Canada’s two biggest airlines among top 10 in world for on-time flights: report

Canada’s two biggest airlines were among the global leaders in getting passengers to their destinations on time last month, aviation industry numbers show.

Calgary-based WestJet landed 84.66 per cent of its 17,189 October flights on time, according to the latest on-time performance report from Cirium Aviation Analytics. That mark placed the second-biggest Canadian carrier fifth among major airlines from around the world (see global top 10 rankings chart below) and first among the big airlines in the U.S. and Canada (see North American rankings chart below).

Air Canada, meanwhile, the country’s largest carrier, was ninth in the world last month and third in North America, landing 82.14 per cent of its 31,618 flights in October on time.

Cirium, which regularly tracks the duration-of-flight performance of the 10 major airlines in the U.S. and Canada as well as carriers around the world, defines an on-time flight as one that lands no more than 14 minutes beyond its scheduled arrival time.

Chart shows October 2025 global on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

WestJet’s September and October marks of nearly 85 per cent significantly top its on-time measure in August, when it landed 70.39 per cent of its 19,779 flights on time. Its September numbers saw the airline hit the 84.49 per cent mark in operating 17,355 flights that month (third in North America, sixth globally).

WestJet has shown improvement in North American rankings in recent months (not including its poor August performance) and this marks the second consecutive time it has appeared on the global top 10 list.

Aeromexico topped the global rankings again in October, landing 91.76 per cent of its 15,241 flights on time, while Saudia (Saudi Arabia), Azul (Brazil) and Qatar Airways rounded out the top four.

When it comes to the on-time performance of major carriers in Canada and the U.S., WestJet has shown dramatic improvement in rising from 10th and last on the North American list in August to third in September and now first in October.

Delta Air Lines in the U.S. placed second in October’s North American rankings (84.47 per cent of 155,989 flights), Air Canada was third (82.14 per cent of 31,618 flights), Alaska Airlines fourth (81.71 per cent 37,690 flights) and United Airlines fifth (81.11 per cent of 150,256 flights).

Chart shows October 2025 on-time performance numbers among North American airlines. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Of 766,961 total flights in October operated by the 10 largest airlines in Canada and the U.S. combined, 80.29 per cent arrived on time upon completion of their journey, the numbers show. That compares with 722,504 flights in September that turned in a collective on-time mark of 82.89 per cent.

Montreal-based Air Canada operates the majority of its flights out of Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga while WestJet also schedules a large number of flights out of the country’s biggest and busiest airport.

Canada’s two biggest airlines, which occupied the last two spots in the February 2025 rankings (Air Canada ninth, WestJet 10th), began to show improvement in April when it comes to getting passengers to their destinations on time. They’ve been on an upward trajectory, for the most part, since.

While Cirium says it tracks monthly and annual on-time performance numbers for some 20 airlines in Canada and the U.S., an official with the company told INsauga.com earlier it reports only on the top 10.

For purposes of Cirium’s data collection, only U.S. and Canadian carriers are included in North American numbers. Mexico’s Aeromexico is included in monthly and year-end Latin American rankings despite Mexico being one of the three countries that comprise North America.

Each month, Cirium ranks the 10 largest airlines in a given region around the world based on their on-time performance rate. Regions where numbers are tracked, in addition to North America and Latin America, are Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East and Africa.

Chart shows September 2025 global on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Chart shows September 2025 on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Chart shows August 2025 on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Chart shows July 2025 on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Chart shows June 2025 on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Chart shows May 2025 on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Chart shows April 2025 on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Chart shows March 2025 on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)

Chart shows February 2025 on-time performance numbers. (Source: Cirium Aviation Analytics)