Aviation analytics firm Cirium have published their 2025 On-Time Performance Review, ranking the world’s airlines and airports by operational efficiency. Their rankings are decided using data from more than 600 sources, including information from airlines, airports, and aviation authorities.
Aeromexico secured the top spot on the global airlines ranking for the second year running, the first time any airline has achieved consecutive wins since Cirium launched the yearly OTP performance review in 2009. With an on-time rate of 90.02%, the Mexican carrier pipped Saudia (86.53%) and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS – 86.09%) to take the crown.
Analysing results by region, Delta Air Lines topped the North American rankings for the fifth year in a row, followed by Alaska Airlines and Spirit Airlines. In Europe, Iberia Express had the most on time flights, while Copa Airlines led in Latin America and Philippine Airlines in APAC. South African carrier Safair was the most on-time airline in the Middle East and Africa, its 91.06% success rate trumping Royal Jordanian (90.73%) and Saudi low-cost carrier Flyadeal (86.54%).
New for the 2025 Review, Virgin Atlantic won the Most Improved Award for increasing its on-time performance by 9.44 percentage points from 2024 to 2025. The Airline Platinum Award went to Qatar Airways, recognising its operational excellence across six continents.
Meanwhile, Latin America dominated Cirium’s on time departures ranking for airports. In the large airports category, Santiago Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport performed best, with 87.04% of flights departing on time. Panama City Tocumen International Airport scored the highest of any medium airport, achieving an impressive 93.34% for on-time departures. And Quayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador topped the small airports ranking, with 91.47% of flights departing on time.
Istanbul Airport won Cirium’s Platinum Award, recognising its growth and resilience in managing significant operational challenges.
The complete top 10 global most on-time airlines was as follows:
- Aeromexico: 90.02% of 188,859 flights on-time
- Saudia: 86.53% of 202,864 flights on-time
- SAS: 86.09% of 249,674 flights on-time
- Azul: 85.18% of 304,625 flights on-time
- Qatar Airways: 84.42% of 198,303 flights on-time
- Iberia: 83.52% of 188,447 flights on-time
- LATAM Airlines: 82.40% of 580,707 flights on-time
- Avianca: 81.73% of 266,921 flights on-time
- Turkish Airlines: 81.41% of 421,087 flights on-time
- Delta Air Lines: 80.90% of 1,800,086 flights on-time
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