If there was one thing we could choose to leave behind in 2023, it would be flight delays. And while there's no way to ever guarantee an on-time take off, choosing airlines with a punctual track record can help manifest smooth travels in your future. But don't just cross your fingers and hope for the best—use data to make those New Year's travel resolutions come true.
On Tuesday, aviation analytics firm Cirium released its annual on-time performance report ranking the most punctual airlines and airports of 2023. The list, derived from over 600 real-time flight information sources, features the expected names, to be sure (Delta received Cirium's Platinum Award for global operational excellence for the third year in a row), but reveals some wild card winners as well.
Drum roll, please: Avianca Airlines, a low-cost carrier based in Colombia, was ranked the most punctual global airline of 2023 with 85.73% of its flights arriving within 15 minutes of its scheduled gate arrival. That's a massive improvement from last year, when Avianca ranked sixth for on-time arrivals in the same Cirium report.
As one of Latin America's largest airlines, Avianca offers direct flights from US cities including New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago to destinations like Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
Avianca filed for bankruptcy in 2020 after suspending operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the airline to simplify its business model and introduce more competitive fares. Achieving the top on-time ranking is an "amazing feat for this resurgent airline,” Jeremy Bowen, CEO of Cirium, said in a news release accompanying the report.
Brazilian airline Azul was the second-best global airline for on-time performance, according to Cirium's ranking, with 85.51% of its flights arriving on time. Qatar Airways came in third with 85.11% on-time arrivals, and Delta Airlines (which flew substantially more flights than any other airline in the category) was ranked fourth with 84.72% on-time arrivals. Iberia, the flag carrier of Spain, was the fifth most punctual global airline.
Considering the travel chaos that's plagued airlines and passengers since the pandemic, the 2023 winners “steered through the year’s operational hurdles with exceptional performance,” Bowen said in the release. “Their relentless pursuit of efficiency and punctuality is commendable as we venture into 2024, a year brimming with promise for the aviation sector.”
In addition to the leading global airlines listed above, Cirium ranked the punctuality of local carriers by geographic region, from Europe to the Asia-Pacific.
The most punctual North American airlines
1. Delta Air Lines: 84.72% on-time arrival; 1,635,486 total flights
2. Alaska Airlines: 82.25% on-time arrival; 404,925 total flights
3. American Airlines: 80.61% on-time arrival; 1,998,844 total flights
4. United Airlines: 80.04% on-time arrival; 1,513,432 total flights
5. Southwest Airlines: 76.26% on-time arrival; 1,459,926 total flights
The most punctual airlines in Europe
1. Iberia Express: 84.58% on-time arrival; 40,985 total flights
2. Iberia: 84.38% on-time arrival; 170,750 total flights
3. Austrian Airlines: 82.99% on-time arrival; 113,587 total flights
4. LOT Polish Airlines: 82.83% on-time arrival; 96,112 total flights
5. Norwegian Air Shuttle: 82.75% on-time arrival; 82,791 total flights
The most punctual airlines in Latin America
1. Copa Airlines: 89.46% on-time arrival; 115,657 total flights
2. Avianca Airlines: 85.73% on-time arrival; 213,039 total flights
3. Azul Airlines: 85.51% on-time arrival; 310,972 total flights
4. LATAM Airlines: 84.00% on-time arrival; 508,721 total flights
5. Caribbean Airlines: 81.73% on-time arrival; 26,644 total flights
The most punctual airlines in the Asia-Pacific
1. All Nippon Airways: 82.75% on-time arrival; 302,279 total flights
2. Japan Airlines: 82.58% on-time arrival; 308,302 total flights
3. Thai AirAsia: 82.52% on-time arrival; 113,871 total flights
4. IndiGo: 82.12% on-time arrival; 678,446 total flights
5. Air New Zealand: 79.68% on-time arrival; 175,876 total flights
The most punctual airlines in the Middle East and Africa
1. Oman Air: 92.53% on-time arrival; 45,908 total flights
2. Safair: 92.36% on-time arrival; 55,444 total flights
3. Royal Air Jordanian: 87.51% on-time arrival; 32,706 total flights
4. Qatar Airways: 85.11% on-time arrival; 183,090 total flights
5. Etihad Airways: 82.90% on-time arrival; 65,376 total flights