Too often, headlines about airlines and airports focus on the bad – extensive delays, inclement weather, nightmare passengers and the like.

So when there’s a chance to celebrate something good in the aviation world, it requires a look.

Aviation analytics company Cirium has crunched the numbers to reveal which airlines and airports around the world have the best on-time ratings. No matter where in the world you live – or are planning to go – these stats give some hope that your next trip can be smooth sailing.

Flying high
Although Cirium recognizes winners in different continents, the overall prize for Most Punctual Airline was won by Avianca, the Colombian flag carrier. Usually styled with a lowercase A at the beginning, it’s part of the Star Alliance network.

While Avianca got overall recognition, the airline nabbing the title of most punctual in South America was Copa, the national airline of Panama.

The most on-time airline in Asia was Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA). In North America it was Delta Air Lines, while Iberia Express won the title for Europe. The most punctual airline in the Middle East and Africa was Oman Air, which celebrated its 30th birthday in 2023.