OAG, the leading global travel data provider, today announced its highly anticipated On-Time Performance (OTP) rankings for November, highlighting the airlines that successfully kept passengers and cargo moving on schedule as the industry navigated seasonal changes and operational challenges.
The latest data reveals that several global carriers achieved exceptional reliability, with a flight considered “on-time” if it arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of its scheduled arrival time. Cancellations are factored into the overall data and are counted as not on time.
OAG is pleased to congratulate the top three Major Airlines* for their outstanding on-time performance in November:
Hainan Airlines (China)
China Southern Airlines (China)
SAS Scandinavian Airlines (Scandinavia)
Leading the pack of Major Airlines, Hainan Airlines secured the top position, achieving an impressive 88.65% OTP. The carrier successfully operated 21,863 flights throughout the month, demonstrating robust operational efficiency.
A standout performance was delivered by Latin American carrier Aeromexico, which ranked highest among all Large Airlines** with a remarkable OTP of 91.67%. Operating 15,223 flights, the airline reported an exceptionally low number of cancellations, with only eight services grounded in November.
The European aviation sector showed strong resilience and punctuality in November’s rankings:
ITA Airways emerged as a standout performer in Europe, achieving an OTP rate of 88.49% while reporting only two cancellations for the entire month.
Turkish carrier SunExpress showcased exceptional consistency, reporting no cancellations and achieving a strong OTP level of 88.13%.
Among the low-cost carriers (LCCs), Wizz Air led the segment with the highest OTP level at 86.72%. The popular European LCC managed to operate with minimal disruption, logging only 19 cancellations in November.
In contrast, several major US carriers faced higher-than-normal cancellation rates during November, partly due to FAA-imposed flight restrictions during the period.
American Airlines reported nearly 5,500 cancelled flights, representing a 2.99% cancellation rate.
United Airlines cancelled 4,043 services, equating to a 2.81% cancellation rate.
“November’s data clearly highlights the distinction between the world’s most operationally efficient airlines and those facing regional or regulatory challenges,” said John Smith, Chief Operating Officer at OAG. “Hainan Airlines’ leading performance, alongside Aeromexico’s exceptional punctuality, sets a high benchmark for on-time reliability as the industry moves into the busy holiday travel season.”
On-Time Performance (OTP) is based on the actual gate arrival time.
A flight is considered on time if it arrives within 15 minutes of the schedule.
Flights arriving 15 minutes or more after the scheduled time are considered not on time.
Cancellations are included in the data and are considered not on time.
Major Airlines: Operating over 20,000 flights in the reporting month.
Large Airlines: Operating between 10,000 and 20,000 flights in the reporting month.
