Delta was 2022's most on-time airline, new study shows
If you're looking for the most on-time airline in the U.S., you might want to choose Delta Air Lines.
The Atlanta-based carrier is poised to finish 2022 with an on-time arrival percentage of over 84%, according to new data released Thursday from Cirium, an aviation analytics company.
Of Delta's 959,987 flights from Jan. 1 through Dec. 15, 84.1% of them arrived on time, according to the new data. This is the second year in a row that Delta took the top spot as the most punctual carrier in Cirium's analysis.
An on-time arrival includes any flight that lands at its destination and arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of the originally scheduled arrival time, a standard industry metric often referred to as "A15."
Cirium's data set considers all flights completed in 2022, through Dec. 15. Of the over 5 million total flights in North America this year, 71.91% arrived on time.
Note that these metrics only account for mainline operations, not those operated by regional affiliates, such as SkyWest or Republic.
You'll find the full ranking of on-time performance at the bottom of this post, but Alaska Airlines and United Airlines came in as the No. 2 and 3 runner-ups, respectively.
Delta historically marketed itself as the "on-time machine," so it may not be a surprise to some aviation observers to see the carrier take the top spot for 2022.
That said, the pandemic has brought numerous headwinds to the aviation industry that have gotten in the way of on-time operations. In fact, when Delta earned the top spot for on-time performance in 2019, it had an impressive 85.69% performance.
During the pandemic, airports and airlines have been short-staffed, so if something goes wrong, finding a replacement crew or below-the-wing operator has been challenging, leading to what feels like more staffing-related delays than before the pandemic.
Even the Federal Aviation Administration has had trouble getting its control centers to adequate staffing levels, causing some flights, in particular those to and from Florida, to reroute or take an extended ground delay.
Additionally, airlines generally haven't been as nimble at recovering from delays and cancellations during the pandemic, and some major carriers experienced multiple meltdowns earlier this year.
What might've been a run-of-the-mill summer thunderstorm or a winter blizzard before the pandemic has turned into a much bigger issue at many airlines in recent months.
All told, airlines aren't recovering as fast as they have in the past, largely due to staffing challenges, airspace restrictions and airport operations.
Whatever the case, one airline was better than the rest, and that was Delta — 2022's on-time champion.
North America's most on-time airlines
Here's the full ranking of the most on-time North American airlines, according to Cirium's annual report.
| Airline | On-time arrival percentage | Total flights |
|---|---|---|
Delta Air Lines. | 84.10%. | 959,987. |
Alaska Airlines. | 81.42%. | 231,248. |
United Airlines. | 81.26%. | 749,725. |
American Airlines. | 78.77%. | 1,025,075. |
Southwest Airlines. | 74.68%. | 1,272,778. |
Frontier Airlines. | 68.99%. | 161,982. |
JetBlue Airways. | 67.13%. | 327,055. |
Allegiant Air. | 66.49%. | 110,703. |
WestJet. | 60.66%. | 89,443. |
Air Canada. | 55.56%. | 143,141. |
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees