Air Travel Demand Surges in 2024, Despite Challenges for Airlines
Air travel demand continued to surge in 2024, led by a bounce back in international trips, with revenue-passenger miles worldwide up nearly 11% from January to October compared to last year. The International Air Transport Association estimates aircraft departures to reach 40 million in 2025, a 4.6% increase from 2024.
Airlines are scrambling to add flights and increase premium seating, which brings in higher revenue, especially on long-haul trips. Despite challenges from shortages of new aircraft and financial struggles, many passengers did not face the same flight disruptions as they did during the pandemic’s acute staffing shortages.
The most on-time airlines have spanned the globe, according to a ranking released by Cirium, with punctuality being defined as an arrival that occurs within 15 minutes of the scheduled time. Delta Air Lines topped the rankings for U.S. and Canadian airlines, despite its struggle to recover from the CrowdStrike outage in July that canceled thousands of flights.
Here are the rankings for global carriers, with an on-time rate in parentheses:
* Aeromexico (86.7%)
* Saudia Airlines (86.35%)
* Delta Air Lines (83.46%)
* LATAM Airlines (82.89%)
* Qatar Airways (82.83%)
* Azul Airlines (82.42%)
* Avianca (81.80%)
* Iberia (81.58%)
* Scandinavian Airlines (81.40%)
* United Airlines (80.93%)
And here are the rankings for U.S. and Canadian airlines:
Note: Global carriers are defined as those that fly to at least three regions, while on-time rate is based on an arrival within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.
