Airline punctuality worst since 2014

CBS News reported on May 21 that U.S. airline punctuality deteriorated in 2025 to its weakest level since 2014, citing a new U.S. PIRG Education Fund analysis of Department of Transportation data. The report landed just as Memorial Day travel began, with AAA forecasting 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25. (newsroom.aaa.com) U.S. PIRG said more than 100,000 flights were canceled in 2025 and nearly one in four flights did not arrive on time when delays, cancellations and diversions were combined. (faa.gov) CBS said one in 12 flights arrived at least an hour late last year, and Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director at U.S. PIRG Education Fund, said summer travel could be even more strained if heavy demand collides with weather and schedule cuts. ### How bad was airline performance in 2025? The U.S. PIRG Education Fund said 2025 produced the worst on-time performance for U.S. airlines since 2014. (cbsnews.com) Its “Plane Truth 2026” report said cancellations and delays both increased, with the on-time arrival rate dipping and more than 1.66 million flights affected by delays, cancellations or diversions. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics defines a flight as on time if it arrives less than 15 minutes after its scheduled arrival. BTS publishes annual and monthly airline on-time tables based on reports filed by large airlines with the Transportation Department. (pirg.org) ### Which airlines were the worst and best on schedule? CBS News reported that Hawaiian, Delta and Southwest were the best at keeping flights on time in the U.S. PIRG analysis, while Frontier, JetBlue and American ranked worst on that measure. On cancellations, CBS said American, Frontier and JetBlue were the worst-performing airlines, while Allegiant, Hawaiian and Southwest canceled the fewest flights. (pirg.org) Teresa Murray of U.S. PIRG said schedule problems most often happen when bad weather disrupts flights or when airlines schedule more flights than an airport can handle. (bts.gov) She also said some airports, including Chicago O’Hare, have mandated flight cuts to reduce operational delays. ### Why are delays and cancellations still piling up? The FAA said this week that weather remains the leading cause of delays and told passengers heading into Memorial Day travel to “pack their patience.” CBS also cited a shortage of air traffic controllers, while Murray said weather and over-scheduling at constrained airports remain central drivers of disruption. (cbsnews.com) CBS reported that another pressure point is fuel. The outlet said the Iran war is pushing up jet-fuel prices, and Fareportal Chief Supply and Revenue Officer Yuvraj Datta described the airline system as “unusually fragile” because of higher fuel costs. (cbsnews.com) ### Why does Memorial Day make this more visible? AAA said on May 11 that 45 million Americans are expected to travel over the Memorial Day holiday, a record for the period. The group said 3.66 million people are expected to fly domestically, while 39.1 million are expected to drive. (content.govdelivery.com) AAA said average domestic roundtrip airfare for Memorial Day bookings was about $800, down 6% from a year earlier for travelers who booked early, before higher jet-fuel prices began affecting fares. CBS separately reported that major airlines are bracing for heavy summer demand, with United expecting 53 million passengers from June through August, up about 3 million from last year. (cbsnews.com) ### Where should travelers look next if plans start to slip? The FAA publishes a daily air traffic report with expected impacts such as arrival delays, ground stops and airport closures. (newsroom.aaa.com) The agency said passengers should monitor conditions as weather systems move across the country during the holiday period. Monday, May 25, is the last day of AAA’s Memorial Day travel window, and BTS continues to post monthly airport and airline on-time tables for travelers tracking how the summer season develops. (faa.gov) (newsroom.aaa.com)