US Flight Delay Report 2026
Official DOT data on which airlines and which hours actually run on time.
⬇ Download dataset (CSV)Airline on-time rankings (Jan–Jun 2026)
Year-to-date percentage of flights arriving within 15 minutes of schedule, per the DOT's Air Travel Consumer Report. Network figures include branded codeshare partners.
| Rank | Carrier | % On-time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska Airlines | 80.5% |
| 2 | Delta Air Lines | 79.3% |
| 3 | United Airlines | 75.8% |
| 4 | Southwest Airlines | 72.1% |
| 5 | American Airlines | 71% |
| 6 | Allegiant Air | 59.8% |
June 2026 snapshot
Summer thunderstorms make June the toughest month. Industry-wide on-time arrivals fell to 73.1% — Delta held the top spot while Southwest dropped to 65.3%.
| Carrier | % On-time (June) |
|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 80.8% |
| Alaska Airlines | 79.4% |
| United Airlines | 73.9% |
| JetBlue Airways | 73.6% |
| American Airlines | 70.7% |
| Frontier Airlines | 69.7% |
| Allegiant Air | 68.2% |
| Southwest Airlines | 65.3% |
The best time to fly: morning, by a mile
Averaging DOT Table 3 across eight major airports, on-time arrivals slide steadily all day — from ~90% before 9 AM to ~64% by 9 PM. Delays cascade: each late aircraft pushes its next rotation back.
Frequently asked questions
Which US airline has the best on-time performance in 2026?
Alaska Airlines leads with 80.5% on-time arrivals for January–June 2026, followed by Delta at 79.3% and United at 75.8%, according to the DOT Air Travel Consumer Report.
What is the worst airline for delays in 2026?
Allegiant Air ranks last among reporting carriers at 59.8% on-time arrivals year-to-date — meaning roughly 2 in 5 Allegiant flights arrive 15+ minutes late.
What time of day are flights most likely to be on time?
Flights arriving between 6 AM and 9 AM are on-time about 89.7% of the time across major US airports. By 7–10 PM that drops to around 64%. The earlier you fly, the better your odds.
Why do morning flights have fewer delays?
Aircraft overnight at their departure airport and start the day in position. Delays cascade through the day as late aircraft push subsequent flights back — by evening, the whole network is playing catch-up.
Where does this delay data come from?
The DOT's Air Travel Consumer Report (August 2026 edition), which covers the 12 largest US carriers representing over 99% of domestic scheduled-service passenger revenue. Hour-of-day figures are averaged across major airports from Table 3 of the June 2026 report.
Beat the delay curve
Pick a morning flight on a top-ranked airline and stack the odds in your favor.
Search flights →