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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

#AirlineRoute recordWin rateRivals beatenOn timevs same routesCancelled12-month trend
1Unitedincludes United Express754-161-4880.8%6 of 678.2%+5.0 pts1.6%
2Deltaincludes Delta Connection789-285-6172.2%5 of 680.7%+5.2 pts2.0%
3Americanincludes American Eagle509-559-7247.8%4 of 675.9%-0.6 pts2.7%
4Alaskaincludes Hawaiian and Horizon175-277-2539.3%2 of 679.7%-4.4 pts1.3%
5JetBlue114-226-1934.4%3 of 672.4%-3.6 pts2.5%
6Southwest330-728-3931.9%2 of 777.1%-3.4 pts0.9%
7Frontier273-692-3629.1%0 of 672.5%-4.8 pts1.9%
8Allegiant10-26-228.9%0 of 174.1%-3.7 pts0.6%

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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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.