This No Frills Airline Now Arrives On-Time More Than Any Other US Carrier
Passengers who book a flight with Spirit Airlines might not get the most legroom or free refreshments, but they are pretty much guaranteed to arrive on time, according to new data.
The Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer Report named Spirit Airlines the No. 1 airline for on-time arrivals for the month of October in the US. This is the first time the budget airline has achieved this milestone.
For the month of October, 89% of Spirit's flight arrived on-time at the 361 airports surveyed by DOT. Following closely behind was Hawaiian Airlines, with 88.5% of flights arriving on-time and Delta, with 87.1%.
According to a different survey by FlightStats, Spirit took the title again in November, with 82.7% of its flights arriving on-time (with the weighted monthly average dropping about 3 percentage points last month), and the airliner hopes to continue this trend.
"We have looked at every aspect of our operation to improve our reliability and this ranking only highlights those changes," Spirit said in a statement to TPG. "From adjusting our schedule, aircraft utilization, and crew scheduling, it has been a complete overhaul. This is part of our continued effort to invest in the Guest experience, all while providing the best value in the sky. We are happy with the operational numbers we continue to see, and we feel like we are on the right course."
This upward trend is a far cry from Spirit's ranking in 2016, the year in which the ultra-low-cost carrier held the bottom spot for on-time arrivals 11 months in a row -- going from a reputation for tardiness to overtaking the rankings entirely.
Generally speaking, ultra-low-cost carriers have good incentive to be timely. After all, saving time is akin to saving money for ULCCs, which turn around their planes at lighting speed in between their jam-packed flight schedules to maximize profits. Plus, new Spirit CEO Bob Fornaro is further incentivizing on-time arrivals with executive and manager bonuses.
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