‍DALLAS — Aviation analytics company Cirium publicly unveiled its 2024 on-time performance (OTP) results today.

Cirium's OTP rankings are driven by rigorous, transparent metrics and overseen by an independent advisory board of industry experts. The program evaluates airlines and airports based on a vast dataset, processing over 25 million daily updates from 600+ sources. 

Rankings account for operational scale, completion rates, and regional diversity, ensuring fairness and meaningful comparisons.

To be ranked in the OTP list, a flight must land within 14.59 minutes of its scheduled gate arrival. Similarly, an airport is considered punctual if flights take off within the first 14:59 minutes of the scheduled departure time.

Starting with airlines, in 2024, Aeromexico (AM) was the ‘Global Airline’ winner, with an on-time performance (OTP) of 86.73%. Saudia (SV) scored second on the podium, with an OTP of 86.70%. Despite its larger fleet and network, Delta Air Lines (DL) closed the podium with an OTP of 83.46% across 1,712,529 flights.

Regarding airports, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) won the ‘Global Airport’ award with an OTP of 86.55%. RUH's performance also granted the gateway to the Saudi capital the award in the ‘Large Airport’.

Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) and Mexico City Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) closed the podium with 84.47% and 84.04%, respectively, highlighting the strong synergy between airports and airlines.

The ‘Medium Airport’ award was handed out to Panama’s Tocumen International Airport (PTY), and the ‘Small Airport’ winner was Guayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador (GYE).

Saudia, Emirates, and Riyadh Air at the 2023 Dubai Airshow. Photo: Simone Chellini/Airways

Global Scenario

Delta Air Lines reached 83.46% OTP in North America in 2024. Despite the discomfort caused by CrowdStrike, for which a lawsuit is ongoing, the airline recovered quickly the month after. After DL, United Airlines (UA) ranks second in the most punctual airlines in the US, with Alaska Airlines (AS) occupying the podium's final step.

Iberia Express (I2) registered the highest on-time performance in Europe, with 84.69%. Iberia (IB) and SAS (SK) follow the Spanish low-cost. Copa Airlines (CM) emerged at the top in South America, following its tradition of OTP excellence.

Asia Pacific saw Japan Airlines (JL) winning by a reduced margin over ANA All Nippon Airlines (NH) of 0.28%. Cirium observed a decrease in the region OTP by a couple of percentage points.

In the Middle East and Africa, Safair (FA) emerged as the winner, with Oman Air (WY) occupying the second step on the podium. Despite its airspace disruption, Royal Jordanian closes the podium. All the airlines in the top four positions presented an OTP exceeding 86%, with FA registering almost 94%.

While no airline in the United Kingdom appeared in the European or Global top 10, Virgin Atlantic (VS) ranked highest in the UK, with an OTP of 74.01%. VS is followed by Wizz Air UK (W9) with 70.54% and easyJet (U2) with 68.43%. British Airways (BA) ranked fourth, with an on-time performance of 67.33%.

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways registered an OTP of 80.90% and 80.62% respectively. Photo: Simone Chellini/Airways

Platinum Awards

This year, Cirium introduced the Platinum Award, recognizing overall complexity, geography, and hub efficiency alongside punctuality. The award went to DL achieved the best global airline for operational excellence in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year.

The Platinum award considers the complexity of the carrier’s network, the volume of flights, and the ability to limit the impact of flight disruptions on passengers over the entire year. The airline was recognized for its on-time performance, 83.46% on more than 1,712,529 flights in 2024.

Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO, said, “In an industry defined by operational complexity, we are extremely proud to acknowledge the airlines and airports that provided customers with the most on-time flights and best performance in 2024.”

“2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage, and unseasonable and severe weather patterns. Despite these challenges, these airlines and airports have worked tirelessly to ensure their customers have a smooth journey and reach their destination on-time.”

“We extend our congratulations to all the winners of this year’s On-Time Performance Review, each of whom has set new standards in operational excellence. A special recognition goes to Delta Air Lines for continuing their outstanding winning streak with Cirium’s Platinum Award for airlines, Copa Airlines for achieving its 10th title as Latin America’s most On-Time airline, Iberia Express for its consistent performance as Europe’s most On-Time airline, and Bogotá El Dorado Airport for securing Cirium’s first-ever Platinum Award for an airport.”

2024 Key Insights

The Cirium on-time performance review this year uncovered a few key insights and trends:

1. The importance of adaptability and resilience in the aviation industry. Despite challenges like the CrowdStrike logic error during a routine update and weather disruptions, airlines and airports focused on operational efficiency and innovation. AM’s success this year is coupled with the airline’s update of its UIT systems, for example.
2. The rise of lesser-known airlines and airports that are performing exceptionally well. For example, AM won the global airline award, while Saudi Arabia's RUH won the global airport award. This shows the breadth of operational excellence across the industry.
3. The importance of airport-airline collaboration. The strong performance of airports like El Dorado Bogota (BOG) and their airline partners highlights the benefits of coordinating schedules and operations to improve on-time metrics.

According to Mike Malik, Chief Marketing Officer at Cirium, airlines must balance service, utilization, and profitability to achieve better on-time performance results. Here are some key strategies he highlighted:

1. Technology investments: Airlines that have invested heavily in integrated systems, AI, and other technologies tend to see improvements in their on-time metrics. These tools help optimize scheduling, reduce delays, and enhance operational efficiency.
2. Employee incentives: Aligning employee compensation and bonuses with on-time performance targets can motivate staff to prioritize punctuality and reliability. This helps create a culture focused on operational excellence.
3. Schedule padding: While some airlines may be tempted to pad their schedules for better reported on-time numbers, Malik emphasized the need to find the right balance. Overly padded schedules can reduce aircraft utilization and profitability.
4. Capacity management: Carefully managing aircraft, crew, and airport slot utilization is crucial. Airlines need to ensure they have the right resources in the right places to meet demand while maintaining their operations.
5. Collaboration with airports: With the success of airports like El Dorado Bogota, close coordination between airlines and airports on schedules, infrastructure, and operational processes can improve on-time performance.

According to Malik, the key is for airlines to take a holistic, data-driven approach that optimizes the tradeoffs between service quality, asset utilization, and financial performance. By getting this balance right, airlines can achieve sustainable, on-time excellence.

Finally, there are a few key technological investments that are proving most effective in enhancing operational resilience for airlines:

1.  Integrated systems and automation:
   1. Airlines that have invested in integrated IT systems and automation tools are seeing improvements in their ability to respond to disruptions and optimize operations quickly.
   2. Examples include advanced scheduling and crew management software and AI-powered decision support systems.
2. Real-time data and analytics:
   1. Access to real-time data on aircraft, crew, and passenger movements is critical for proactive decision-making.
   2. Airlines leverage advanced analytics and predictive modeling to anticipate and mitigate delays and cancellations.
3. Cybersecurity defenses:
   1. The CrowdStrike update mishap in 2024 highlighted the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for airlines.
   2. Investments in threat detection, incident response, and system hardening are helping airlines protect their operations from cyber threats.
4. Connected aircraft and IoT:
   1. Equipping aircraft with sensors, connectivity, and predictive maintenance capabilities allows airlines to monitor better and optimize aircraft performance.
   2. This data-driven approach reduces unplanned maintenance and improves aircraft availability.
5. Passenger communication and rebooking:
   1. Seamless digital tools for communicating with passengers and rebooking disrupted itineraries are crucial for minimizing the impact of operational challenges.
   2. Airlines that invest in these capabilities can better manage the passenger experience during disruptions.

By focusing on these technological investments, airlines are building greater operational resilience and enhancing their ability to maintain on-time performance, even in the face of unexpected challenges.

Challenges, Resilience in 2024

During the December 18, 2024, press conference, Bowen, CEO acknowledged the aviation sector's resilience in overcoming significant challenges in 2024, including cybersecurity threats like the CrowdStrike system update error and severe weather disruptions. Despite these obstacles, airlines and airports showcased remarkable adaptability and commitment to efficiency.

Winning airlines and airports celebrated creatively, from branded aircraft to public displays like Avianca’s (AV) Times Square billboard in 2023. DL hosted grand events, including a presentation at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

With passenger numbers expected to reach 5.2 billion, surpassing the five billion milestone for the first time in 2025, a 6.7% increase from 2024, and cargo volumes anticipated to hit 72.5 million tons, a 5.8% rise from the previous year, we can’t wait to see what surprises next year’s OTP results with bring.

Stay connected at every stop along your journey! Get any Saily mobile data plan at 5% off with the code AIRWAYSMAG5 + up to 5GB free!