The world's most reliable airlines for punctuality have been named in a major annual study, with Aeromexico retaining its crown as the global leader for the second consecutive year. The 2025 Cirium On-Time Performance Review reveals a top ten dominated by carriers from the Americas, featuring three European airlines but no UK-based operators among the elite.
The Global Punctuality Champions
According to the comprehensive analysis by aviation data firm Cirium, Aeromexico achieved an on-time performance rate of 90.02%. This impressive feat, based on operating 188,859 flights across 23 countries, makes it only the second airline to win back-to-back global titles since the review began in 2009. The Mexican flag carrier narrowly beat Saudia, which placed second with 86.53%, and Scandinavian airline SAS in third with 86.09%.
The remainder of the prestigious top ten list is as follows:
- 4th: Azul
- 5th: Qatar Airways
- 6th: Iberia
- 7th: LATAM Airlines
- 8th: Avianca
- 9th: Turkish Airlines
- 10th: Delta Air Lines
Regional Leaders and a Notable UK Improvement
While no UK airline broke into the overall top ten, the report also highlighted regional winners. Delta Air Lines led in North America, Iberia Express topped the European table, Copa Airlines was best in Latin America, Philippine Airlines led the Asia-Pacific region, and Safair ranked first for the Middle East and Africa.
There was, however, positive news for a major British carrier. Virgin Atlantic received Cirium's new 'Most Improved' award, recognising the largest year-on-year operational gain globally. The airline boosted its on-time performance from 74.01% in 2024 to 83.45% in 2025, a significant leap forward.
What Defines an 'On-Time' Flight?
The Cirium review, which analyses data from over 600 real-time sources including airlines and airports, uses a strict definition for punctuality. A flight is only considered 'on-time' if it arrives at the gate within 14 minutes and 59 seconds of its scheduled arrival time.
Commenting on the results, Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen stated: 'Maintaining consistent on-time performance requires sophisticated network planning, operational coordination, and the ability to recover quickly when irregularities occur. These results reflect the operational discipline that defines aviation's top performers.'
The findings underscore the intense competition and high operational standards within the global aviation industry, with traditional European and North American hubs facing strong challenges from airlines in other regions.
