How Punctual Are Canadian Airlines Against Global On-Time Leaders?

The annual Cirium On-Time Performance (OTP) Review for 2025 has revealed mixed results for Canadian airline on-time performance against global competitors. The report, published by the aviation analytics firm Cirium, tracks millions of flights worldwide.

Cirium defines an on-time flight as one that arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of its scheduled arrival time. For airports, punctuality is measured by flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure.

Global Punctuality Leaders

The global rankings were led by carriers achieving punctuality rates well above 86%. Mexican airline Aeromexico took the top spot globally for the second consecutive year. Aeromexico achieved a 90.02% OTP across its 188,859 flights.

Saudia Airlines ranked second worldwide, posting an 86.53% OTP from over 202,000 flights. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) followed closely in third place with an 86.09% on-time rate.

WestJet and Air Canada Ranking in North America

While no Canadian carriers cracked the global top 10, the country’s two largest airlines secured spots in the North American top 10. Delta Air Lines led the North American region for the fifth straight year, achieving an 80.90% OTP.

WestJet claimed the No. 8 spot in the regional rankings with a 73.58% on-time performance. This was based on the airline’s 205,501 total flights.

Air Canada followed at No. 9, with 73.26% of its 383,819 flights making the grade. Both major carriers showed improvements over the previous year.

They each posted approximately two-percentage-point increases in their on-time performance compared to 2024. This demonstrates a positive trend in airline operational efficiency for the Canadian market.

Other Canadian Carriers

Some smaller Canadian airlines posted higher individual OTP scores but did not qualify for the North American top 10 due to lower flight volume. Flair Airlines led the Canadian pack with a 74.23% on-time arrival rate. Porter Airlines also recorded a 71.91% OTP.

Canadian Airport Punctuality

The review highlighted a key challenge for Canadian aviation infrastructure. No Canadian airports were included in the global rankings for large, medium, or small airports. The global large airport category was won by Santiago Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Chile.

This absence from the global lists suggests a need for continued focus on ground operations. Maintaining consistent punctuality requires sophisticated network planning and effective operational coordination, according to Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen.

For passengers, operational reliability is critical to satisfaction and connection assurance. The results provide a benchmark for global airline punctuality and highlight areas for improvement in the Canadian aviation sector. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) continues to stress the importance of operational excellence across the industry. Read more commercial aviation news and analysis on industry trends.