The year 2023 witnessed a remarkable period for airlines, marked by the introduction of new routes and destinations. Amidst these developments, the punctuality of flight arrivals remained a paramount concern for numerous travelers.Globally, Delta secured the fourth position among top-performing airlines, trailing behind Avianca Airlines, Azul Airlines, and Qatar Airways, as revealed by the aviation analytics company.
Jeremy Bowen, CEO of Cirium, lauded Avianca’s exceptional performance, stating, “Avianca was the most on-time global airline in 2023, which is an amazing feat for this resurgent airline.” Bowen highlighted Delta Air Lines’ consistent excellence, securing the top spot in North America and clinching the Platinum Award for operational excellence for the third consecutive year, a global acknowledgment. He emphasized that maintaining such operational standards demands collective effort across the airline, playing a pivotal role in ensuring customer satisfaction.
Delta’s on-time arrival rate for 2023 culminated at 84.72%, registering an increase of nearly one percent from the previous year. In pursuit, Alaska Airlines followed closely at 82.25%, trailed by American Airlines (80.61%), United Airlines (80.04%), Southwest Airlines (76.26%), Spirit Airlines (71.16%), Frontier Airlines (68.68%), and JetBlue (68.33%).
Cirium’s measurement criteria for on-time arrivals consider flights arriving within 14 minutes of the scheduled time, thereby influencing airport ratings as well. Notably, two of Delta’s major hubs, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport, secured positions among the top five performing airports worldwide.
Bowen conveyed a cautiously optimistic outlook for 2024, stating, “The airline industry is on a path to recovery, marked by significant strides in 2023 and a positive but cautious outlook for 2024.”