One of the worst things you can hear in the airport? That your flight has been delayed!
It means more time drinking overpriced coffee and less time relaxing in your final destination. The frustration is real.
Sometimes, flight delays are inevitable, especially during periods of bad weather.
But there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood that delays will impact you on your next 2025 flight. The best of these is to fly with one of the 5 U.S. airlines with the least amount of delays, according to aviation analytics experts Cirium.
Here’s the full top 5 list:
The 5 Top Performing Airlines In The U.S.
Flight performance is an important factor to look at when choosing an airline. After all, if you’re not going to get where you want to go when you want to get there, then it doesn’t matter how affordable the plane tickets are!
These are the 5 top-performing airlines in the U.S., meaning the ones with the least amount of flight delays.
5. Southwest Airlines. Coming in 5th place is Southwest Airlines, and you’ll find that your flight will be on time ¾ of the time when you choose this airline. It’s also the most affordable airline in the top 5 list. Southwest flights arrived on time 77.77% of the time in 2024, and 76.65% of flight departments were on time.
4. American Airlines. If you’re an American Airlines fan, then you’ll be pleased to know that they also earned a place for their on-time reliability. In 2024, American Airlines flights arrived on time 77.78% of the time and departed on time 79.13% of the time.
3. Alaska Airlines. Alaska may be the 5th largest airline in the U.S. but it is the 3rd most reliable. According to the Cirium report, Alaska Airlines flights arrived on time 79.25% of the time and departed on time 81.98% of the time in 2024.
2. United Airlines. Narrowly missing out on the top spot is United Airlines. If you choose to fly with United, then you can expect to arrive on time 80.93% of the time and depart on time 81.98% of the time.
1. Delta Airlines. If you want the best possible chance of an on-time flight, then choose to fly with Delta. In 2024, Delta flights arrived on time 83.46% of the time and departed on time 83.74% of the time.
Delta is far and away the best American airline, according to Cirium.
It also received 3rd place in the most on-time global airline category. For the 4th year in a row, it topped the table for operational excellence, taking first place in Cirium’s Platinum Award for global operational excellence.
An Honorable Mention For A North American Airline
One of the most popular international destinations for American travelers is Mexico. Its idyllic beaches and bustling cities attract millions of travelers every year. Cancun, in particular, is a mecca for American travelers looking for sun, sea, and sand.
This is why it’s worth mentioning that Aeromexico claimed the prestigious title of the most on-time ‘global airline’ in this 2024 round-up Cirium report.
The airline achieved an impressive on-time rating of 86.70%, making it the most on-time airline in the world. And, therefore, one well worth considering for your next Mexican vacation, as long as you’re not wedded to the idea of flying on a U.S. carrier.
Aeromexico flights are considered both reliable and affordable, which is why they deserve to be mentioned alongside better-known North American carriers like Delta and United.
You might be wondering how an on-time flight is defined. Flights can be delayed by anything from a few minutes to several hours and even overnight in rare cases.
For the purposes of this research, Cirium defined an on-time flight as a flight that arrived within 15 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival time or departed within 15 minutes of its scheduled departure time.
↓ Elevate Your Travel↓
Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!
✈️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
