What are the most (and least) reliable airlines for American travelers right now? A new report from aviation analytics company Cirium reveals the details!
There’s nothing worse than a delayed flight. Just a couple of weeks ago, I experienced a 4-hour flight delay that would have thrown a major wrench in my travel plans if the flight ended up being canceled. Fortunately, it wasn’t canceled, and it did end up leaving, but it was a tense few hours nonetheless.
So how can you avoid delays? Booking with a more reliable airline is one of the ways you can minimize your risk of flight delays and cancellations. These are the most reliable U.S. airlines right now, based on data from May 2024.
1. Delta Air Lines
Delta remains the most reliable airline in the United States, with an on-time arrival rate of 81.04%. This is actually a pretty big drop compared to the previous month, but there were more delays all around in May which impacted Delta’s on-time arrival rate. Still, Delta is your best choice for arriving on time out of all other U.S. airlines. I used to travel every single week for work several years ago, and I always flew with Delta so I didn’t have to worry about delays.
2. Alaska Airlines
Next up is Alaska Airlines, with an on-time arrival rate of 79.04%. This Seattle-based airline recently launched numerous new routes to warm and sunny destinations like the Bahamas, Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas. If you’re looking for an airline that’s a pretty safe bet when it comes to avoiding flight delays, Alaska Airlines is another solid choice.
3. JetBlue
Dropping a few more percentage flights, we have JetBlue. This airline has a 76.58% on-time arrival rate, which is not as good as the previous two but still more reliable than some of the later entries on this list. On the plus side, JetBlue is one of the more affordable U.S. airlines out there, and it was recently ranked the most punctual budget airline. JetBlue is one of several airlines to launch new nonstop flights to Tulum, Mexico this year.
4. United Airlines
In fourth place we have United Airlines, which has an on-time arrival rate of 75.95%. Although United is not the most reliable airline, at least less than a quarter of their flights are delayed. You can fly to some exotic new destinations on United this year, including new nonstop flights to Marrakech, Medellin, and Shanghai.
5. Spirit Airlines
Despite being one of the two most-disliked airlines in the United States, Spirit Airlines surprisingly isn’t the worst offender when it comes to delays. The airline has a middling on-time arrival rate of 73.52%. It’s not the best, but it’s also not the worst, and with the airline’s ultra-low-cost fares, sometimes it’s worth gambling on a chance of being delayed in order to save some serious money!
What About The Least Reliable Airlines?
So now you know the most reliable airlines, but what about the least reliable airlines? These are the three U.S. airlines where you’re likely to experience the most delays:
Southwest Airlines: Only 70.42% of flights on time
American Airlines: Only 69.64% of flights on time
Frontier Airlines: Only 66.47% of flights on time
In addition to being one of the worst airlines for delays, American Airlines is also the airline most likely to lose your luggage — ouch. And with nearly 15 percentage points separating Delta and Frontier, it’s clear that you’re far more likely to experience delays if you fly with Frontier. It’s no surprise that Frontier is one of the other most-disliked airlines in the U.S., along with Spirit!