Who says quality on-air service has to be expensive? Cirium recently released its monthly ranking of the best-performing North American airlines for on-time departures. While familiar names like Delta, Alaska, and United made the list, a low-cost carrier surprised everyone by standing out.
During May, flight cancellations across the country surged by 84%. Despite this, a major budget airline (not Southwest) managed to maintain an on-time performance rate of over 76.5%, offering budget travelers some much-needed peace of mind.
So, which airline is it? JetBlue has emerged as America’s most punctual low-cost carrier. When it comes to balancing cost and punctuality, JetBlue is currently the best U.S. carrier. Not only did it outperform other budget airlines, but it also surpassed higher-end airlines like United and American in minimizing delayed flights.
JetBlue isn’t a small operation; it handles around 30,000 flights a month, with nearly 23,000 of them departing on time. Even if you’re on one of the few delayed flights, JetBlue’s Cancellations & Delays Policy can make the experience easier and might even entitle you to significant compensation.
But JetBlue offers more than just a good delay policy. About a year ago, they launched a new loyalty program called TrueBlue, which includes free flights and upgrades. This program also partners with JetBlue Vacations, American Airlines, and Paisly.com. For every $100 spent, you earn 1 tile, and accumulating 10 tiles allows you to choose perks like early boarding, priority seating, a drink, a vacation bonus, or 5,000 points.
JetBlue has also introduced several new routes to popular destinations like the Dominican Republic, Mexico (Tulum, Cancun), Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Bonaire, and Belize. Depending on your departure and destination, you can reach many of these places for under $200, though prices vary based on timing and demand.
If punctuality is your top priority and cost isn’t a concern, Delta remains the best choice. Despite a slight drop in on-time performance from April to May (81.04% from 85.73%), Delta still holds the top spot, followed closely by Alaska and Canada’s WestJet.