Revealed: United Airlines is the most punctual US carrier, with JetBlue ranked bottom

  • United Airlines was on schedule 84.6% of the time during December 2017
  • Delta, who had two major disruptions in December, arrived on time 83.5% of time
  • Coming bottom was JetBlue with 74.1% of its flights arriving on schedule 

United is the most punctual US airline, recent figures have shown.

The carrier took the top spot after the latest US government rankings showed its flights arrived at their destinations on schedule 84.6 per cent of the time.

Coming bottom of the rankings was JetBlue Airways, which saw just 74.1 per cent of its flights reach their destination on time.

New figures have revealed that United Airlines is the most punctual US airline

New figures have revealed that United Airlines is the most punctual US airline

The rankings appear in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s February 2018 Air Travel Consumer Report, which looked at punctuality for December 2017. 

The report looks at the 12 biggest airlines in the US and breaks out separately the regional carriers that fly under the brands of their major partners.

For the report, a flight is classed as being on time so long as it arrives no more than 14 minutes behind schedule.

United finished top of the punctuality table despite only finishing fifth the previous month.

Delta Air Lines has dropped from first to second in the rankings following bad weather and a serious power outage at its Atlanta hub in December 

Delta Air Lines has dropped from first to second in the rankings following bad weather and a serious power outage at its Atlanta hub in December 

It overtook Delta Air Lines, which had dropped to second in the table with 83.5 per cent of its flights arriving on time.

However, during December, Delta was hit by two major disruptions at its hub in Atlanta in the form of an unusual snowstorm and a serious power outage.

The two biggest climbers up the table were both Alaska Airlines and merger partner Virgin America, which finished third and fourth.

The previous month they had been the two-lowest ranked airlines for punctuality.

Coming bottom of the rankings is JetBlue Airways which saw just 74.1 per cent of its flights reach their destination on time

Coming bottom of the rankings is JetBlue Airways which saw just 74.1 per cent of its flights reach their destination on time

Making up the top five was American Airlines, which landed 82 per cent of its services on time.

It was followed by Hawaiian Airlines (80.8 per cent), Spirit Airlines (80.4 per cent), Southwest Airlines (79.1 per cent), Skywest Airlines (76.5 per cent) and ExpressJet (76.4 per cent).

Frontier Airlines came in 11th, just beating JetBlue, as its services landed on time on 75.8 per cent of occasions. 

MailOnline Travel has contacted JetBlue and Frontier Airlines for comment.  

WHICH US AIRLINE IS MOST PUNCTUAL?

1. United Airlines, 84.6% (Previous month: No. 5) 

2. Delta Air Lines 83.5% (1)

3. Alaska Airlines, 83.4% (11)

4. Virgin America, 82.5% (12)

5. American Airlines, 82.0% (4)

6. Hawaiian Airlines, 80.8% (3)

7. Spirit Airlines, 80.4% (2)

8. Southwest Airlines, 79.1% (6)

9. SkyWest Airlines, 76.5% (10)

10. ExpressJet, 76.4% (8)

11. Frontier Airlines, 75.8% (9)

12. JetBlue Airways, 74.1% (7)

Total for all covered airlines: 80.3%

Source: US Department for Transportation 

 

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