Two GCC airlines ranked among the world's most punctual in 2024

Dubai: Two GCC carriers – Saudia and Qatar Airways – have been ranked second and fifth among the world’s top ten most punctual airlines. Mexico’s flag carrier, Aeromexico, topped the global category, followed by Saudia and Delta Air Lines, according to aviation analytics company Cirium’s 2024 On-Time Performance Review.

Saudia, which ranked second on the global list, had 88.8 per cent of the flights departing on time. Qatar’s national carrier, Qatar Airways, ranked fifth on the list, with 82.5 per cent of flights departing on time.

Moreover, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia has been named the most on-time global airport for 2024, with 86.5 per cent of the flights departing on time. The airport serves 115 routes and 60 airlines. The Middle Eastern hub further distinguished itself by securing victory in the ‘Large Airport’ category, outperforming top contenders from around the world, said Cirium in a statement.

Cirium’s Annual report is the “gold standard” for global airline and airport performance analytics. An on-time flight is defined as a flight that arrives within 14:59 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival time. Airports measure punctuality as departing flights within 14:59 minutes of their scheduled departure time, Cirium explained.

“2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage and unseasonable and severe weather patterns. Despite these challenges, these airlines and airports have worked tirelessly to ensure their customers have a smooth journey and reach their destination on time,” according to Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO.

Air travel demand continued to surge in 2024, led by a bounce back in international trips.

From January through October alone, revenue-passenger miles worldwide, a demand metric, was up nearly 11 per cent over last year, according to the International Air Transport Association. In 2025, IATA estimates aircraft departures to be 40 million, up 4.6 per cent from 2024.