Liverpool John Lennon and Newcastle were the most punctual of the UK's busiest airports in the first quarter of 2026, according to an analysis by family holiday specialist Lapland Famille. The study looked at 12 airports that each handled at least one million terminal passengers during the quarter, excluding smaller airports to avoid distortion.
Across all CAA-reporting airports, 77% of flights were on time, with an average delay of 13 minutes. The regulator defines 'on time' as arriving or departing within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.
Full ranking from best to worst
Joint 1st: Liverpool John Lennon – 82%
Joint 1st: Newcastle – 82%
3rd: Glasgow – 80%
Joint 4th: Belfast International – 79%
Joint 4th: Heathrow – 79%
Joint 4th: Bristol – 79%
Joint 7th: Luton – 78%
Joint 7th: Stansted – 78%
Joint 7th: Gatwick – 78%
10th: Edinburgh – 77%
11th: Birmingham – 72%
12th: Manchester – 68%
Liverpool and Newcastle were five percentage points above the national average, while Manchester was nine points below. Birmingham was the only other airport with fewer than three-quarters of flights on time.
Reaction from Liverpool
Paul Staples, Airport Operations Director for Liverpool John Lennon Airport, said: “We’re delighted once again to top the UK airport on time performance table – it demonstrates to our teams on the ground that all their hard work to ensure aircraft depart on time is worthwhile and it demonstrates to our customers that they can rely on us to be working hard to get them away on time day in day out.”
The results reflect average performance over the quarter and do not predict individual journeys. Factors such as weather, air traffic control, technical issues, and airline mix can affect quarterly performance.
Manchester's explanation
A Manchester Airport spokesperson previously told the ECHO that delays are often caused by factors outside the airport's control, including air traffic control disruption and poor weather. They added: “Industrial action affecting air traffic control in Europe and weather conditions have been the biggest contributors over the past year. These challenges have been made worse by airspace restrictions over conflict zones, which particularly impact airports with large long-haul networks like Manchester.”
Lapland Famille's Alex Dyer advised travellers: “These figures can help families set realistic expectations, but they cannot tell you whether a particular flight will be delayed. Keep medication and a sensible amount of food in hand luggage within security rules, charge devices before leaving home, and avoid leaving no recovery time before a pre-booked transfer or activity. Check live updates from the airport and airline on the day.”
