US Airline On-Time Leaderboard
Airlines compete head-to-head on the routes they both fly. Jun 2025 to May 2026, US DOT data.
United leads the head-to-head standings, winning 754 of 963 route matchups against other airlines (80.8%). Across its whole network, Delta had the best on-time arrival rate at 80.7%.
2nd place
Delta
789-285-61
route wins-losses-ties
72.2% win rate · 80.7% on time
1st place
United
754-161-48
route wins-losses-ties
80.8% win rate · 78.2% on time
3rd place
American
509-559-72
route wins-losses-ties
47.8% win rate · 75.9% on time
Standings
| # | Airline | Route record | Win rate | Rivals beaten | On time | vs same routes | Cancelled | 12-month trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unitedincludes United Express | 754-161-48 | 80.8% | 6 of 6 | 78.2% | +5.0 pts | 1.6% | |
| 2 | Deltaincludes Delta Connection | 789-285-61 | 72.2% | 5 of 6 | 80.7% | +5.2 pts | 2.0% | |
| 3 | Americanincludes American Eagle | 509-559-72 | 47.8% | 4 of 6 | 75.9% | -0.6 pts | 2.7% | |
| 4 | Alaskaincludes Hawaiian and Horizon | 175-277-25 | 39.3% | 2 of 6 | 79.7% | -4.4 pts | 1.3% | |
| 5 | JetBlue | 114-226-19 | 34.4% | 3 of 6 | 72.4% | -3.6 pts | 2.5% | |
| 6 | Southwest | 330-728-39 | 31.9% | 2 of 7 | 77.1% | -3.4 pts | 0.9% | |
| 7 | Frontier | 273-692-36 | 29.1% | 0 of 6 | 72.5% | -4.8 pts | 1.9% | |
| 8 | Allegiant | 10-26-2 | 28.9% | 0 of 1 | 74.1% | -3.7 pts | 0.6% |
Route record: on every route two airlines both fly regularly, the one whose flights arrived on time more often wins it. vs same routes: on-time points above or below the other airlines on the routes it flies. Trend: on-time arrivals by month, June 2025 to May 2026.
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Search flights →Frequently asked
- Which US airline is the most on time?
- United leads the head-to-head standings, winning 754 of 963 route matchups against other airlines (80.8%). Across its whole network, Delta had the best on-time arrival rate at 80.7%. These figures cover Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Why compare airlines on the same routes?
- Network averages are unfair: an airline that mostly flies short hops in good weather looks better than one flying into busy, storm-prone hubs. Comparing airlines on the city pairs they both fly puts them on equal footing.
- Do regional flights count?
- Yes. Flights sold as Delta Connection, United Express, American Eagle or Alaska's Horizon count under the airline you book. Hawaiian Airlines counts with Alaska.
- What counts as on time?
- The US Department of Transportation counts a flight as on time when it arrives less than 15 minutes after its scheduled arrival time. Cancelled and diverted flights are not on time.
Historical results, not a guarantee. Source: US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics marketing-carrier on-time reports, Jun 2025 to May 2026. Spirit Airlines, which stopped flying in May 2026, is not included. ATIS Alerts is not affiliated with any airline.
