% of its 8,753 scheduled flights on-time and average delays of 64.39 minutes.