Japan's top carriers were the most on-time airlines in 2021
Japanese airlines offered up some impressive on-time performance in 2021.
The country's two network carriers were the most on-time airlines in the world this year, according to aviation data provider Cirium.
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All Nippon Airways took top billing, with a 95.04% on-time arrival rate and a completion factor of 99.24%, meaning that just 0.76% of all flights were canceled.
Japan Airlines took the number two spot, with an on-time arrival rate of 94.13% and an identical completion factor of 99.24%.
The top U.S. carrier on this list was Delta Air Lines, in the number five spot, which saw 87.80% of its flights arrive on time, with a 99.82% completion factor.
Here's a look at Cirium's top 10 on-time performance list for global mainline carriers — in other words, airlines with global networks, excluding their regional affiliates:
| Ranking | Airline | On-Time Arrival Rate | Completion Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Nippon Airways | 95.04% | 99.24% |
| 2 | Japan Airlines | 94.13% | 99.24% |
| 3 | Aeroflot | 91.05% | 99.58% |
| 4 | LATAM Airlines | 88.67% | 98.87% |
| 5 | Delta Air Lines | 87.80% | 99.82% |
| 6 | KLM | 86.07% | 99.61% |
| 7 | S7 Airlines | 80.99% | 99.74% |
| 8 | American Airlines | 80.47% | 97.50% |
| 9 | United Airlines | 80.38% | 99.08% |
| 10 | Saudia | 80.24% | 98.80% |
Here's a look at the top five on-time performance list for North American mainline carriers:
| Ranking | Airline | On-Time Arrival Rate | Completion Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delta Air Lines | 87.80% | 99.82% |
| 2 | Alaska Airlines | 81.72% | 99.06% |
| 3 | American Airlines | 80.47% | 97.50% |
| 4 | United Airlines | 80.38% | 99.08% |
| 5 | Spirit Airlines | 76.33% | 96.48% |
In addition, Delta Air Lines won a special "platinum award" for operational excellence.
"It is the world’s best performing airline when considering on-time performance, operational complexity and its ability to limit the impact of flight disruption to its passengers," Cirium writes in its on-time performance review.
Related: Airlines cancel nearly 1,000 flights Tuesday as disruptions continue to climb
Cirium started tracking on-time performance again on June 1, when it saw enough of an uptick in flights globally, a spokesperson explained to TPG. The period for the awards spans from June 1 to Dec. 20 — a few days before airlines globally and especially in the U.S. began to see significant operational disruptions due to the COVID-19 Omicron variant, as well as weather.