Washington Dulles Airport Ranked As World’s Most Punctual In February

Flight delays, cancellations, and disruptions are the worst part of flying. On-time performance is a major factor for travellers choosing airlines for connecting flights. The latest results from travel data analytics firm Cirium revealed that the most punctual airport in February in the global category was Washington Dulles in Northern Virginia, US, with an on-time departure rate of 89.95 per cent. 

It was followed by Vienna International Airport (VIE), with an average departure performance of 89.39 per cent. Completing the list of the top five airports for on-time departures was Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) with an impressive 89.04% success rate. Joining them in the top tier were Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) at 88.36% and Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) at 88.12%.

Aeromexico led the way for airlines with a 90.66 per cent on-time arrival rate, with Delta and Iberia following closely behind in the top three positions, as per Cirium Aviation Analytics’ monthly report on global airline punctuality.

International travel is back and bigger than ever. Last year we hit a record 9.3 MILLION international passengers, flying past our 2022 numbers by 26.9%! ✈️✈️ pic.twitter.com/Kj3WTke5WO

— Dulles Airport (IAD) (@Dulles_Airport) February 21, 2024

In 2023, overseas flights from Washington Dulles Airport experienced a significant uptick of 26.9 per cent, according to passenger traffic data released by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). The airport surpassed its previous record for international passengers set in 2019, welcoming 8.4 million travellers. The surge in passenger traffic in 2023 was primarily driven by the addition of services from five airlines to IAD: ITA Airways, Norse Atlantic, WestJet, Air China, and PLAY.

Indian airports securing top positions in the ‘On-Time Performance Monthly Report’ by Cirium, a data analytics firm, include Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. In 2023, these airports claimed the second and third spots on the list, respectively. Arrivals and departures are considered punctual if they occur within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.