Flying without delays: The most punctual global airlines, airports revealed

Dubai: For travellers and businesses alike, punctual flights and efficient airports aren’t just convenient — they cut stress, save time and improve productivity. In an increasingly disrupted travel world, punctuality is a key driving reason for choosing travel partners.

New data from aviation intelligence companies Cirium and OAG has revealed which airlines and airports were the most reliable in the world in 2025, based on millions of real flight records.

Cirium’s 2025 On-Time Performance Review shows that Aeromexico emerged as the world’s most punctual airline, delivering the highest proportion of flights arriving within 15 minutes of schedule.

The Mexican carrier topped the global ranking ahead of Saudia, which was the strongest Middle East performer, followed by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Brazil’s Azul Airlines, and Qatar Airways, which was recognised for consistent network performance across long-haul and regional routes.

Cirium defines an on-time arrival as landing within 14 minutes and 59 seconds of the scheduled time, a benchmark widely used across the aviation industry.

Meanwhile, OAG’s 2025 on-time performance data — updated monthly — provides deeper, continuously updated insights into how airlines perform month by month.

In December 2025, OAG data showed China Southern Airlines topping the major airline category for punctuality, with nearly 90 per cent of its flights arriving on time, and Hainan Airlines and China Eastern Airlines closely following behind.

OAG’s dataset categorises airlines by size (such as major and large carriers) and includes cancellations as part of on-time performance scores, offering an operationally rigorous view of punctuality in practice.

In terms of airports, Cirium’s 2025 data ranked Istanbul Airport as the world’s most punctual major hub.

It was followed by Santiago International Airport in Chile, Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport, Guayaquil International Airport in Ecuador and Brasilia International Airport in Brazil. These airports stood out for their ability to turn aircraft around quickly, manage congestion and minimise weather-related disruption, all key factors in maintaining departure punctuality.

According to OAG’s latest Busiest Airports in the World data, Dubai International Airport (DXB) remains the world’s busiest airport in terms of airline seating capacity, combining domestic and international operations to accommodate an estimated 5.5 million seats in January 2026 — up about 4 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.

This means more flights, more airlines, and more travellers passing through DXB’s vast terminals, reinforcing Dubai’s status as a truly global air hub. Not far behind is the perennial traffic giant Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in the United States, which ranked second with nearly 4.9 million seats and has long been a cornerstone of global connectivity thanks to its vast domestic network and role as a major Delta Airlines hub.

Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) also ranks among the busiest airports, holding third place despite a slight year-on-year decline, underscoring strong long-haul and domestic capacity in the Asia-Pacific region.

London Heathrow (LHR), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Seoul Incheon (ICN) are also featured in the top tier of global capacity and highlight how passenger traffic is distributed across multiple continents.